Pose library · Utthita Tadasana
Star Pose (Utthita Tadasana)
Utthita means extended and Tadasana is Mountain Pose, so the name means extended mountain. In English it is called Star or Five-Pointed Star, because the head, two arms and two legs reach out like the points of a star.
Pronunciation and meaning
Utthita Tadasana: oo-TEE-tuh tah-DAHS-uh-nuh. Utthita stresses the second syllable, and Tadasana stresses DAHS.
Utthita means extended and Tadasana is Mountain Pose, so the name means extended mountain. In English it is called Star or Five-Pointed Star, because the head, two arms and two legs reach out like the points of a star.
How to do Star Pose
- Stand facing the long edge of the mat and step your feet wide apart, about a leg's length, with the toes pointing forward or turned out very slightly.
- Keep a soft bend in the knees and spread your weight evenly through both feet.
- Inhale and lift your arms out to the sides to shoulder height, palms facing down, reaching through the fingertips.
- Lengthen up through the crown of the head and let the shoulders settle away from the ears. Keep the ribs soft rather than flaring forward.
- Stay for five to eight steady breaths, feeling the reach out from the centre in five directions.
- Exhale, lower the arms, and step or hop the feet back together.
Make it easier
- Keep the hands on the hips if lifting the arms tires the shoulders.
- Take a shorter stance if the inner thighs or knees feel strained.
- Stand with your back near a wall for steadiness.
Pregnancy and after birth
Pregnancy. Adapt. Star is often comfortable in pregnancy because the stance is wide and steady. Keep the knees soft, lower the arms whenever you need, and stand near a wall if your balance feels different. Check with your OB or midwife.
After birth. Adapt. Once your doctor or midwife has cleared you, it is a gentle way to stand tall and open the chest after hours of feeding. Keep the holds short to begin with.
Expecting or postpartum? See joahnnalee.com for the stage-by-stage guides.
Common mistakes
- Locking the knees, which pushes the weight into the joints.
- Lifting the shoulders up toward the ears as the arms rise.
- Arching the lower back and pushing the ribs forward.
Star Pose is a simple, wide-legged standing shape that appears in beginner and family classes, and as a starting stance in Vinyasa. It looks easy, and it is, which is why it is a good place to practise standing well.
It suits almost everyone. You can do it in a small space, at home or at the office, in a minute or two.
What does star pose prepare you for?
It sets the wide stance used in Triangle Pose, Warrior II and Extended Side Angle. Turning one foot out from Star is often the first step into all three.
How does it connect to Mountain Pose?
Its Sanskrit name is extended mountain, and it uses the same ideas as Mountain Pose, the basic standing posture: feet grounded, spine long, shoulders easy. The difference is the reach. It also sits well in a morning stretch routine to wake up the whole body.
Star Pose questions
What is star pose good for?
It is a simple standing shape that wakes up the legs, the arms and the posture muscles. Many people find it a good way to start a practice or to reset between harder poses.
Is star pose the same as a jumping jack position?
The shape is similar to the open position of a jumping jack, but in yoga you hold it still, with the knees soft and the breath slow, rather than jumping in and out.
Which poses come after star pose?
Star is often the starting stance for wide-legged poses. From here you can turn one foot out into Triangle, Warrior II or Extended Side Angle, or fold forward between the legs.