How To Do: Upward Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

Also Known As: Upward Salute, Upward Tree Pose, Palm Tree Pose

Targets: Shoulders, Full Body Stretch

Level: Beginner

This standing posture might seem like a very easy pose, but you have to practice for some time to master this pose. It’s an important asana in its own right that should be done with focus to ensure proper alignment. This pose is also included in Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara) sequences.

Upward Hands Pose along with Mountain Pose is the foundation of all standing poses.

In a vinyasa style class, it’s often the pose that initiates the whole sequence. From Upwards Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana), everything else follows.

Upward Hands Pose should not be rushed in order to get to the asanas that follow.

You should focus your attention on your breath to ease anxiety and stress and prepare you for the day.

It is a very natural way to stretch the whole body, we do it subconsciously every day after sleeping or sitting for long periods. Standing up and reaching the arms overhead awakens the whole body, boosting your energy levels making you feel rejuvenated.

The foundation of Raised Hands Pose is Mountain Pose (Tadasana). That’s why it is sometimes called Mountain Pose with Arms Overhead. So it’s important to learn the alignment of Mountain Pose before reaching the arms overhead.

In this pose you’ll create space in the spine and by aligning the vertebrae you are helping to protect the muscles and nerves around the spine. So, it is a good pose to prepare for deep twists, stretches and backbends.

How To Do: Upward Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

Step-by-Step

1. Stand with your big toes touching and a small amount of space between your heels. 
2. From Mountain Pose (Tadasana).
3. Keep the arms straight with the fingers pointing down toward the floor and the palms facing your thighs.
4. Bring your hands to prayer position.
5. Engage your quadriceps, drawing the tops of your thighs up and back. Keep your thigh muscles strongly engaged so that they draw the kneecaps up.
6. Bring your pelvis to its neutral position and keep your hips even with the center line of your body. Slightly draw your navel to your spine.
7. Inhale and raise your arms up toward the sky until your arms are straight.
8. Draw your shoulders back, soften your front ribs, and stack the crown of your head above your pelvis, lifting your chin parallel to the floor.
9. Your ears, shoulders, hips, and ankles should all be in one line.
10. Keep your arms parallel or bring your palms together overhead only if you can do so without hunching up your shoulders. If your palms are apart, keep them facing each other.
11. Your arms should be very straight and your hands active all the way through the fingertips. Look up toward your thumbs.
12. If your shoulders are tight, keep your arms as wide as your shoulders or wider.
13. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths.
14. With your palms together, lower your hands toward your chest, returning them to prayer position. Pause here for a breath or two before lowering your arms to release the pose.

If you are performing a Sun Salutation: Take a deep breath. Now as you exhale, let your arms sweep down and out to your sides as your arms lead you into Standing Forward Bend, also known as Uttanasana.

Modifications and Variations: Upward Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

Since Upward Hands Pose provides the foundation for inversions and backbends, it’s important to learn the correct alignment early in your practice. This can be difficult if your shoulders are tight or if your balance is uneven.

• If you have any neck problems, do not tilt your head to look up at your thumbs. Instead, keep your gaze level.
• If you can’t raise your arms over your head because of a shoulder or neck injury, you can remain in Mountain Pose.
• Pregnant women and those with balance issues should keep a wider stance, wide enough to feel stable. Gradually step your feet closer together as you gain balance in the pose.
• If you struggle to stand up straight, practice the pose against a wall so you can feel the alignment as each part of your body stacks up above each other.
• You can also place a yoga block between the wall and the middle of your back. Over time this will slowly change the posture of your upper body.
• If you can’t straighten your raised arms without putting stress on your shoulders, loop a yoga strap around your upper arms just above the elbows. Tighten the belt so that your arms cannot move more than shoulder-width apart. Then lift your arms above your head. Adjust the strap if your head is in the way. Press against the strap as you soften your shoulders and neck. This will help you build the necessary mobility and strength.
• Another option is to bring your arms wider apart. Then straighten them as much as possible while stretching from your inner elbows to your palms and flex your triceps.
• If your legs turn out, place a yoga block between your thighs and squeeze it. This helps to activate and strengthen your inner thighs.
• If you easily hyperextend your knees, make sure to engage your hamstrings so that you protect your knees. To engage your hamstrings, imagine pulling your heels back and up towards your butt.
• If you have knee problems, you can stand with your feet hip-width apart and put a slight bend in your knees.

