We often feel tired, stressed out, lackadaisical and downhill these days, and there are many varied reasons to feel so. The rigmarole of life has taken a toll on us, and even though technology has played a great part in making lives easier for us all, as humans we have still to go a long way in respecting our mind, body and souls.
We take it for granted that the technology around would do everything for us. Right from the morning coffee to the late slumbers, there is a machine or a device which does almost everything for us. Dependence is the name of the game, and without machines, devices and modern day applications, we tend to feel stripped or naked. It is because of the dependence that we tend to ignore the most important part of our existence, our health and well-being.
This is why experts say, even if you don’t have an hour to run, jog, pump iron or to keep fit, ensure that you walk at least a mile for body flexibility and movement. This would allow us to steer clear of sedentary lifestyles, because of which we could have a host of ailments attacking us. We want you to be happy, healthy and prosperous. However, for that, you would need to do a little bit from your end as well.
If you aren’t a patroniser of hitting the gym or pumping iron, we won’t ask you to force yourself into it. The ancient art and science of yoga can help you in more ways than one. Today we would like to speak to you in detail about Tadasana yoga and how it can help you, so please read on and be well-informed for the same
Tadasana Yoga Or Mountain Pose:
Tadasana is one of the most basic pose among all yoga poses. Tadasana is also known as the mountain pose or Samasthiti. Beginners can perform this pose with much ease. Most yoga trainers and fitness centers usually prefer to teach this yogasana first. This is also the base for some of the other asanas. Depending on the lineage of the yoga, this asana may slightly vary. Hence, below is the most basic form of Tadasana yoga. Tadasana is done in a standing position.
How To Do Tadasana Yoga Steps, Benefits, Modifications, Precautions And Tips:
Tadasana Yoga Steps Or Mountain Pose Steps:
Below we have given step by step instruction for tadasana yoga or mountain pose or samasthiti.
- Begin by standing straight with your feet flat on the grounds and heels slightly apart. But however ensure that the base of your big toes touch each other.
- Now distribute your weight equally to each of your feet. This can be attained by spreading your toes and lifting them. Continue to do this until you feel that the weight has been equally distributed to both legs and you feel completely balanced.
- Without hardening your tummy, maintain your thigh muscles firm.
- Now gently lift your ankles’ insides so that it seems like the feet are cupped.
- Turn in the upper part of your thighs and lift your pelvic muscles towards your navel, while simultaneously stretching your tailbone.
- Mentally using an imaginary energy line, try to connect your groin to your inner thighs and torso. This would aid in maintaining your balance, when you stretch.
- Expand your shoulder blades and arch them towards your back. Keep your shoulder blades stretched and release them back slowly. Do not push your ribs forward while doing so.
- Raise your sternum and bring your arms to the back of your torso.
- While in this position, the centre of your head must be in line with the centre of your pelvis. The chin must be parallel to the floor. Keep your throat and eyes soft.
- Remain in this position for 30 seconds, breathing as easily as possible. If you can hold your balance longer, then extend it to a minute or more.
Benefits Of Tadasana Or Mountain Pose:
Physical Benefits:
- Tadasana aims to strengthen the thighs, knees and ankles.
- It helps to make the abdomen and the buttocks firm.
- It helps to develop good posture.
- It also helps clear one’s mind and calms the nervous system, thereby improving concentration and increasing alertness.
- The pose helps to strengthen the lower part of the body and also the load bearing joints.
Therapeutic Benefits:
- Tadasana can help in curing sciatica.
- It helps to reduce the problems of flat feet.
See More: Fish Pose Yoga Benefits
Modifications For Tadasana Yoga Or Mountain Pose:
- If you would like to check the alignment of your pose, you could stand against a wall such that the heels, sacrum and shoulder blades touch the wall. Ensure that the back of your hair does not touch the wall.
- You can also widen your feet by a few inches, with your middle and second toe pointing forward, if you find it difficult to balance.
- To make the pose even more challenging, stretch your arms upwards. Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor. They must be parallel to each other and palms must face inwards. To deepen the pose further, interlace your fingers and extend them in front of the torso.
Precautions For Tadasana Yoga Or Mountain Pose:
1. If you have problems like headache, insomnia and low blood pressure, you must not perform this asana.
2. This is also not suited for people who have medical conditions that affect balance.
Preparatory And Follow Up Poses:
The preparatory poses for Tadasana are adho mukha svanasana and uttanasana.
Most asanas can be followed-up by Tadasana. You could do almost every standing pose as a follow up of tadasana.
Some More Cautions For You:
Like it is discussed earlier people with medical conditions should not at all practise the tadasana yoga posture. Also if you have a problem of being dizzy or light headed then you should actually stay away from this. Also do not stretch yourself beyond limits when you are doing yoga. It is very important that your body and limbs are relaxed while you practise yoga postures. The whole session goes into vain otherwise. It is also important that you see and consult a doctor before you are seriously taking up advanced yoga because he is the best person who will be able to tell you about all your problems and what you should avoid. Yoga is important to the body but practising it the wrong way or in wrong conditions can have a lot of adverse effects for you.
Tips For Starters:
To improve your balance while doing this pose, you can stand with your feet apart by a few inches, anywhere between 3 and 5 inches.
See More: Seated Forward Bend Yoga
Variations In Tadasana Yoga Or Mountain Pose:
There may be a lot of modifications and variations in how to do tadasana and like we have already presented the details about the modifications let us now look into certain variations too.
1. First of all it is important to know that the tadasana pose is all about balancing and it may take a little time to get that perfect balance. The alignment of your body is also very important in this case and for this you need to try the wall balancing part to make things easier for you.
2. To get the most tadasana benefits you should practise it in the right way. Now that does not mean that you have to be an expert from the first day itself. What you can do is initially you can stand at hip- distance apart and then start by bringing your legs closer soon that you start getting a balance in your body.
3. For the pregnant ladies, there are lot of benefits of tadasana which you can get but make sure that you have already seen a doctor and then practising it. Because the weight of your body is more now and that there is imbalance in it because of the belly portion, it is very normal that you might face balancing problems. For you, you can spread your legs till it is comfortable for you but make sure you do nit trip to get the perfect pose during this time.
4. If you want to make the whole session even more challenging you might as well close your eyes while practising this posture and you will soon be able to understand how to do tadasana perfectly.
Take The Tips For Tadasana Yoga:
- The best tip to set a perfect alignment is to work right from the lower part of the body and then move up. This means you have to start right from your toes and then move up along the ankles and then the calves, thighs, waist and then the upper part of the body.
- To find good hold and balance of your weight and body you can realign yourself by leaning forward and then back bending and then moving right and left. This helps you to find the centre of balance across your feet as well.
- Try and fix your alignment each time you start holding the pose after you have come back to the initial position.
See More: How To Do Bow Pose
