Standing poses have elements of all the other poses; you can bend forward, back, and to the side. You can twist, balance, and even go upside down. As stretched out postures, they utilize large muscles, warm the body at the start of your practice and also develop stamina. Standing postures demand involvement from the whole body.
While they make you stronger and more flexible, they have an integrating force. Just as in life, without a steady foundation in these postures, you will never be able to extend to reach your maximum. Standing poses teach you about firm grounding, and only from there can you radiate outward, blossoming to reach your full potential.
