Standing Yoga Poses

Beginner Level

Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Reverse Triangle (Parivritta Trikonasana)

Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Intermediate Level

Standing Split (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

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Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) is a fiery pose that builds heat, strengthens the core, and works your legs. Read more about this powerful yoga posture and its modifications.

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How To Do Chair Pose

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Chair Pose (Utkatasana) is the perfect yoga posture to build heat, strengthen the legs and back, and increase focus. Here’s how to do it properly and when to modify.

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How To Do Mountain Pose

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Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) is a heating yoga pose that fires up Manipura chakra (Solar Plexus), strengthens the core, and creates focus. Here’s how to do it and how to modify.

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How To Do Low Lunge Pose

Low Lunge (Ardha Alana) is a classic yoga pose that digs into the hips and lower back. It’s often difficult for tight or injured bodies. Here are the best modifications.

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Main Benefits of Standing Yoga Poses

Standing yoga poses build strength and flexibility throughout the entire body. They are commonly used in many different styles of yoga, especially Hatha Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga. Though it may not seem so at first, standing asanas stretch and strengthen the entire upper body, especially the back, shoulders, and neck. Because many of these standing postures require strong legs, they also strengthen the lower body as well.

Standing yoga poses are the perfect antidote to lots of sitting, where our posture can be compromised and our rib cage turned in on itself with poor posture. A beginner standing posture can be especially helpful for those who have stiffness in the back, torso, or between the shoulder blades.

Not only does the standing position strengthen both the upper body and the lower body, but it also improves overall balance and coordination. This is especially true any standing pose that requires you to balance on your standing leg for long periods of time.

Standing Yoga Poses in Traditional Yoga

In a traditional yoga practice, a standing position can help ground us to Earth’s energy through the Root Chakra as well as energize us through Manipura Chakra.

The warrior poses, in particular, are grounding through strong legs and feet rooted to the ground. They draw energy through the standing asana and charge Muladhara chakra as you hold the posture. When your left foot is backward, the Earth’s energy rises through the left foot and up the left leg until it arrives at Muladhara. When the energy is pulled through the left side of the body, this activates the receptive, or feminine, energy of the pose. When the right foot is backward, the energy moves up through the right leg to Muladhara and activates the emissive, or masculine, energy of the asana.

Mountain pose is another standing asana that is incredibly grounding. As you are standing in mountain pose, engage the outer edges of both your right foot and your left foot. Pull the outer edges of each leg away from each other, as if one person is pulling your left leg away from your right leg, and vice versa. Engage your abdominal muscles, straighten your spine so that your pelvis is neutral and stand tall with your shoulder blades pulled back toward each other. Breathe deeply in this yoga posture and concentrate on pulling Earth’s energy upward from the ground.

Triangle pose, on the other hand, is good for generating energy in Manipura Chakra, as is chair pose. When holding these postures, it takes a lot of focus and commitment to the posture. These kinds of standing poses also generate heat, which is most associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra, or Manipura Chakra.