Yoga pose
Mountain Pose is a simple standing shape that teaches how to organise your weight, legs, pelvis and spine with attention. It often looks easy from the outside, but small changes in the feet and ribs can make the whole pose feel steadier and lighter.
Typical hold: 3 to 8 breaths
Timing: 3 slow breaths · 5 even breaths · 30 to 60 seconds of quiet standing
Tadasana is often used at the start of practice and between stronger standing poses. It is not about standing stiffly. Instead, you are learning how to be upright without slumping or bracing. For some bodies, feet together feels clear. For others, standing with the feet hip-width apart is more comfortable and more stable.
If you are unsure where your weight is, gently rock a little toward the toes and then toward the heels, then pause in the middle. That usually shows you a more natural standing line than trying to force perfect posture.
Stand with the feet separated about hip-width if balancing with the feet together makes you wobble or grip.
Stand with your back lightly near a wall, letting the back of the head and shoulder blades sense the wall without flattening yourself hard against it.
Sit toward the front of a sturdy chair with both feet grounded, spine tall and hands resting on the thighs. Practise the same balance of grounded feet and easy lift through the crown.
Use this if standing for even a short time feels tiring, unsteady or uncomfortable.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor, then feel the back ribs settle and the spine lengthen without effort.
Use this if you want to explore neutral alignment without the demand of weight-bearing.
Standing with the inner feet touching creates a narrower base and asks for a little more balance control.
Standing with the feet under the hips gives many people a more stable base and more space through the pelvis and lower back.
The hands come together at the chest in Prayer Pose while the rest of the body keeps the same grounded standing shape.
If quiet standing causes marked dizziness, repeated loss of balance, or significant pain in weight-bearing, get individual advice before practising longer holds.
When this pose feels steady and controlled, these related poses may provide a logical next step.
See how this pose fits into a complete practice rather than using it in isolation.
Either can be correct. Feet together gives a narrower base and can sharpen attention, while hip-width often feels steadier and more natural. Choose the version that lets you stand without gripping the toes or holding your breath.
Many people shift more weight into the heels without noticing. Try rocking slightly forward and back, then stop in the middle so the front and back of the feet share the load more evenly. Usually the legs and centre feel more awake straight away.
Usually no strong tuck is needed. Think more about bringing the pelvis to a middle place. If you tuck hard, the pose can become stiff. If you tip the pelvis forward too much, the lower ribs and lower back often push out.
Let the arms hang naturally by your sides with the fingers soft. The palms can face inward or slightly forward. The main thing is that the shoulders stay easy and the chest does not puff forward to create the shape.
Yes. This pose teaches the organisation that supports many other standing postures. If you pay attention to the feet, knees, ribs, neck and breath, it becomes a clear practice of balance and posture rather than just waiting between poses.
Reviewed for yoga instruction
Certified Yoga Instructor with 5+ years of Teaching and Consistent Practice
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08