Try these 3 modifications to challenge yourself:

• For a deeper side stretch when your arms are overhead, hold your right wrist with your left hand. Gently bend to the left, keeping your upper body facing forward. Draw your right shoulder back, opening the armpit. Come back to the center and repeat on the other side.
• For a deeper stretch to your upper body, interlock your thumbs when your arms are overhead. Exhale as you reach your arms back, creating a slight bend in your upper spine.
• For more of a challenge with balance and spinal strength, reach your arms forward instead of sweeping them out to the sides. Keep both arms parallel to each other with the palms facing inward. As you inhale, raise them in front of you and then overhead.

Benefits of Upward Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

• It improves posture, strengthens the legs, and provides a full body stretch.
• Stretches out the entire front torso.
• Releases tension in the shoulders.
• Improves digestion and helps to relieve anxiety and fatigue.
• It properly aligns the spinal column.
• By creating space between the vertebrae, the pose improves posture and helps to prepare the spine for deeper stretches and twists.
• Relieves the mild back pain.
• Improve your sense of balance.
• Calms the mind.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Upward Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

Here are the 4 most common alignment mistakes made by beginner yogis.

• Locking The Knees – Your legs should be straight, but your knees should not be locked. Keep a slight bend in your knees to protect your joints. This will build strength all around your knee joint and in your quads and hamstrings.
• Hunched Up Shoulders – Focus on keeping your shoulders in a neutral position while drawing your shoulder blades down. Your shoulders will naturally lift but keep them away from your ears. Rather focus on broadening your chest and widening your collarbones.
• Arms sprayed wide – If you feel you can’t extend your arms higher or that you feel a pinch, it’s fine to have your arms in that V-shape. Just try and them as straight as possible. Unfortunately, you don’t get the best side stretch when arms are in that V-shape.
• Hollow Back – There is versions of this pose where you gaze up and hollow your back. But it is best to start with a straight spine. Work on keeping your wrists, head, shoulders, hips, and ankles stacked on top of each other.

Tips: Upward Prayer Pose  (Urdhva Namaskarasana)

Keep these tips in mind when practicing the pose:

• Maintain the alignment for Mountain Pose (Tadasana) as you are moving into Upward Hands Pose.
• Again, keep your shoulders over your hips, and your hips in line with your ankles.
• Don’t let the front of your ribs stick out. Draw them in and slightly down.
• It is more important to keep your spine and ribs aligned than to reach your arms very high.
• Only press your palms together overhead if you can keep your arms straight without pulling your shoulders up to your ears or letting your ribs poke forward.

Safety and Precautions:

• If you suffer from a shoulder or neck injury that prevents raising your arms over your head, you might want to avoid this pose. You don’t have to fully raise your arms overhead. Instead, practice Mountain Pose or a gentler arm variation.
• You’ll feel a good stretch in this pose, but you should not feel any pain. If you feel pain, end the pose.
• Also, never turn your gaze upwards if it hurts your neck or if you become lightheaded or dizzy. Instead, continue to look forward. If you have high blood pressure, you can keep your arms by your side.
• Always work within your own range of limits and abilities.
• Remember that while yoga is for everyone, not all poses are for all people!

Upward Prayer Pose  (Urdhva Namaskarasana) VS  Upward Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

Let’s look at its close cousin, Urdhva Namaskarasana or Upward Prayer Pose.

Both poses start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).

The main difference between the two poses is the placing of the hands and feet. In Urdhva Hastasana, your hands are shoulder-distance apart, and it is often practiced with your feet hip-distance apart. In Urdhva Namaskarasana, your feet are together, and your hands are together in an overhead prayer pose.