When I was beginning my yoga journey, I found that standing poses transformed my practice. Each pose, from the grounding Mountain Pose to the balancing Tree Pose, challenged me while fostering a deep connection between my body and mind. The gentle flow of energy through my limbs helped me feel empowered and centered, revealing newfound strength. These foundational poses not only improved my physical alignment but also cultivated resilience, setting the stage for my evolving yoga practice.

Yoga is a practice that has gained immense popularity worldwide, not only for its physical benefits but also for its ability to enhance mental clarity and emotional stability. Among the myriad of yoga postures, standing yoga poses hold a special place, particularly in hatha yoga practice.

These poses require a blend of strength and flexibility, serving as a vital foundation for beginners while offering more advanced practitioners a way to explore their limits.

Standing yoga postures are characterized by their demand for balance, alignment, and muscular engagement. Typically held for shorter durations—about 2 to 4 breaths—these poses invigorate the body, fostering energy and openness. For beginners, mastering basic standing poses is crucial for building a solid foundation in yoga, allowing for a deeper understanding of body mechanics and alignment.

7 Standing Yoga Poses For Beginners

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Mountain Pose serves as the cornerstone for all standing postures, promoting stability and balance.

Benefits: Establishes basic standing alignment and enhances body awareness.

Step-by-Step:

1. Stand at the front of your mat with feet parallel.

2. Place hands on hips, aligning the pelvis forward.

3. Stack the pelvis over the ankles.

4. Release arms by your sides, palms facing forward.

5. Maintain a neutral neck and head position.

2. Raised Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

This pose stretches and strengthens the upper body, preparing you for more dynamic movements.

Benefits: Provides a wonderful stretch for the abdomen, back, shoulders, and arms.

Step-by-Step:

1. From Mountain Pose, inhale and lift arms overhead.

2. Keep palms touching or shoulder-width apart.

3. Gaze at your thumbs to enhance focus.

3. Standing Forward Fold Pose (Uttanasana)

This pose helps relieve tension in the back while elongating the spine.

Benefits: Opens the hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles.

Step-by-Step:

1. From Raised Hands Pose, exhale while bending forward.

2. Bring fingertips to the floor or grasp your ankles.

3. Release your head to deepen the stretch.

4. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Chair Pose builds lower body strength while improving endurance.

Benefits: Strengthens the thighs and stretches the back and shoulders.

Step-by-Step:

1. From Mountain Pose, bend knees as if sitting in a chair.

2. Ensure your knees are visible past your toes.

3. Extend arms overhead, aligning with your torso.

5. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Downward Facing Dog is a fundamental pose that energizes the entire body.

Benefits: Enhances core, leg, and arm strength while opening the back.

Step-by-Step:

1. Start in a hands-and-knees position.

2. Curl your toes under, lifting your hips toward the ceiling.

3. Form an inverted V shape with your body.

6. Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)

Warrior I fosters a sense of empowerment and focus, embodying the warrior spirit.

Benefits: Strengthens the legs and core while improving hip alignment.

Step-by-Step:

1. From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward.

2. Pivot the left foot, aligning it at a 45-degree angle.

3. Inhale and lift your arms overhead, gazing upward.

7. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Tree Pose cultivates concentration and stability, connecting you to your inner strength.

Benefits: Enhances leg strength and balance.

Step-by-Step:

1. From Mountain Pose, shift weight onto your right leg.

2. Place the sole of the left foot inside your right thigh.

3. Press your foot into your thigh, maintaining alignment.

4. Inhale and raise your arms overhead.

Tips for Practicing Standing Yoga Poses

To maximize the benefits of standing yoga poses, consider the following tips:

- Ensure proper alignment of the knees, feet, and ankles to prevent strain or injury.

- Utilize a wall or chair for support during balancing poses.

- Focus on your Drishti, or focal point, can enhance your balance and concentration.

- Keep your breath slow and deep while holding poses, especially the more challenging ones.

- If hamstrings are tight, consider bending your knees or using a yoga strap for support.

Standing yoga poses are foundational for any yoga practice, offering a blend of strength, flexibility, and balance. Beginners should focus on mastering Mountain Pose as the bedrock for other standing asanas, gradually progressing to more advanced poses.

With consistent practice and guidance from qualified instructors, the benefits of standing yoga poses can lead to profound improvements in both physical and mental health. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, these postures provide the tools needed to cultivate strength, flexibility, and inner peace.

