The hill posture or adho mukha svanasana in Sanskrit is the basic posture in yoga practice. You can perform these postures or asanas as part of a yoga practice, as one of the postures in a warm-up exercise (suryanamaskara), or even to rest. Experienced or novice yogis can do the hill posture in the following ways.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Performing the Hill Posture from a Standing Position
Step 1. Stand at the front end of the yoga mat in a mountain posture (tadasana)
The easiest way to do the hill pose is from the standing pose in the mountain posture.
- Do the mountain posture (tadasana) by standing at the front end of the yoga mat, bringing your feet together and extending your arms down. Look straight ahead, spread your toes, and make sure your weight is evenly distributed on the soles of your feet to maintain balance.
- Activate the abdominal muscles and pull in the tailbone slightly perpendicular to the floor.
- Inhale and exhale through the nostrils regularly. If you can, breathe in while constricting your airway to make a sound like the sound of waves crashing. This is the ujjayi breathing technique that will help you perform the hill posture more effectively.
Step 2. Bring your palms together in front of your chest in a prayer position and say your intentions in your heart
Even if you only do hill postures, yoga practice is not complete without intention. Your hill posture will be even more beneficial by taking a few seconds before training to dedicate your practice to achieving a certain intention.
- Bring your palms together starting from the bottom, middle, and finally the fingers until your hands are in a prayer position. You can leave a gap between your palms if you want to feel the energy flow. After that, place your thumb in the middle of your chest to unite your body and your heart.
- If you haven't set your intentions yet, just think of something simple, like "letting go".
Step 3. Inhale while lifting both arms straight up
After determining your intention, take a deep breath while lifting your arms straight up. This posture is called urdhva hastasana. Arch your back while looking up and looking up at the ceiling.
- Try to straighten your elbows and point your fingers toward the ceiling. When looking up, do not bend the neck back too far so as not to press the vertebrae of the neck.
- Perform this movement while still relaxing your shoulders and straightening your back.
Step 4. Exhale as you bend forward to bring your chest to your feet in a standing position
This posture is called uttanasana.
- Strive to straighten your back and move from the waist to shift from an arm-upward posture (urdhva hastasana) to a forward bending posture while standing (uttanasana).
- Place your palms on the floor next to the soles of your feet. Spread your fingers apart and point your middle finger straight out in front of you so that your entire palm is pressing against the floor so that your weight is distributed evenly across your palms and soles of your feet.
- You should keep your abs active and try to touch your stomach to your thighs. If necessary, bend your knees to keep this contact.
- If your palms can't touch the floor yet, prepare a block so that your palms can still press on the floor.
Step 5. Inhale gently while straightening your back to form a straight forward bending posture
This posture is called ardha uttanasana. You will find it easier to do the hill posture after doing this movement.
- Try to straighten your back as you bend your body straight forward while placing your palms on the floor next to your feet.
- Keep your abdominal muscles active during this posture.
Step 6. Exhale while stepping on both feet or jumping back into plank posture
Depending on your individual abilities, you can step or jump to do the hill posture. This posture is a preparatory posture before you complete a series of vinyasa movements for the hill posture.
Step 7. Exhale while lifting your hips up as you step back so that your body forms an inverted V for a hill posture
For novice yogis, step your right foot back first followed by your left. Your body will form an inverted V and this means that you are in the hill posture. You will feel calm and can rest while doing the deep hill posture.
- Press your palms into the floor while activating your abdominal muscles as you perform the hill posture.
- You can press your heels into the floor or tiptoe according to the flexibility of your lower back, hamstrings, and calves. The more you practice, the easier your heels will touch the floor.
- Point your sitting bones toward the ceiling as you perform the hill posture.
- You can look at your belly button or toes, but let your head hang with a comfortable neck.
- Inhale and exhale calmly a few times as desired.
Step 8. Repeat the series of movements described above starting from the last movement until you return to the mountain posture
If you've practiced a lot, you can vary the range of vinyasa movements with other postures you'd like to master.
Method 2 of 2: Performing the Hill Posture from the Knee Position
Step 1. Start with the child's posture (reply)
Kneel on the floor on a yoga mat. Bring your knees together and sit on your heels. Exhale while bringing your chest to your thighs and touching your forehead to the mat.
Step 2. Exhale, extend your knees to the sides of the mat, bring your toes together, extend your arms in front of you so that your stomach is between your thighs and lift your hips toward the ceiling for a hill posture
From the child's posture, exhale while directing the sitting bones toward the ceiling. You will be in the inverted V position or hill posture which in Sanskrit is called adho mukha svanasana. You will feel calm and rested while doing the deep hill posture.
- Press your palms into the floor and engage your abdominal muscles as you perform the hill posture.
- Roll your shoulders back and twist your arms inward so your elbows are facing out.
- If your hamstrings and calves aren't flexible enough, modify them by tiptoeing while trying to bring your heels closer to the floor.
- You can press your heels into the floor or tiptoe according to the flexibility of your lower back, hamstrings, and calves. The more you practice, the easier your heels will touch the floor.
- Point your sitting bones toward the ceiling as you perform the hill posture.
- You can look at your belly button or toes, but let your head hang with a comfortable neck.
- Inhale and exhale calmly a few times as desired.
