Urdhva Hastasana Benefits & Yoga Pose Tutorial

Want to learn more about Urdhva Hastasana, aka Upward Hands Pose? In this post, I share the benefits of Urdhva Hastasana, a complete pose breakdown, contraindications, modifications and more. We’ll also look at its close cousin, Urdhva Namaskarasana or Upward Prayer Pose.

illustration of stephen doing urdhva hastasana upward hands pose — Barbara Bakos, Illustrator

These two standing poses, Urdhva Hastasana and Urdhva Namaskarasana, are usually practiced as part of the Sun Salutation series (Surya Namaskar A and B). They both offer a full body stretch — and they’re something many of us naturally do after a deep sleep or sitting for long periods of time.

These poses help teach us some of the basic alignment and movements for inversions like Downward Facing Dog and Handstand, as well as preparing us for deep back bends like Urdhva Dhanurasana.

Both poses start in Tadasana, so be sure to read my Tadasana pose breakdown before practicing Urdhva Hastasana or Urdhva Namaskarasana.

The main difference between the two poses is the spacing of the hands and feet. In Urdhva Hastasana, your hands are shoulder-distance apart, and it is often practiced with your feet hip-distance apart. In Urdhva Namaskarasana, your feet are together and your hands are together in an overhead prayer pose.

What’s in this post about Urdhva Hastasana?

Urdhva Hastasana Quick Facts

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Urdhva Hastasana Quick Facts

Sanskrit	Urdhva Hastasana / Talasana
English	Upward Hands Pose / Upward Salute / Volcano Pose
Pronunciation	URD-vah hah-STAHS-uh-nuh
Meaning	Urdhva means upward or lifted. Hasta means hands. Asana means pose or posture.

Urdhva Namaskarasana Quick Facts

Sanskrit	Urdhva Namaskarasana
English	Upward Prayer Pose / Upward Salute / Volcano Pose
Pronunciation	URD-vah namah-skar-AHS-uh-nuh
Meaning	Urdhva means upward or lifted. Namaskar means a greeting or prayer. Asana means pose or posture.

Urdhva Hastasana Benefits & Urdhva Namaskarasana Benefits

Note: I only include the scientifically supported benefits of Urdhva Hastasana here. Plenty of claims about other supposed benefits (from the plausible to the magical to the ridiculous) have been made. To me, pseudo-scientific claims only serve to harm the yoga community, so I choose not to give them airtime here.

The main physical benefits of Urdhva Hastasana and Urdhva Namaskarasana include:

Strengthens the legs.
Strengthens the triceps.

Both poses stretch the shoulders.
Tones the abdomen and hips.
Strengthens the posterior chain (back muscles, butt, hamstrings).
Helps improve balance.

Helps correct posture.
Stretches out the entire front torso.
Helps to stretch the spine which can help improve posture.
They provide a full body stretch.

Helps to prepare the spine for deeper stretches, back bends and twists.

In Urdhva Hastasana your hands and feet are apart which can also:

Helps release tension in the shoulders.
Helps relieve sciatica discomfort.

If you want more on the benefits of yoga, see our complete guide to the benefits of yoga, which includes a history of yoga plus the origins of our modern yoga practice and much more.

Precautions & Contraindications

Remember that while yoga is for everyone, not all poses are for all people!

If your body requires some extra support in this pose, see the Modifications section below for ideas on how to do these poses safely.

If you become dizzy or light headed, lower your arms.
Avoid these poses if you have a shoulder injury. Take the time needed to heal fully.
If you have a headache or migraine, these poses might make it worse. Practice with caution.

If you have high blood pressure, keep your arms by your side.
These poses can be challenging if you have vertigo. Practice with your feet as wide as you need to find balance.
If you easily hyperextend your knees, extra care should be taken to engage your hamstrings so that you protect your knees.
If you are pregnant, you may want to keep your feet hip-distance apart, or wider.

In Urdhva Namaskarasana, because your hands are together and your gaze is directed up towards your hands, there are a couple of extra contraindications:

If you become dizzy or light headed, gaze forward.
If you have a neck injury, do not look up in this pose.

Misconceptions and Common Misalignments

Locking your knees

Some teachers will instruct you to “lock your knees” in Upward Hands Pose and Upward Prayer Pose. It’s true that your legs should be straight, but avoid locking your knees. Keeping a micro-bend in your knees will build strength all around your knee joint and in your quads and hamstrings.

Shrugging shoulders

As you stretch your arms up, your scapula (shoulder blades) will naturally rotate and lift up as well. However, you don’t want to shrug your shoulders up to your ears. Instead, focus on drawing your shoulder blades down (this won’t be a big movement) and widening your collarbones.

Lower back arch

If your lower back is quite mobile, you may tend to arch your lower back when entering these poses. Work to keep you wrists, head, shoulders, hips and ankles stacked over each other. To help prevent over-arching in your lower back, tone your belly and lengthen down through your tailbone.

