Start breathing. Focus on getting a steady, rhythmic breath going. Push your big toes together and separate your heels slightly. Lift up your toes and spread them for a moment. Then, set them back down on the mat one by one. Straighten your legs and transfer some weight to your heels, focusing on pressing your weight evenly across your feet.
Draw the front of your rib cage down and together to stack your rib cage over your pelvis. Stretch your neck, but keep your hips, and shoulders in a straight line. Make sure your chin is in a neutral position and is parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for a minute, breathing evenly and steadily.
Press your feet firmly on the floor.
This can be difficult to remember, as many people are naturally inclined to stretch up with their whole bodies. Keep in mind only your hands, arms, and fingers should be stretching upward. If necessary, move your arms forward slightly in order to straighten them.
Your body should be in a single linear plane, as though it’s pressed between panes of glass.
Inhale as you straighten your torso. You should also press down on your feet until you’re back in the original position. That is, you should be standing straight up, with your hands held over your head and your fingers interlaced.
You may be more flexible on one side of your body, so don’t be surprised if there’s a slight difference in how long you can hold the pose on the other side. You can return to mountain pose or put your hands on your lower back and do a mini backbend before folding forward
Make sure your yoga instructor has a decent amount of experience, and has completed an instructor training program. Enroll in a class suitable for beginners. If you have any special needs, like a chronic health condition, make sure your yoga instructor is familiar working with students with those needs.
Yoga is meant to stretch and soothe your body and not to strain it. If a pose is hurting you, do not push it. An instructor can help you modify a pose so it’s more comfortable for you. You may have to do a modified version of mountain or crescent moon pose until you’re ready to do the full pose.
If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor before attempting any exercise, including yoga. If you have a headache, wait until it passes to perform mountain pose. If you feel lightheaded or dizzy, avoid mountain pose. Insomnia and low blood pressure can also make you disoriented, so it may be best to avoid mountain pose if you have these conditions.
Talk to your doctor if you’re injured. Work with him or her about when you can return to yoga and which poses, if any, will be safe while your injuries heal.
