Pose library · standing poses

Standing poses in yoga, from Mountain to Half Moon

Reviewed by Joahnna Lee, 200-hour trained at House of Om, BaliUpdated 2 October 2026

Standing yoga poses are the shapes you do on your feet: the stances that ask the legs to work, and the balances on one leg. These are twelve of the most often taught, each with two lines on how to come into it and a link to its own page.

Many classes begin on the feet, because a standing pose is easy to adjust: you can shorten the stance, soften a knee or put a hand on the wall in a second. If you are starting out, yoga that begins with the standing basics gives you a second pair of eyes on your knees and hips while these shapes become familiar.

Read the two lines on each card, then open the pose for the full steps, the most common mistakes and the notes for pregnancy and after birth. The grounded poses come first. The balances, which take one foot off the floor, come after them. Several of the grounded shapes also link together in the Sun Salutation, a short standing sequence.

Grounded standing poses

Mountain PoseTadasanaStand with your feet hip-width apart and your weight spread through both feet. Lengthen up through the crown and let the arms hang heavy.Chair PoseUtkatasanaFrom Mountain Pose, bend your knees and sit the hips back as if onto a chair. Reach the arms up and keep your weight in your heels.Warrior PosesVirabhadrasana I, II and IIIStep one foot back, bend the front knee over the ankle and reach the arms up or out. In Reverse Warrior the front arm sweeps up and back while the knee stays bent.Triangle PoseTrikonasanaFrom a wide stance with the front foot turned out, keep both legs straight and reach forward, then down to the shin or a block. The top arm rises in line with the lower one.Extended Side AngleUtthita ParsvakonasanaFrom Warrior II, lower the front forearm to your thigh or a hand to a block. Reach the top arm over your ear so one line runs from the back heel to the fingertips.Low LungeAnjaneyasanaStep one foot forward between your hands and lower the back knee onto a blanket. Lift the chest and let the hips ease forward and down.Standing Forward BendUttanasanaHinge at the hips and fold forward with the knees as bent as you like. Let the head hang and rest your hands on the shins, blocks or the floor.Garland PoseMalasanaStand with the feet a little wider than the hips, toes turned out, and sink into a deep squat. Press the palms together and the elbows lightly into the inner knees.

Standing balances

Tree PoseVrksasanaStand on one leg and place the other sole on the calf or inner thigh, never on the knee. Press foot and leg into each other and rest your gaze on one point.Eagle PoseGarudasanaBend both knees, cross one thigh over the other and hook the foot behind the calf if it reaches. Wrap the arms the same way and sit a little lower.Dancer PoseNatarajasanaStand on one leg, hold the other foot behind you and press it back into your hand. Tip the chest forward as the back leg lifts, with a wall within reach.Half Moon PoseArdha ChandrasanaFrom Triangle, bend the front knee, place a hand or a block ahead of the foot and lift the back leg level with the hip. Stack the hips and turn the chest to the side.

Before you practise

Keep a wall or a sturdy chair within reach for every balance, and come out of any pose that gives you a sharp pain, especially in a knee. Front knees track over the second toe in every lunge and warrior shape; if one drifts inward, shorten the stance.

If you are pregnant, widen your stance, skip the balances that worry you and check with your OB or midwife before you start; each pose page says whether to adapt or avoid it. For the whole library, sorted by family, go back to every pose with its English and Sanskrit name.

Safety noteYoga is not medical care. Stop if anything feels sharp, pinching or numb, and see a doctor or physiotherapist about pain or an injury before you practise. If you are pregnant or have recently given birth, check with your OB or midwife first. Read the health and safety note.

Questions

What are the basic standing yoga poses?

Mountain Pose, Chair Pose, the Warrior poses, Triangle and Low Lunge cover most of what a beginner needs on their feet. Tree Pose is the usual first balance. Once those feel steady, Extended Side Angle, Eagle and Half Moon build on the same stances.

Are standing poses good for beginners?

Yes. They ask for strength and attention more than flexibility, and they are easy to make smaller: a shorter stance, bent knees, a block under the hand or a wall beside you. That is why many teachers start a first class standing.

How long should I hold a standing pose?

Three to five slow breaths is a good start for the stances, and a little less for the balances. Come out while the breath is still easy. In a flowing class some poses last only one breath, and that is fine too.