“The way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far." - Paulo Cohelo

Mountain pose (Tadasana) is often referred to as the foundation for all standing poses.

Proper alignment in this pose strikes a comfortable balance between grounded and expansive energy. As simple as it seems, finding a tall spine here can be surprisingly challenging. Seated Mountain pose on your FeetUp Trainer helps find proper foot placement while creating a supportive space to focus more on alignment and internal body awareness. How we carry ourselves in Mountain pose is essentially how we carry ourselves through life... why not take some of the guesswork out?

Sanskrit: Tadasana

• Tah-DAHS-anna

• Tada = Mountain

Explore Seated Mountain Pose with the FeetUp Trainer

We crawl before we walk, we walk before we run. Such is the cycle of life. When it comes to climbing this particular pose, we sit before we stand!

1. Find a Comfortable Seated Position

Some enjoy having the tailbone float free past the inside edge, others prefer the full seat. Find which one works for you!

2. Plant Your Feet

Start with the knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Stack knees above ankles and bring thighbones as parallel as possible without touching or strain.

3. Create a Tall Spine

Head above shoulders, shoulders above hips. Neck is neutral, gaze forward and soft. Let your shoulders relax with the hands resting on the thighs or hips. Allow the core to remain gently toned without force.

4. Clear Space & Unpack Your Bags

Full inhale through the nose, large exhale out of the mouth. Repeat at least three times for good measure before settling in to a regular mindful breath cycle.

5. Activate and Release

We’re going to start connecting physical activity with three rounds of focused breath to increase body awareness. You have options:

• Hands stay on thighs/hips
• Hands come together in front of heart center (prayer, knuckles, Mr. Burns fingers, whatever feels right to you)
• Fingers can reach around the edge of the cushion to grab the frame of the FeetUp Trainer

With every inhale, gently activate the muscles in your lower body. Create active footprints with strong arches and spread toes. With every exhale, allow your muscles to slowly relax. Do this 3-5 times and don’t forget about keeping a soft tone in the core the entire time.

Move this exercise upwards towards the arms and shoulders. With every inhale, feel the hands gently press together (or into whatever they touch) as the collarbones broaden outward and shoulder blades integrate behind the lungs. On every exhale, allow these muscles to slowly relax. Again, be mindful of gentle core engagement throughout another 3-5 breath cycles.

For the third and final round, allow the entire body to activate on the inhale and softly release with the exhale. Create strong handprints and footprints as your body fills up the space in which it exists. Keep the eyes and jaw soft, the core supported, and the breath smooth for another 3-5 cycles.

6. Observe Alignment

Mountain pose is about grounded expansion and proper alignment. Imagine your body in this pose a the connection between the earth and sky. Be it movement or stillness, bones carry weight and muscles move bones while hold everything together. Points of interest: Tall spine, long side-bodies, grounded seat, broad collarbones, integrated shoulders, sturdy footprints.

Use this simple seated mountain pose to actively reset the skeletal and muscular structures throughout your day. Once you’ve calibrated awareness here, feel free to explore this mindfulness in whatever other shapes your body creates! A little mountain energy can go a long way to find support and balance no matter what posture you pursue.

Advanced Variations for Mountain Pose

• Stand up. In all seriousness, though, try to find the same comfort and awareness in a balanced standing position that works for you!
• Stand up on your Trainer? Great question! We're so glad you asked. It is 100% possible to practice a standing Mountain pose on your FeetUp Trainer. We do not recommend climbing onto your trainer without proper technique. Stay tuned for another entry on how to do this safely and with great confidence.

Precautions

If you can sit up, you can practice this pose. Having trouble sitting up? Revisit Seated Mountain pose when you’re ready.

Modifications

As stated above, you have a few options on where your hands go or how you find a comfortable seat. Considering the basic nature of the grounded pose, feel free to slowly explore what works best for you in your movement practice.