Aging brings a shift in how the body functions. Metabolism slows down, hormones fluctuate, and the risk of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, and bone loss begins to rise. Health experts often describe the 40s as a turning point, a decade where prevention matters more than ever. According to US-based longevity doctor Dr Vassily Eliopoulos, many habits that feel harmless in one’s 20s and 30s begin to show their impact sharply after the age of 40.

In a recent Instagram post, Dr Eliopoulos highlighted five things people should stop doing immediately if they want to protect their long-term health. He wrote that this is the decade to take muscle health seriously, make sleep a priority, and let go of small daily habits that quietly speed up aging. He added that the choices made in the 40s decide how well the body functions in the 50s, 60s, and 70s because preventing damage is always easier than trying to repair it later.

Stop cutting back on sleep

Sleep becomes crucial in the 40s because the body needs more time to repair itself. Dr Eliopoulos explains that adults between 40 and 60 require seven to nine hours of sleep every night to maintain hormone balance, protect cognitive function, and support metabolism. Even losing a single hour can make a difference. Research shows the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and faster brain aging rises for every hour of sleep below the seven-hour mark. Chronic lack of sleep also encourages fat storage around the abdomen, weakens the immune system, and slows recovery after daily activities.

Simple habits such as keeping the room dark and cool, avoiding late-night screen time, and sticking to a regular sleep schedule can make sleep more restorative. Dr Eliopoulos describes good sleep as a free nightly hormone reset.

Stop neglecting strength training

Muscle loss is one of the most predictable changes after 40. According to Dr Eliopoulos, adults lose three to eight percent of their muscle mass each decade unless they actively work against it. Resistance training two to four times a week can slow this decline dramatically.

Strength work helps maintain bone density, improves insulin sensitivity, and builds lean muscle. Exercises such as squats, push-ups, weightlifting, or using resistance bands increase stability, balance, and overall metabolic rate. Studies also show that middle-aged adults build strength more efficiently with resistance training than relying on cardio alone.

Stop relying on highly processed foods

Packaged snacks, sugary drinks, instant meals, and ultra-processed foods can have a much bigger impact in midlife. More than half of adults over 40 struggle with obesity linked to these foods. They cause sudden spikes in blood sugar and promote inflammation, raising the risk of heart failure. These foods also lack fibre, which affects gut health and increases the risk of colon cancer. Brain health is not spared either, with several studies linking diets high in processed food to faster cognitive decline.

Switching to whole foods such as fruit, nuts, vegetables, and yoghurt can help stabilise energy levels and reduce the risk of diabetes. Reading labels to avoid additives and hidden sugars is an important habit at this stage.

Stop delaying routine health tests

Once a person enters their 40s, regular health screenings become essential. Many conditions, including high cholesterol, prediabetes, thyroid disorders, and vitamin deficiencies, develop silently. Monitoring levels such as A1C, lipid profiles, thyroid markers, and vitamin D helps detect issues early, allowing interventions before symptoms show up. Avoiding tests often means missing warning signs until fatigue, pain, or more serious complications appear.

Stop letting stress build up

Stress hits harder in the 40s because the body becomes more sensitive to cortisol. Continuous stress can raise blood pressure, increase inflammation, affect memory, and contribute to anxiety. Long-term stress even accelerates cellular aging and can push biological age forward by several years. When paired with poor sleep or unhealthy eating, stress significantly increases the risk of stroke.

Dr Eliopoulos recommends daily breathing exercises, regular walks, and simple meditation practices to help reduce stress and protect long-term health.

Disclaimer: Please note that this is a user-generated content. Health and Me does not encourage any changes to be made in your daily schedule without consulting your doctor.

A New York City teacher Pedro Soto, 56, who teachers at the Manhattan school had a simple sore throat and he believed it was from a viral infection, but it soon turned out to be type 2 diabetes.

This was in April 2024, when he went to his doctor with the complaint of a sore throat and took a blood test. This is when he was "officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes".

In an interview with PEOPLE, he tells while the doctor recommended medications for him, he was determined to make a lifestyle change first. "After receiving the news, I chose not to start medication right away. Instead, I committed to exercising, running twice a week and improving my diet."

Turns out, running, changed his life.

