Standing yoga poses are a great way to build overall strength, especially in the legs, and set the foundation for a safe yoga practice.
Roll out your yoga mat and try some our favorite grounding poses.
Warrior III
- Begin in Mountain Pose. As you exhale, step your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach out strong with the shoulder blades wide apart. Face your palms down toward the floor.
- Turn your right foot forward 45 degrees and your left foot out to the left 90 degrees. Align the left heel with the right heel. Engage your thigh muscles.
- Exhale and bend your left knee over the left ankle. Keep the shin perpendicular to the floor. Keep the right leg engaged while pressing the toes of the right foot firmly to the floor.
- Stretch the arms as far back and as far forward as you can, keeping them parallel to the floor. Keep the torso elongated and the shoulders back and down. Turn the head to the left and gaze over the fingers.
- Stay in Warrior 3 for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up. Reverse the feet and repeat on the left side.
Chair pose
- Stand in Mountain pose with your feet hip-width apart. Inhale and raise your arms toward the sky. Keep the arms parallel, palms facing each other.
- Exhale and bend your knees. Focus your weight in your heels while sitting back as if you are about to sit in a chair. Lean the torso slightly forward over the thighs. Keep the thighs parallel to each other.
- Keep your torso long. Press your shoulder blades together.
- Hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute. Release the pose by straightening your knees with an inhalation. Exhale and release your arms to your sides.
Extended Side Angle Twist pose
- Stand in Mountain Pose. Exhale and step or lightly jump your feet 3.5 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach your fingertips to the sides. Press your shoulder blades apart. Face your palms to the floor. Turn your left foot in 30 degrees to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Align the heels. Make your thighs strong. Press your right thigh outward. Press the left hip slightly forward, toward the front. Press your upper torso back to the left.
- Exhale and bend your right knee to 90 degrees. Bring the right thigh parallel to the floor. Firm your shoulder blades back and down. Extend your left arm straight up toward the sky while turning the left palm to face toward your head. Inhale and reach the arm over your left ear, palm facing the floor. Stretch and lengthen the entire left side of your body. Fix your gaze on the left arm. Create length along both sides of your torso.
- Ground your left heel to the floor and aim to lay the right side of your torso down onto the top of the right thigh. Press your right fingertips or palm on the floor just outside of your right foot. Press the right knee back against the inner arm. Breathe easily.
- Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length.
Warrior I
- Stand in Mountain pose. Step your left foot back about 4 feet apart from your right foot. Turn your left foot in 45-60 degrees and turn your right foot out 90 degrees pointing forward.
- Align your right heel with the left heel. Exhale, bending your right knee to 90 degrees, rotate your torso toward your bent thigh and square your pelvis forward as much as possible.
- Raise your arms parallel to the floor and push your shoulders back and down. Lift our chest and keep your gaze over your right fingertips. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to one minute. Repeat on the other side.
