Standing (Utthita) Yoga Asana

“An asana is not a posture which you assume mechanically. It involves thought, at the end of which a balance is achieved between movement & resistance”

Standing poses make an ideal starting point for a home practice because they are the basic grounding and centering asanas. On the physical level, all the postures integrate the body, balancing flexibility, strength, endurance, and coordination. Standing poses work on all of these elements simultaneously, thus giving you a chance to target individual weak points.

A series of standing poses moves the body through a full range of motion in every major joint, prepares it for deeper poses, and teaches it to move in an even, integrated way. A firm foundation is key to the integrity of any structure. Whether it is a building or a body, the part that contacts the earth must be strong and viable.

Standing poses make us aware of our connection with the earth and teach us to be relaxed and balanced on our feet. From learning & practicing point of view, all standing asanas, are divided into 10 sets, progressing from easy to more difficult order and also keeping the counter poses where ever it is necessary.

I have tried to keep this list as authentic as possible according to classical hatha yoga practice. There are many other variations of standing yoga asanas depending on the style of hatha yoga which are not listed here.

Practice Suggestion:
Beginners should focus on Set I - III and learn to practice the asanas from these sets with comfort and ease. Slowly keep adding one set at a time, making your hatha yoga practice gradual and enjoyable.

Pay attention to CoG (center of gravity) and CoS (center of support) while practising these asanas.
Become aware of the lower extremities joint movements including femur, tibia fibula bone movements so that your body stays in anatomically correct position.

Balance in Stillness

CoG:
The body's Center of Gravity (CoG) is roughly behind the belly button.
The body is supported by whatever part touches the ground: generally both feet, but it can be one foot, both feet and one hand, two hands, etc.

CoS:

The Center of Support (CoS) is the mid-point between those points of contact with the ground, whether it's a single point, or they form a line, a triangle or a square.
The alignment of CoG and CoS determines balance, both in real life and on paper, and this operates differently depending on whether the body is still or in motion.

Why Is Yoga Done Barefoot?

We all know that yoga is done barefoot. However, it has really never been questioned and understoos as to why it is done this way. Where most other exercises are done with shoes on. Yoga isn’t.

The feet are the foundation for standing postures - how the feet are placed will affect your posture form head to toe.

The architecture of the feet, along with their musculature, shows nature’s ability to reconcile and neutralize opposing forces.

Massive over engineered for the most people use them in the civilized world of stiff shoes and paved surfaces.

Yoga exercises are done barefoot, with much attention given to restoring the strength and flexibility of the foot and lower leg muscles.

Human feet have 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and numerous tendons.

Standing yoga warm up sequence

In most well-balanced hatha yoga asana practice, usually the standing asanas are practiced after few rounds of Surya Namaskar which is a warming up sequence.

So usually you don’t need a specific sequence before standing yoga asana sequence.

However best to follow the following sequence before standing sequence:

Pavanamukta asana sequence I (Joints exercises sequence)
6-9 Rounds of classical hatha yoga surya namaskar slowly or ashtanga yoga surya namaskar a and b with complete breath awareness.

Set I - Tadasana (Samastithi) Palm Tree Pose & its variations
Technique:

Come to stand with the big toes touching or or hips width apart but parallel to each other.
Lift up all your toes and let them fan out, then drop them down creating a wide solid base.
You can separate your heels slightly if your ankles are knocking together uncomfortably.
Let the feet and the calves root down into the floor.
Engage the quadriceps and draw them upward, causing your knee caps to rise.
Rotate both thighs inward, creating a widening of the sit bones.
Maintain the natural curves of your spine. Tone the belly, drawing it in slightly.
Widen the collar bones and make sure the shoulders are parallel to the pelvis.
The neck is long, the crown of the head rises toward the ceiling, and the shoulder blades slide down the back.

Beginners: Take a block between the thighs. Squeeze the block and roll it slightly backward to feel the engagement and rotation of the thighs.

Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Stand in Tadasana.
Bring both palms together in namaskara mudra, pressing against each other in front of your chest.
Remain standing upright with the feet together.
Relax the whole body and close your eyes.
Breathe normally.

Variation 1
Uttha Hasta Tadasana (stretched palm tree pose):
Tadasana is performed while gazing up at the interlocked fingers.