Urdhva Hastasana Pose Breakdown

How to do Urdhva Hasatasana / Upward Hands Pose

Stand in Tadasana.
Stretch your arms up overhead. Have your hands shoulder-distance apart, and palms facing each other. Look straight ahead.
Stretch your arms straight, and straight up, from your shoulders.
Tone your belly by moving the space around your navel back towards your spine (Uddiyana Bandha).
Watch that your lower front ribs do not poke forward. Draw the ribs in and slightly down toward your belly.

Bring your wrists over your shoulders, your shoulders over your hips, and your hips over your ankles.
Even though your shoulder blades will lift a bit when you stretch your arms overhead, draw them down your back a little, and widen across your collarbones.
You can practice the pose with your fingers spread or fingers together. I generally leave this up to the student to do what feels best in their body.
This is Urdhva Hastasana.
To come out, lower your arms to your sides and return to Tadasana.

Urdhva Namaskarasana Pose Breakdown

How to do Urdhva Namaskarasana / Upward Prayer Pose

Stand in Tadasana.
Stretch your arms up overhead. Bring your hands together with your palms facing each other in a raised Anjali Mudra, also called Namaskar (hence the pose name Urdhva Namaskarasana). Bring your fingers together.
Look up at your thumbs. If this hurts your neck, look forward.
Lengthen through your neck and use the muscles of your neck to support your head rather than throwing your head back (as you might hear instructed sometimes).
Stretch your arms straight. If your shoulders are tight or it is uncomfortable to bring your hands together and straighten your arms, practice Urdhva Hastasana instead.

Tone your belly by moving the space around your navel back towards your spine (Uddiyana Bandha).
Watch that your lower front ribs do not poke forward. Draw your ribs in and slightly down toward your belly.
Bring your wrists over your shoulders, your shoulders over your hips, and your hips over your ankles.
Even though your shoulder blades will lift some when your stretch your arms overhead, draw them down your back a little, and widen across your collarbones.
This is Urdhva Namaskarasana.

To come out, lower your arms to your sides and return to Tadasana.

Modifications & Variations

If you can’t straighten your arms above your head

You can use a yoga strap to help. Make a loop with the strap and slide it around your arms right above the elbow joints. Tighten the belt so that your arms cannot move more than shoulder-width apart. Then lift your arms above your head. Your head can get in the way of the strap, so you’ll have to adjust if this happens.
Another option is to bring your hands farther apart. Straighten them as much as possible, stretch from your inner elbows to your palms, and flex the back of your arms (triceps).

If you have limited range of motion in your shoulders

Only lift your arms as high as is comfortable.

If you have trouble standing up straight

Try standing with your back against a wall.

Move your spine energetically away from the wall — but keep it physically touching the wall. Stretch up long through your spine. If you practice this, over time you can build more strength in the supporting muscles of your back (particularly your erector spinae) to help you stand up straighter and taller.
You can also place a yoga block between the wall and the middle of your back. This can also help you slowly change the posture of your upper body.

If standing is too difficult

You can do these poses sitting in a chair. Simply follow all the instructions for the upper body while keeping the feet firmly grounded on the floor.

If you have vertigo

If you have vertigo, practice with your feet as wide as you need to find balance.

If you find it difficult to balance

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart or wider as needed. Gradually step your feet closer together as you gain balance in the pose. You can also sit in a chair to practice this pose if that makes it more accessible.

If your legs turn out

If your legs turn out, place a yoga block between your thighs and squeeze it. This helps activate and strengthen your adductor muscles (inner thighs).

If you have a neck injury

You may find it is uncomfortable to raise your arms overhead. In that case it is likely best for you to practice Tadasana instead.
If your neck injury makes it painful to look up at your hands, keep your gaze forward.

If you are pregnant

You may want to take a wider stance until you feel stable. You can also practice the pose sitting in a chair.

If you easily hyperextend your knees

Take extra care to engage your hamstrings so that you protect your knees. To engage your hamstrings, imagine that you are pulling your heels up towards your buttocks.
Over-engaging your quadriceps (thigh muscles) can pull you into hyperextension. Focussing on your hamstrings will help prevent that.

If you have knee problems

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and put a slight bend in your knees.

Gear & Resources for This Pose

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A Final Note About Upward Hands Pose and Upward Prayer Pose

At the beginning of my yoga practice, I generally start by doing Urdhva Hastasana. Only after I get warmed up will I bring my feet together and my hands together into Urdhva Namaskarasana.

If you have tight shoulders, Urdhva Hastasana is a great place to stay in your practice. Remember, the practice is for you, and the poses are there to help, not hurt.

Don’t push yourself beyond what is appropriate for your body on any given day. Doing what is best for you in the moment is the way to get the most benefit from any pose.

See you on (and off) the ice OMies, Stephen

I hope this post has been helpful in expanding your possibilities with Upward Hands Pose and Upward Prayer pose. It’s my goal to inspire you to explore your yoga practice more deeply while enabling you to cultivate the strength and clarity needed to live your life’s adventure to the fullest!