Standing poses set a strong foundation for your yoga practice and your life. By using the body’s large muscles, you’ll build overall strength, flexibility, and stamina. These poses require balance and grace, and help to build the confidence of a warrior.
CHAIR POSE, or FIERCE POSE
page 59
EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE POSE
page 69
(OOT-kah-TAH-sah-nah)
Origin: Utkata means “fierce.”
How to do it: Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides. Take a big breath in, then exhale and bend your knees deeply, like you’re sitting in a chair. Reach your arms straight up in a gentle diagonal.
Benefits: Strengthens and tones the legs, gluteal muscles, and arms. Stretches the side body.
(vee-rah-bah-DRAH-sah-nah)
Origin: Virabhadra means “warrior.”
How to do it: From Mountain Pose (page 41), step your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out and your left foot slightly in. Square your hips toward your right foot. Inhale deeply and, as you exhale, bend your right knee, moving your right leg into a perpendicular angle, with your right thigh parallel with the floor (or as close as you can come while remaining comfortable). Reach your arms up alongside your ears and gaze softly forward. To deepen the pose, join your palms and gaze up at your thumbs. (Switch sides to work the opposite part of the body.)
Benefits: Strengthens the legs and ankles. Stretches the front of the hips, abdomen, hip flexors, and psoas. Strengthens the upper back.
(vee-rah-bah-DRAH-sah-nah)
Origin: Virabhadra means “warrior.”
How to do it: From Mountain Pose (page 41), step your feet wide apart and spread your arms out wide so they are parallel with the floor. Turn your right foot out to the right, and your left foot slightly in so the toes point toward the right foot. Inhale deeply and, as you exhale, bend your right knee, moving your right leg into a perpendicular angle, with your right thigh becoming parallel with the floor (or as close as you can get while remaining comfortable). Turn your head to gaze over your right hand. (Switch sides to work the opposite part of the body.)
Benefits: Strengthens the legs, ankles, upper back, and arms. Stretches the inner thighs.
(oo-TEE-tah trik-cone-AH-sah-nah)
Origin: Trikona means “three angles” or “triangle.”
How to do it: From Mountain Pose (page 41), step your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out and your left foot slightly in. Inhale deeply and reach your arms out wide so they are parallel with the floor, creating a T-shape with your body. As you exhale, reach out to the right, tilt downward at your waist, and place your right hand lightly on your right shin. Lift your left arm up to the sky, imagining a straight line all the way from the right fingertips to the left fingertips. Gaze up at your left thumb. (Switch sides to work the opposite part of the body.)
Benefits: Strengthens and tones the legs. Stretches the legs, hips, shoulders, and spine.
(pah-ree-VRIT-ah trik-cone-AH-sah-nah)
Origin: Parivrtta means “to turn or revolve.”
How to do it: From Mountain Pose (page 41), step your feet apart. Turn your right foot out and your left foot slightly in. Square your hips and align your heels with each other. Inhale as you place your right hand on your right hip, while your left hand reaches toward the sky. Exhale and bend over your front leg, placing your left hand at the outside of your right foot. Turn your chest up toward the sky and lift your right hand, imagining a straight line from the left fingertips all the way to the right fingertips. (Switch sides to work the opposite part of the body.)
Benefits: Stretches the side body, chest, and muscles around the spine. Strengthens and stretches the legs, ankles, and hips.
(oo-TEE-tah pars-vah-cone-AH-sah-nah)
Origin: Utthita means “to extend.”
How to do it: From Mountain Pose (page 41), step your feet wide apart, with your feet parallel. Turn your right foot out, bend your right knee to 90 degrees, and turn your left foot slightly in toward your body. Tilting downward at your waist to place your right hand at the outside of your right foot, sweep your left arm up and alongside your left ear, creating a diagonal line from your left ankle all the way to your left fingertips. Keeping your gaze soft, look up under your left arm. (Switch sides to work the opposite part of the body.)
Benefits: Stretches the side body, chest, and muscles around the spine. Strengthens and stretches the legs, ankles, and hips.
