Upward Salute Pose, Urdhva Hastasana, (OORD-vah hahs-TAHS-ah-nah)
urdhva (upward) + hasta (hands)+ āsana (pose)
Also known as: Raised Hands Pose, The Palm Tree Pose, Talasana
Pose Type: Standing, Digestion
Difficulty: Beginners
This pose teaches extension. From the root, all the way up to the sky.
Upward salute Pose Fundamentals
The Upward Salute is a foundation pose for all standing yoga poses and flows such as the Sun Salutation Sequence.
The pose may seem simple, and at a glance it is. But there are so many intricacies to play with here. The pose offers a moment to go inwards, become aware of your body, and find alignment.
upward salute Pose benefits
The Upward Salute Pose provides:
- a sweet stretch to the arms and shoulders, working to
- lengthen the upper body
- and open the chest.
- The pose also gently stretches the belly- aiding in proper digestion.
How To Do The upward salute Pose: Step-By-Step
1. Stand tall with your big toes touching and a small amount of space between your two heels or with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Root down through the earth with your big toes, heels, and the outside edges of your feet. Feel a pull up towards the sky in your inner arches.
3. Wrap your inner thighs back and gently release your tailbone down toward your heels.
4. Draw your shoulders down and back, soften your front ribcage, and stack your head above your pelvis. This pose is all about alignment.5. On an inhale, raise your arms up over your head.
6. Either keep your hands shoulder-distance apart with your palms facing each other, or press your palms together in prayer.
7. Keep your arms parallel to your ears. Rotate your biceps backwards, and draw your shoulder blades up and out– away from your spine.
8. Keep your arms straight and gently bring your gaze towards your thumbs.
Common Mistakes in Upward Salute
Compressing the lower back. As you reach overhead, it is tempting to arch backward, but this creates compression in the lumbar spine. Keep your ribs knitted in and your tailbone pointing slightly downward. The reach should go straight up through your fingertips, not back behind you.
Shrugging the shoulders. Reaching the arms overhead often causes the shoulders to creep up toward the ears. Actively draw your shoulder blades down your back as your arms lift, creating space between the tops of the shoulders and the earlobes.
Splaying the ribs. When the arms go overhead, the front ribs tend to jut forward. This disconnects the core and transfers the effort into the lower back. Gently engage your abdominal muscles to keep the front ribs contained and the core connection intact.
Tips for Beginners
If reaching both arms straight overhead is difficult due to tight shoulders, try separating the hands to shoulder width or even slightly wider. You can also bend the elbows slightly. The most important thing is that you can breathe comfortably while maintaining the pose without strain in the neck or shoulders.
Practice Upward Salute as part of Sun Salutation A, where it appears as the second pose in the sequence. This gives you a natural context for the pose and helps you build the habit of connecting breath with movement, inhaling as you sweep the arms overhead.
Related Poses
Counter Poses:
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