Variation 2
Stand in Tadasana with both arms overhead. While balancing on the toes, lift one leg and extend it either forward or backward. Repeat with other leg.

Variation 3
Triyak Tadasana (swaying palm tree pose)

Stand with the feet about 2 feet apart.
Fix the gaze on a point directly in front.
Interlock the fingers and turn the palms outward.
Inhale and raise the arms over the head. While exhaling, bend to the left side from the waist.
Do not bend forward or backward or twist the trunk.
Hold the position for a few seconds while retaining the
breath outside.
Inhale and slowly come to the upright position.
Repeat on the right side.
From the upright position, exhale while bringing the arms
down to the sides. This completes one round.
Variation: Balance on the toes in this practice. The fingers
may be interlocked with the palms facing downward or
turned upward.

Variation 4
Kati Tadasana (standing spinal twist)

Stand with the feet about half a metre apart and the arms
by the sides.
Take a deep breath in while raising the arms to shoulder
level. Breathe out and twist the body to the left.
Bring the right hand to the left shoulder and wrap the left arm around the back. Bring the left hand around the right side of the waist. Look over the left shoulder as far as
possible.
Keep the back of the neck straight and imagine the top of the spine is the fixed point around which the head turns.
Hold the breath for two seconds, accentuate the twist and try to gently stretch the abdomen.
Inhale and return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side to complete one round.
Keep the feet firmly on the ground while twisting.
Relax the arms and back as much as possible throughout the practice.
Do not strain. The movement should be relaxed and spontaneous. Perform the rotation smoothly, without jerking or stiffness.

Set II - Pada-anugushthasana & Pada-hastasana (standing forward bend, foot to hand pose) & its variations
Pada = foot + Angushtha = Big Toe + Hasta = Hand

Stand in Tadasana. Spread the legs a foot apart.
Inhale raise both arms up, exhale bend forward from the hip joint and hold big toes between the thumbs and the first two fingers, so that palms face each other. Hold them tight.
Keep the head up, stretch the diaphragm towards the chest and make the back as as concave as possible. Instead of stretching down from the shoulders, bend forward from the pelvic region to get the concave shape of the back from coccyx.
Keep the legs stiff and do not slacken the grip at the knees and toes. Stretch the shoulder blades also. Take 1-2 breaths in this position.
Now exhale, and bring the head in between the knees by tightening the knees and pulling the toes without lifting them off the floor. Remain in this pose for 4-6 breaths, maintaining normal breathing.

Variation 1

Inhale, release the toes and place the palms under feet, facing towards the feet.
As you exhale, press feet against palms, drop head down as you did earlier. Remain in this pose for 4-6 breaths and breath normally.

Variation 2

Drop arms completely towards the floor as their is no life in your arms and are completely.
Now dynamically swinging up and down twist to the outside of the right foot and hold in this pose 4-6 breathing normally.
Now slowly taking this twist to the outside of the left foot by swinging up & down and hold in this pose 4-6 breathing normally.

Variation 3 Ardha Chakrasana

Inhale, release slowly and roll up, by raising arms up and on the exhalation, rotatin shoulders, supporting lumber area by placing plams around it, bend backward as much body is comfortable.
Hold for 3-4 breaths in this pose. Exhale, and release in tadasana.

Set III Trikonasana & Parivrtta Trikonasana (Triangle & Revolved Triangle Pose)
Trikon = Triangle + Parivrtta = Revolved

Stand straight in Tadasana or pranamasana (prayer pose).
Inhale, swing right leg out to the right side, separating your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 ft).
Exhale, turn your right foot out 90 degrees and left foot in by 15 degrees and raise your arms at the side of your body, palms facing down. Now align your center of right heel with the center of your arch of left foot. Ensure that your feet are pressing the ground and the weight of your body is equally balanced on both the feet.
Inhale deeply tilt slight to the right side and as you exhale, bend your body to the right, downward from the hips, keeping the waist straight, allowing your left hand to come up in the air while your right hand comes down towards floor.
Keep both arms in straight line. Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot, whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the waist.
Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at the left palm.
Ascertain that your body is bent sideways and not backward or forward. Pelvis and chest are wide open. Stretch maximum and be steady.
Keep taking in long deep breaths. With each exhalation, relax the body more and more. Just be with the body and the breath.
As you inhale, come up, keeping your arms at the side of your body, turn right leg inside 15-20 degrees and left leg 90 degrees outside. Repeat the same on the other side.
When completed on both sides, inhale raise yourself up and as you exhale, with one big step come back at the front of the yoga mat in prayer pose.

