Tadasana: Steps, Health Benefits & Contraindications

A type of standing yoga pose, Tadasana or Samasthiti is a great yogasana to integrate body and consciousness. Also known as mountain pose, the word ‘tadasana’ is a combination of ‘tada’ (meaning mountain) and ‘asana’ (meaning seat or position). It is one of the most commonly recommended yoga asanas for beginners.

Here are the steps, health benefits and contraindications of doing tadasana.

How To Do Tadasana (Mountain Pose)?

• Stand straight keeping your feet together and arms beside your body.
• Raise and spread your toes of feet. Lay them slowly on the ground.
• Firming your thigh muscles, raise your kneecaps without contracting abdomen muscles.
• Now raise your inner ankles to fortify inner arches.
• Move your inner thighs toward the inner side.
• Stretch your tailbone toward the floor and raise your pelvis toward the navel.
• Pressing your shoulder blades into your back, spread them wide across and release them down your back.
• Raise the top of your sternum straight toward the roof.
• Now widen your collarbone and hang your arms beside your body.
• Keep your head directly in line over the center of the pelvis and lower side of chin should be parallel to the floor.
• Look slightly in the upward direction.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute

Health Benefits Of Tadasana

• Improving body balance
• Correcting body posture
• Adding agility to spine
• Toning hips and core abdomen
• May help in increasing height in formative years
• Stimulating nervous system
• Regulating digestive and respiratory functions
• Adding flexibility to thighs, joints, knees, and ankles
• Gaining control over muscular movements
• Relieving sciatica pain
• Helps in relieving constipation

Contraindications

• Do NOT practice this pose if you have low blood pressure problem.
• Do NOT perform it during a headache as it might worsen.
• Pregnant women should also avoid it.
• Don’t hold the position for too long if you are a beginner.