Tadasana or the Mountain Pose is a basic yoga pose that is very beneficial for our health. Beginners are often asked to practice this yoga pose. It is an ideal pose for those with weak back muscles and rounded backs as it can help restore the body’s natural alignment along with the flow of good energy and prana in the body.
In this article, you can learn more about the types of Tadasana, how to practice it on a daily basis, its benefits, some beginner tips, how often one must practice it, and precautions to be taken.
Yoga is made up of several different postures that benefit the body in various ways. In this article, we shall focus on one particular pose known as Tadasana, meaning the ‘Mountain Pose’. Tadasana is categorised as a foundational yoga pose that serves as the base for several other standing yoga poses. Although it might seem quite straightforward, you need to pay attention while executing the Tadasana yoga pose correctly.
Listed below are some variations of the basic Tadasana yoga pose:
Also called ‘Mountain with Hands in Prayer’, this posture requires you to keep your hands in the Anjali Mudra (or ‘Hands in Prayer’) while your feet point to the front and your toes are lifted up.
Another term used for this variation is ‘Reverse Prayer Mountain’, which requires the practitioner to have their feet placed outwards. The practitioner must form the Anjali Mudra with their hands behind their back.
This form of Tadasana requires the practitioner to bind their hands above their head.
This is an extension of the traditional Tadasana pose and requires the practitioner to raise their hands and stretch.
This is another variation of Tadasana where the hands are bound above the head with further variations in the pose such as folding the arms or weaving the fingers over the head.
Those who wish to practise Tadasana will be happy to note that all of the Tadasana steps have been mentioned below:
Step 1: Begin by standing in a manner that allows your big toes to touch one another.
Step 2: Raise all of your toes and fan them out. Once you lower each of your toes, they should form a solid base. Your heels can be slightly parted in case your ankles happen to knock against one another.
Step 3: Your feet should be firmly placed on the floor.
Step 4: Use the muscles on the front of your thighs (i.e., your quadriceps) and bring them up, such that your kneecaps rise.
Step 5: Rotate each of your thighs inwards such that you widen your ischial tuberosity or also known as sit bones.8
Step 6: Maintain the normal curve of your spine and draw your belly in a little.
Step 7: Spread out your collarbones and ensure that your shoulders are positioned above your pelvis.
Step 8: Move your shoulders up to your ears and then roll them back down.
Step 9: Your arms can hang naturally, and your elbows can be slightly bent. Your palms should face forward.
Step 10: Ensure that your neck is drawn out and that your chin is not tucked in or lifted up.
Step 11: Once you have ensured that your body is correctly aligned, breathe in 5 to 10 times while you maintain this position.
Tadasana yoga poses benefit your body in a number of ways owing to which it is eagerly performed by yoga practitioners. Read on to learn what these benefits are:
Tadasana helps improve posture if you have the habit of slouching or hunching your back.
Tadasana might help with relieving sciatic pain. Furthermore, this yoga position strengthens the back, hips, and legs.
People who practise Tadasana yoga have been known to become more agile. Moreover, it also assists with toning your body’s core muscles.
Standing in the Tadasana pose helps boost circulation across the body.
Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease find Tadasana beneficial as it helps them build lower body strength and improves their posture and balance.
People suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) have often found that Tadasana asana helps reduce the pain associated with this disease. It also helps them enhance their posture and flexibility.
Apart from physical benefits, Tadasana also brings with it emotional benefits which help people diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD).
This yoga pose helps improve a person’s ability to balance and increases their strength.
Although this position may seem particularly easy to a beginner, they must not rush through it or overlook its importance. It is important that the practitioner is aware of how they perform Tadasana as it sets the tone for how other yoga poses are carried out.
Tadasana can be performed for 10 to 20 seconds at a stretch. You can perform this yoga technique up to 10 times per day.
Even though you are aware of the Tadasana steps and benefits, here are some precautions that you should take:
Tadasana is a fairly safe position for almost all people to assume unless they are feeling light-headed or are dizzy.
Pregnant women may find the need to adopt a wider stance while practising Tadasana in order to feel stable.
In case you plan to perform other asanas after you assume the Tadasana pose, it is recommended that you either do so on an empty stomach or begin practising after at least 4 hours have passed since your last meal.
You should avoid practising Tadasana if you are suffering from low blood pressure, insomnia or have a headache or migraine.
One of the contraindications of Tadasana is that holding the position for too long might lead to dizziness for some individuals.
Now that you have learnt how to do Tadasana yoga, you can practise it as well. Tadasana is a popular yoga pose as it enhances one’s health and improves their posture. People practise numerous yoga poses like Tadasana in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, regardless of how cautious one may be, there is always a chance of medical emergencies. In order to be prepared for such situations, it is important to purchase a sufficient health insurance plan. So, head over to Bajaj Markets to secure yourself now!
Tadasana can be performed at any point in time during the day.
Tadasana can be performed on its own. It can also be performed as a preparatory pose for other yoga poses.
Four different variations of the classic Tadasana pose include the following.
Tadasana Namaskar
Viparita Namaskar Tadasana
Baddha Hasta Tadasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Two benefits associated with the practice of Tadasana include the following.
Tones the Body - Tadasana helps tone your body’s core muscles.
Provides Strength - This yoga position helps strengthen the back, hips, and legs.
Yes, pregnant women can perform Tadasana although they might have to keep their feet positioned further, apart from one another such that they are more stable.