Variation 2

in this pose, instead of keeping the upper arm in vertical in the final position, lower it over the ear until it is parallel to the floor with the palm facing down.
Try not to bend forward but to keep the body in one vertical plane. Look up at the left hand.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat on the left side.

Variation 3 Parivrtta Trikonasana

Stand straight in Tadasana or pranamasana (prayer pose).
Inhale, swing right leg out to the right side, separating your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 ft).Stand erect with the feet about a metre apart.
Exhale, raise the arms sideways in line with the shoulders, palms facing down.
Turn the right foot to 90 degrees to the right. Turn the left foot to 60 degree to the right, keeping the left leg stretched out and tightened at the knee.
As you inhale, raise your left arm up and support the lumber area by placing the right palm, look toward the right hand.
Exhale, rotate the trunk along the left leg in the opposite direction so as to bring the left palm on the floor near the outer side of the right foot.
Stretch right arm up, bringing it in lie with the left arm, gaze at the right thumb.
Keep the knees tight. Do no lift the toes of the right foot from the floor. Remember to rest the outer side of the left foot well on the floor. Stretch both shoulders and shoulder blades.
Hold the pose for 4-6 normal breaths.
Inhale slowly raise your body by raising your left arm up.
As you exhale , turn the right foot to 60 degree to the left and left foot to 90 degree to left side, drop your left arm down at the left side of the hip and raise your right arm up. Now as you inhale follow the pose to the left side.
After holding in this pose for 4-6 breaths, as you inhale slowly raise up and as you exhal, with a big step come to stand in prayer position.

In Set IV Parsvakonasana (Side Angle Pose) 
Parsva = side/flank, Konasana = angle pose

Stand straight in Tadasana or pranamasana (prayer pose).
Inhale, swing right leg out to the right side, separating your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 ft) (just as you did for trikonasana).
Exhale, turn your right foot out 90 degrees and left foot in by 15 degrees and raise your arms at the side of your body in line with the shoulders, palms facing down.
Inhale deeply and as you exhale, bend right knee, until the thigh and calf form a right angle and right thigh is parallel to the floor. Place the right palm on the floor at the outside of the right foot, the right armpit covering and touching the outside of the right knee. Stretch the left arm out over the left ear and keep the head up. Hold for 4-6 breaths in this pose.
Inhale, straighten the right leg and raise the arms, in line with the shoulders.
Exhale, rotate right leg to 15 degree and left left to 90 degree. Repeat the same on the left side.
Inhale, come out of the pose and as you exhale, with a big step or jump, come into the prayer pose.

Variation 1 Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

Stand straight in Tadasana or pranamasana (prayer pose).
This pose is performed exactly same as parivrtta trikonasana.
Inhale, swing right leg out to the right side, separating your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 ft).Stand erect with the feet about a metre apart.
Exhale, raise the arms sideways in line with the shoulders, palms facing down.
Turn the right foot to 90 degrees to the right. Turn the left foot to 60 degree to the right, keeping the left leg stretched out and tightened at the knee.
Inhale, raise left arm and support the lumber area by right palm, rotate your trunk towards right side.
Exhale, bend right knee and place your left upper arm on the right thigh and bring both palms in prayer pose. Hold the pose for 4-6 breaths.
Inhale raise left arm and repeat it on the left side.

Set V Vibhadrasana II (Warrior Pose)

Stand straight in Tadasana or pranamasana (prayer pose).
Inhale, swing right leg out to the right side, separating your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 ft).
Exhale, turn your right foot out 90 degrees and left foot in by 15 degrees and raise your arms at the side of your body, palms facing down. Now align your center of right heel with the center of your arch of left foot. Ensure that your feet are pressing the ground and the weight of your body is equally balanced on both the feet.
This is exactly as you did for Trikonasana.
Inhale raise your both arms up, in line with shoulders height, palms facing the floor and as you exhale bend right knee till the right thigh is parallel to the floor, keeping the right shin perpendicular to the floor, thus forming an angle between the right thigh and the right calf. The bend knee should not extend beyond the ankle.
Turn the neck to the right gazing at the right palm. Hold it for 4-6 breaths.
Keeping the arms in the same position, rotate your legs (as you did in the triangle pose) to take the pose to the left side and repeat it.
Once finished now prepare your body for Virbhadrasana I.

