On Wednesday, I wrote about the importance of including Tadasana beyond the scope of your daily practice. While Tadasana is instructed differently across yoga traditions, in Yoga Tune Up®, the skull is balanced over the center of the ribcage, the ribcage is centered over the pelvis, and shoulders, arms and feet are neutrally oriented.  The foundation of Tadasana is the stance: feet hip socket distance apart with all ten toes pointing directly forward. There is a slight engagement of Tubular Core, a corseting of abdominal and other torso muscles that support the spine—but not so much that you are braced as if you are picking up a heavy load.  (This is a different action from the commonly directed “draw your navel in and up.”)  You should be able to breathe easily even as your torso is supported.

Tadasana is a whole-body yoga pose, and the stronger and more flexible you become all over, the deeper the pose gets.  Ultimately the posture is filled with grace and levity, which is why in Yoga Tune Up® we also call it Poise.

Focusing on Tadasana throughout my twin pregnancy kept my body from being adversely affected by the big load I was carrying and helped prepare me for the physical demands of motherhood.  And it’s become even more important now that I have two heavy toddlers who regularly exclaim, “Mommy ho deow!”  (Mommy hold me!)

Contract Relax breathing is very similar to Tubular Core. Learn how to breathe better in the video below!

Enjoyed this article? Read Good Posture: Do You Have It?

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