Standing Postures

Seed Pose A posture that shares common principles of

alignment, architecture and awareness

with subsequent relative variations. Seed poses are found in

a basic sun salute.

Tadasana/Samastatahi - Mountain/Equal -

Seed Pose for all standing postures.Components:• Foundation – four corners of the feet• Dynamic alignment – awareness of joints

and their respective placement for the practitioner’s level

• Anatomic neutral posture achieved with dynamic alignment

• Neutral hip as relative to semi open and open hip standing postures

Foundation

• FOUNDATION

• FOUNDATION

• FOUNDATION

Four Corners of the Feet

• 1. Ball of the Big Toe• 2. Medial (inside) of Heel• 3. Balls of 4th and 5th Toe• 4. Lateral (outside) of Heel• Rocking around the Clock• Shins press forward to weight corners 1 and 3• Hugging shins toward each other balance ankles

What are Sickle and Flat Feet?• Inner Spiral weights corners 2 and 4

Joint Placement

• Second Toe (or ray) forward facing.• Ankle• Knee cap (patella) aligned with second toe• Hip Neutral over ankles• Spine neutral / ribs over hips *There is no such

thing as a “straight spine”.• Shoulders neutral / shoulders over ribs *Fly like

an airplane.• Cervical spine and head neutral / ears over

shoulders *Don’t hang your head in despair. What is Forward Head?

Dynamic Alignment

• Awareness of muscular energy supporting the pose and conscious expansion or deepening of the architecture of the posture.

• “Standing Legs”

• Down Dog with strap and/or block to teach inward spiral.

Anatomical Neutral

• There is no such thing as a “straight spine”.Points of Reference for Neutral• Toes• Knee caps (patella)• Hips (ASIS) • Belly Button (umbilical)• Breast Bone (sternum)• Adam’s Apple• Nose• Ears

Neutral Hip

• Tadasana

• Ashta Chandrasana (8 moon pose)

Open Hip

• Uttihita Trikonasana- Extended Triangle Pose

• Virabhadrasana 2 - Warrior 2  

• Utthita Parsvakonasana- Extended Side Angle Pose  

• Prasarita Padottanasana a, b, c, d- Wide Stance Forward Bend a, b, c, d  

Semi Open

• Virabrahndrasana 1 Warrior 1- with back heel down

Balances

• Vrksasana- Tree Pose

• Virabhadrasana 3- Warrior 3  

• Ardha Chandrasana- Half Moon Pose

• Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana- Standing Head to Knee Pose