Virbhadrasana I

Stand straight in pranamasana (prayer pose).
Inhale, swing right leg out to the right side, separating your feet comfortably wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 ft).Stand erect with the feet about a metre apart.
Exhale, turn the right foot to 90 degrees to the right. Turn the left foot to 60 degree to the right, keeping the left leg stretched out and tightened at the knee. (this is exactly you did for parivrtta trikonasana).
Inhale deeply, now as you exhale bend your right knee till the right thigh is parallel to the floor, keeping the right shin perpendicular to the floor, thus forming an angle between the right thigh and the right calf. The bend knee should not extend beyond the ankle. Once firmly grounded,tilt the head up, raise your both palms up, and look at your palms. Hold it for 4-6 breaths.
Exhale, bring your palms in front of the chest area in prayer position again. Inhale, change the position of both legs - so that you can take the pose to the left side. Repeat it on the left side. After holding it for 4-6 breaths, with a big step or jump to tadasana or prayer position.

Set VI Vrkshasana (Tree Pose)

Stand straight in pranamasana (prayer pose).
Feel your weight equally on all four corners of both feet.
Begin to shift the weight over to the right foot, lifting the left foot off the floor.
Bend the left knee, bringing the sole of the left foot high onto the inner right thigh.
Press the foot into the thigh and the thigh back into the foot.
Try not to let the right hip jut out. Keep both hips squared towards the front.
Focus on something that doesn't move to help you keep your balance. Repeat the move while standing on the left foot.

Set VII Utkatasana (Chair Pose) & its variations

Stand straight in pranamasana (prayer pose).
While inhale raise and straighten both arms above the head.
Exhale, slowly lower body, bending both knees, and lowering buttocks down.
Keep the feet and knees together, and the arms straight
Phase I: lower the body down 30 cms and hold for 3-4 breaths.
Phase II: lower the body down about half a metre and hold
Phase III: finally lower the body down until buttocks rest on the floor. making sure that the sole of the feet are grounded.
Phase IV: once fully seated, widen the gap between your knees by pressing the elbows at the inside of the knees. Once fully stretched, hold for 3-4 breaths.
Once completed, sit on floor in dandasana (staff pose) comfortably and relax.

SET VIII - Pada Prasarita Padonttasana A, B, C, D

Stand in Tadasana.
Inhale, place the hands on the waist and swing the right leg out to the right side. Make sure both legs are slightly inwards, big-toes pointed inwards.
Tighten the legs by pulling knee-caps up. Exhale, and bend forward and place the palms on the floor in line with the shoulders between the feet.
Inhale and raise the head up , keeping the back concave.
Exhale, bend the elbow and rest the crown of the head on the floor, keeping the weight of the body on the legs. Make sure body weigth is on palms and feet not on the head.
Hold it for 4-6 breaths. Now as you inhale, raise the head from the floor and straighten the arms at the elbow. As you exhale stand in the starting position.

Hands are placed either on the waist or taking your arms are folded at the waist and holding elbows. Rest of the bending instructions same as A.

In the pose, interlock your fingers at the back and when you bend forward, bring your arms forward. Rest of the bending instructions same as A.

In this pose, place your palms on the waist, as you bend froward, slide your palms on your legs and holding the big toe tightly by thumb and first two fingers. Rest of the bending instructions same as A.

Set IX Utthita Hasta Padangushthasana A B C (Raised hand to big toe pose)

Stand upright with the feet together and relax the whole body.
Focus the gaze on a fixed point at eye level or slightly at downwards.
Inhale and bend the right knee bringing the thigh as close as possible to the chest.
Place the right arm around the outside of the bent leg and take hold of the big toe.
Exhale while straighten the right leg and slowly pull it up closer to the body.
Raise the left arm to the side for balance and perform chin or gyana mudra with the hand.
Hold the final position for as long as possible.
Bend the knee, release the toe and slowly lower the foot to
the floor. Relax the arms.
Exhale while pulling the leg higher.
Breathe deeply in the final position.
Exhale while lowering the leg.
Repeat with the opposite leg.

