What Is the Raised Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana) In Yoga? Tips, Technique, Correct Form, Benefits and Common Mistakes 

The raised hands pose (Urdhva Hastasana), also known as the upward tree pose, upward salute or palm tree pose, is a beginner-level full-body stretch mostly done as a part of the Sun Salutation sequence in yoga.

It offers a relaxing full-body stretch and is something people naturally do after sitting for long durations or after a deep sleep. The raised hands pose also teaches yoga practitioners basic movement and alignment for other inversion yoga asanas, like the Downward-facing dog or Handstand.

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How to do Raised Hands pose in yoga correctly?

Follow the following steps to perform the Urdhva Hastasana in the correct form:

• Start by standing straight in the Mountain pose (Tadasana).
• Breathe easily, and as you inhale, bring your arms to your sides and up towards the ceiling.
• Make sure to keep your arms parallel, or put your palms together over your head without hunching your shoulders. However, if your palms are apart, allow them to face each other. Your arms should be absolutely straight and your hands engaged all the way through your finger tips.
• Keep your gaze up, and look at your thumbs. Also, keep your thigh muscles engaged throughout the pose to bring your kneecaps up.
• With your arms overhead, push into your feet, and lift through your head.
• Contract your navel towards your back while keeping a gentle lift through your sternum.
• Slowly lower your arms to come out of the asana.

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Key Beginner Tips

Consider these tips when doing the raised hands pose:

• If you have any ongoing neck issues, do not tilt your head upwards. Instead, look straight, and keep your head relaxed. Also, do not raise your arms overhead if you have any shoulder or neck problems. In that case, just remain in the Mountain pose.
• People with balance problems or women who are pregnant should make sure to keep a wider stance rather than narrow to keep their bodies more stable.
• To attain good posture, you can practice this yoga asana with your back against a wall so that each part of your body is aligned and straight.

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Benefits of doing Raised Hands pose in yoga

There are several benefits to practicing the raised hands pose (Urdhva Hastasana). Some of the major ones include:

• Strengthens the triceps and legs
• Stretches the shoulders
• Tones and sculpts the hips and abdominal muscles
• Great for the posterior chain (butt, hamstrings, back muscles)
• Helps improve overall body posture and balance
• Stretches the entire front torso
• Helps to prepare your body for deeper backbends, stretches and twists
• Provides relief in sciatica and lower backaches
• Releases tension in the shoulders.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these mistakes to get the most out of this yoga pose:

Locking knees

When doing this asana, make sure to keep your legs straight, and do not lock your knees. Just keep a micro bend on your knees, as that will help develop strength around your knee joints and in your hamstrings and quads.

Wrong shoulder posture

Your shoulders should always be in a neutral position and not touch your ears. To keep your shoulders in the correct position, try to broaden your chest, and widen your collarbones.

Wrong arm position

If your arms are in a V-shape or elbows are bent, you won’t get a good and relaxing stretch. To avoid that, keep your arms completely straight, and be mindful of this position.

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Precautions to keep in mind

If you become light-headed or dizzy while doing the raised hands pose, simply lower your arms, and start breathing deeply. Avoid this asana if you have a neck or shoulder injury.

Take enough time to heal fully, and then do this pose. People with high blood pressure problems should do this asana with their arms on their sides. If your knees get hyperextended easily, take extra caution while engaging your hamstrings so that your knees are properly protected.

This yoga pose can be difficult for people suffering from vertigo; however, they can practice it by keeping their feet as wide as they can to find the right balance. If you are pregnant, keep your feet at a hip distance or wider. You may experience a relaxing stretch in this asana, but you shouldn’t feel any pain. If, by any chance, you feel pain, check your posture, or come out of the pose immediately.