The Tree Pose in Yoga
- Focus: Lower legs
- Level: Beginner
- Total Time: 30 to 60 seconds
- Indications: flat feet, sciatica
- Contraindications: Headaches, low blood pressure, insomnia; modification for high blood pressure
Tree Pose: How to Practice Vrksasana
The Tree builds strength in your lower legs, specifically your ankles, thighs and calves, as well as your spine. It also stretches your shoulders, chest, inner thighs and groin. The tree pose can improve your balance and relieve flat feet. It is a great first standing pose to master as it prepares your body to tackle the more challenging standing poses.
Beginners may find it difficult to keep their foot from sliding down their leg at first. You can help this by bracing your knee against a wall until your balance is more firmly established. If you suffer from headaches, low blood pressure or insomnia you should avoid this pose. If you suffer from high blood pressure, just don’t lift your arms over your head.
- Begin by standing in the mountain pose. Stand tall and straight with your feet separated enough to feel stable. Establish a solid connection with the ground by shifting your weight distribution so that it is equally divided between the base of your big toes, the base of your little toes, and both left and right sides of your heels.
- Drive your inner left foot firmly into the ground, shifting your weight to your left side. When your balance is established on your left leg, bend your right knee, reach your right hand down, and grasp your right ankle.
- Raise your right foot up the opposite leg, placing the sole against your left thigh. If you are able to flex your leg far enough, push your heel into the left side of your groin and keep your toes pointing downward toward the ground. Your abdomen should be centered over your left foot.
- Your pelvis should be in a neutral position, even and neither tilted forward nor backward. Place your hands on the top of your pelvis. Elongate your tailbone into the ground. Press the sole of your right foot into your left thigh and resist with opposing force from your left leg. Press your hands together in the form of a Salutation Seal and stare straight ahead.
- Stay in this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Breathe out and return your right foot to the ground, assuming mountain pose. Stand tall and straight with your feet separated enough to feel stable. Establish a solid connection with the ground by shifting your weight distribution so that it is equally divided between the base of your big toes, the base of your little toes, and both left and right sides of your heels. Breathe in slowly, allowing your chest to expand fully, then breathe out even more slowly.
- Repeat the process for your left foot
The Leg Stretch Pose in Yoga
- Starting on all fours with a neutral spine, point your right toes, straighten your right leg behind you, and raise it toward the sky and hold this position for a few seconds.
- With your leg in the air, slowly flex your foot and hold the position for a few seconds.
- Relax your foot and return your leg to the starting position.
- Repeat this stretch with the left leg.
Now, stand up and end your warm-up session with the goddess pose stretch.
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TOP YOGA MCQs Questions and Answers
1 Who is believed to be the father of Yoga?
A Krishnamacharya
B Gautam Buddha
C Maharshi PatanjaliAdi
D Shankaracharya
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2 Yoga has eight components, also known as the eight fold path of life — Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Dhyana, Samadhi are five of them. Which are the other three?
A Savichar, Santosa, Tapas
B Asteya, Aparigraha, Brahmacharya
C Ananda, Asmita, Aachaar
D Yama, Dharana, Pratyahara
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3 The word “Yoga” comes for Sanskrit. What is the literal meaning of this word?
A Hindu system of philosophy & meditation
B Inner peace & tranquility
C Joining together
D Controlled breathing
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4 Over time, many new postures have been added to the original compendium of Asanas that yoga started with to incorporate modern day fitness requirements. How many classic Asanas were enlisted in the initial texts?
A 84
B 108
C 33
D 195
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5 Surya Namaskar is considered to be a complete exercise for the body and has often been cited as a combination of Asanas that helps in stretching almost all the major muscles. How many different Asanas does Surya Namaskar comprise of?
A 12
B 7
C 10
D 8
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6 Yoga has many practitioners in the West and several Hollywood celebrities such as Adam Levine and Julia Roberts have endorsed it. Indra Devi is credited with introducing Yoga to the West. Which country did she belong to?
A Nepal
B Russian
C India
D USA
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7 An Indian youth organisation entered the Limca Book of Records for simultaneously performing Yoga for the longest duration. Which organisation was this?
A NSS
B Girl Scouts
C LTS
D NCC
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8 Bharat Thakur is an internationally renowned name in the field of yoga instructors and a celebrity in his own right. Which new field of yoga did he lay the foundation for?
A Ashtang Yoga
B Hatha Yoga
C Sahaja Yoga
D Artistic Yoga
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9 Now to some yoga-related fun questions! Recently, a photo of the very hot, very happening Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doing Mayurasana went viral. Around 40 years back another world leader struck a similar pose, alas there was no social media he could go viral on. Who was he?
A Richard Nixon
B Pierre Trudeau
B Harold Wilson
B Georges Pompidou
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10 In the popular TV series Friends, one of the main characters is seen talking to Mr. Treeger, the superintendent of Monica’s building, about attending Yoga classes. Which character is this?
A Ross
B Phoebe
C Monica
D Mike
Answer ⇒ ????