Variation 1

Repeat the basic form but hold the raised straight leg with both hands. Clasp the fingers together and place
them behind the heel. Using the arms as levers, gently pull the leg as near as possible to the head.
Advanced practitioners may be able to touch their chin to the raised leg.

Variation 2

Stand upright with the feet together and focus on a fixed point at eye level.
Bend the right knee and raise the thigh as high as possible towards the chest.
Place the right arm along the inside of the right leg and hold the big toe with the hand.
Turn the knee out to the right and slowly straighten the leg to the side.
Raise the left arm to the side to assist with balance and adopt gyana mudra.
Raise the leg higher and bring it closer to the body.
Hold the final position for as long as is comfortable.
Bend the right knee and bring the leg back to the centre.
Release the toe and lower the leg to the floor.
Repeat with the opposite leg.

Set X Advanced Standing Asanas
1. Ardha Badha Padmottasana (Half lotus forward bending pose)

Stand with the feet together.
Focus the gaze on a fixed point at eye level.
Inhale while balancing on the left leg, bend the right knee and place the foot as high as possible on the left thigh, in the half lotus position.
Raise the arms above the head and interlock the fingers, palms down. The elbows should be straight.
Relax and steady the whole body. This is the starting position.
Exhale, slowly bend forward, keeping the arms straight. Bring the interlocked fingers down to the left foot or place the palms of the hands flat on the floor. Bring the forehead to the left knee.
Hold the final position for as long as is comfortable.Breathe normally in the final position.
Slowly raise the torso and arms to the starting position with the hands above the head. Lower the arms beside the body and release the right leg.
Relax in the standing position with both feet on the floor. Close the eyes.
Inhale while returning to the starting position.
Repeat with the left leg.

2. Parsvottanasana (Side extend pose)

Parsva = side or flank, Uttana = raised
Stand in Tadasana. Inhale deeply and stretch the body forward.
Join the palms behind by drawing shoulders and elbows back.
Exhale, turn the wrists and bring both palms up above the middle of the back of the chest, the fingers at the level of the shoulder blades - palms in prayer position at the back.
Inhale, turn the right foot to 90 degrees to the right. Turn the left foot to 60 degree to the right, keeping the left leg stretched out and tightened at the knee. (this is exactly you did for parivrtta trikonasana).
Exhale bend the trunk foward and rest the head on the right knee.
Stretch the back and gradually extend the neck until the nose, then the lips and lastly the chin touch and then rest beyond the right knee. Tighten both legs by pulling knee caps up.
Hold the pose for 4-6 breaths and as you inhale slowly raise the trunk up.
Repeast it on the left side.

3. Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana (upright extended single leg stretched pose) or Bakasana (Crane Pose)

Relax in the standing position with the feet together.
Inhale raise the arms in front of the body over the head.
Exhale while bend forward from the hips and grasp the toes of the right foot with both hands.
Slowly stretch the left leg behind, raising it as high as possible and bring the forehead towards the knees.
Keep both legs straight. Exhale and lower the leg and Inhale return to the upright position.
Change legs and repeat the practice.

4. Parighasana (gate pose)

Parigh = "an iron bar for shutting gate"
Kneel on the floor with the ankles together.
Stretch the right leg sideways to the right and keep it in line with the trunk and the left knee. Turn the right foot sideways to the right, keeping the right leg stiff at the knee.
Extend the arms sideways with an inhalation. Take couple of breaths here.
Exhale, move the trunk and right arm down towards the right leg. Rest the right forewarm and wrist on the right shin and ankle respectively, the right palm facing up.Hold for 4-6 breaths. As you inhale raise the trunk up and exhale release the arms down and bring right leg back on kneeling position.
Repeat it on the other side.

If you are interested to learn & practice the detail technique any of these sequences individually at our school tailored to your body type, send an email to info@srimayogaschool.com.au

You need to have minimum of 2-3 hours of time to learn any of the sequence so that you can practice on your own.

The fees is $60 for each sequence and you get a practice chart as well.