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Tadasana (or Samasthiti) is the name of the mountain pose. This is the very first and seemingly simple asana that beginners encounter. In it you need to stand firmly and straight, like a mountain (“Tada” is translated from Sanskrit as a mountain, “Sama” – vertical, straight, “Sthiti” – motionless). But it’s not easy at all! Let’s analyze all the nuances, find out the execution technique, possible contraindications and the great benefits of this exercise.
Standing upright is an art! Previously, people comprehended it naturally: they walked barefoot, on the ground, the weight of the body was distributed over the entire surface of the feet. That is why they were strong and “grounded”. Now we wear shoes, and women also wear heels, we live mainly in high-rise buildings, we work in offices. Everywhere we are – concrete and asphalt. Why am I all this? To the fact that we don’t particularly go barefoot on Mother Earth … And she can teach us a lot.
But, as a rule, it doesn’t “soar” for us. We don’t care how we stand. Someone is used to transferring body weight only on one leg, someone on the heels or the edge of the foot. For fun, look at your shoes now! She will explain a lot to you. From which side the sole is most worn out, you load that part of the foot. Shift your body weight there. And it should be evenly distributed. And that’s why.
Look, if the weight of the body falls, for example, only on the heels, the deformation of the spine is inevitable. Alas, but it is. In this position, the hips and pelvis stop working (and they should be involved), become sluggish, and the whole body seems to fall back. At the same time, a person can feel tension in the spine (or already get used to it), walk with a protruding stomach, even without being overweight. Stoop, strange gait …. And this is not all misfortune. He will begin to overcome fatigue and sadness. It would seem that you just woke up – but you no longer have the strength, your mind is sluggish … Do you feel a connection? That is why it is so important to stand correctly.
And this is what the mountain pose teaches us in yoga!
The benefits of exercise
Everyone needs Tadasana! Especially those who sit at the computer a lot, move little, do not play sports. Arthritis, slouching, a hunchback in the upper back, poor mobility in the neck and shoulders, as well as numbness in the feet and congestion in the calf muscles and thighs are all direct signs that it is time for you to practice mountain pose. So why is she so good?
- teaches to distribute body weight over the entire surface of the foot;
- improves posture;
- ensures the correct growth of the vertebral bones (at a young age);
- keeps the spine, as well as the joints of the arms and legs, young and flexible;
- promotes the release of spinal nerves;
- strengthens the abdominal muscles: both external and internal;
- eliminates constipation;
- raises the tone, restores vigor and energy.
Photo: social networks
Exercise harm
It is unlikely that a person performing Tadasana can harm himself with this exercise. There are no special contraindications for her. But some sources indicate that the mountain pose should be done with caution for those who suffer from migraines, insomnia, who have vision problems, as well as low blood pressure.
How to do mountain pose
All standing yoga poses begin with Tadasana. And when the instructor tells you: “We stand up straight, and now …”. And before this “now”, you will already know for sure that you need to not just stand up straight, but take a mountain pose.
Step by step execution technique
Step 1
We stand up straight, connect the feet so that the heels and big toes touch. The fingers are extended.
Step 2
We distribute the weight of the body on the surface of the feet evenly: on the heels, and on the middle of the foot, and on the toes. Feeling like roots are growing and you are “taking root”.
Step 3
We strain our knees, pulling up the kneecaps.
ATTENTION! Legs are straight and tense.
Step 4
We pull the stomach up, move the chest forward and “open”. Stretch up the spine. We straighten the neck, slightly tilting the chin to the chest.
Step 5
In the classic version of the mountain pose, the arms are extended up above the head. But you can fold them at chest level in a prayer mudra (Namaste), or lower them down the sides of the body.
So, through the sides we stretch our arms up, palms look at each other. We push the floor with our feet and stretch the whole body following the arms up.
Step 6
We maintain the position for 30-60 seconds, breathing evenly. At the end, take a deep breath, relax. And again we enter Tadasana.
Tips for beginners
- If you find it difficult to balance while keeping your feet together, leave a little space between your feet. But no more than the width of the foot. And only the first time.
- Make sure that your lower back does not “fall through” forward, and your chin does not look up, your neck should be in line with the back of your head.
- We observe the rest of the tension: remember not only about the knees (they are still tense)! We pull up the inner bone of the ankle, pull the stomach to the spine, move the chest forward and up, spread the shoulder blades apart from each other to the sides, pull the back of the head back and up.
- Now, keeping all these tensions and making a continuous effort, we relax in the rack! “How is this possible?” you ask. Try it, you should succeed!
Photo: social networks
After a few months of daily mountain pose, you will notice wonderful changes in your body. The stoop will go away, the stomach will tighten, the shape of the clavicles will straighten out and even the gait will change. And vigor will also return, energy will increase, a pleasant lightness will appear in the body.
Of course, the path to this is not fast, but it’s worth it!