Running With Diabetes: Soto's Determination To Change His Life(style)

Pedro Soto first considered running the TCS NYC Marathon after a colleague mentioned that her husband had completed it. Motivated, he applied through a special program for teachers, sharing an essay about his type 2 diabetes diagnosis. His story earned him a spot on the team. As he trained, he closely monitored his health, undergoing regular blood tests every three months. The improvement surprised him. His blood sugar levels, once concerning, gradually returned to the normal range. While type 2 diabetes cannot be fully cured, it can be reversed, and Soto was seeing that transformation firsthand.

Training Through The Tough Times

The marathon was scheduled for November 2, 2025. Soto’s training, however, didn’t begin smoothly. In June, he learned he had Lyme disease. Around the same time, he lost his father. Because of these back-to-back challenges, he wasn't able to train consistently until August. Running soon became more than exercise. It became a way to navigate grief and rebuild strength.

He describes those months as emotionally heavy. Running offered him space to reflect, heal, and feel close to his father. It became a ritual that allowed him to confront his feelings rather than avoid them.

Experiencing the Race

To prepare mentally, Soto dove into YouTube videos and articles about the marathon. Still, nothing compared to the real thing. To him, race day felt like a citywide block party. The cheering crowds, music, and energy made the pain more bearable. He said that although the long hours of pounding take a toll on joints and muscles, the city's encouragement kept pushing him forward.

Finding Strength in His Students

The toughest stretch came in the final six miles, when self-doubt crept in. What kept him going was thinking about his students. Soto works with teenagers in a transfer program, many of whom have struggled in traditional school systems. Their perseverance inspired him. If his students could show up every day despite their challenges, he believed he could finish the race.

He says he is taking care of his health and this itself is an act of commitment to his students. Whenever he feels healthier, he shows up as a strong educator and for him the marathon teaches him the importance one needs in life of balance, self-care, and knowing when to put themselves first.

"I'm excited for this next chapter in my life, I'm the happiest I've ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad," said Post Malone as he talked about his journey of losing 55 pounds. He went from 240 lbs to 185 lbs, he revealed at The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast. His inspiration? His daughter. He said that he is focused more on his health since becoming a father.

"It is definitely made me take better care of myself. I want to be around to see her go and do kick-*ss stuff. And before, you know, I was really drinking a lot and smoking a lot and stuff. I kind of took everything and toned it down a little bit and, you know, doing my best and really got my weight going," he said.

His weight loss journey started after he welcomed his daughter in May 2022, and on April 20233, he shared on his Instagram that post becoming a father he is now prioritizing his health.

How Did Post Malone Lose So Much Weight?

He said it is simple, he decided to "kick soda and start eating better". He also is trying to cut down his smokes and brews or give up completely, which is taking time.

On his Instagram post, he wrote: "I've had a lot of people ask me about my weight loss and I'd suppose, performance on stage. I'm having a lot of fun performing, and have never felt healthier. I guess dad life kicked in and I decided to kick soda and start eating better so I can be around for a long time for this little angel. Next up is smokes and brews, but I like to consider myself a patient man... lol!"

While his fans were initially concerned about his weight loss, he reassured them that his "brain is in a super dope place" and he was "the happiest" he has ever been in a long time.

When he made his appearance in June 2024, on The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast, he said that his fans in fact, thought, that he started using drugs, due to his drastic weight loss. This is why he posted on Instagram to deny those allegations. “I remember, whenever I started losing my weight, everybody was like, ‘Hey, this is what meth looks like,’ and I started dancing on stage and having fun and having more energy and just enjoying life again, you know what I mean,” he told host Joe Rogan. “Like I mentioned, I was s***** for a long time, but I had my baby and I’m in a great f****** spot and then the first thing that happens is like, ‘Oh he’s on f****** drugs.’"

However, Malone has confirmed that he is not "any hard drugs".

What Helped Malone Lose 55 Pounds?

In an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in October 2023, Malone said that he has not been on weight loss medication, rather he is now making better food choices.

Earlier, whenever he was on tour, he would go for junk, but now, he has made a deliberate choice to eat "grilled chicken" "carrots" with a "little bit of white rice with hot sauce". He said he was blown away to find out that hot sauce has no calories.

He also shared that he has cut out fried food and pizza. He shared that he would previously eat a lot of junk while on tour, especially because those places were open at 2 am after a show. However, when he made those small dietary changes, he lost 20 pounds, which made him think "let's keep building".

He also shared that he started cutting down on his soda intake. However, he would occasionally reward himself with one after a show.

He also showed off his weight loss in an August 2023 Instagram post on a mirror selfie and wrote: "Introducing Viceroy Chungus VonBattlepass, i love you," in caption.