Standing
Upward Salute
Urdhva Hastasana
A standing pose where the arms are raised fully overhead with palms facing each other or touching. It lengthens the entire body from feet to fingertips, improving posture and grounding while energizing the practice.
- ·Improves posture
- ·Strengthens legs
- ·Energizes the body
Instructions
- 1Stand in Tadasana with your feet hip-width apart and arms resting at your sides.
- 2On an inhale, sweep both arms out to the sides and overhead, bringing the palms to touch.
- 3Press evenly through all four corners of both feet to ground the pose.
- 4Lengthen through the sides of the waist and reach actively through the fingertips toward the ceiling.
- 5Keep the shoulders drawing away from the ears and the neck long.
- 6Gaze softly forward or slightly upward without compressing the back of the neck.
- 7To release, exhale and lower the arms back down to the sides in one smooth movement.
Contraindications & precautions
- ⚠Shoulder impingement or rotator cuff injury — avoid full overhead extension and keep the arms shoulder-width apart instead of touching.
- ⚠Cervical spine problems — do not tilt the head back; keep the gaze forward throughout.
- ⚠Low blood pressure or dizziness — raise the arms slowly and come out of the pose immediately if you feel lightheaded.
Videos containing this pose
No videos linked to this pose yet.