Standing Poses: The Role of the Arms and Shoulders – Weekly Advanced Class 458

Standing poses are often taught with a strong emphasis on the feet, legs and hips, but as your practice develops, the role of your arms and shoulders becomes increasingly important. With greater strength, flexibility and mobility, your arms can begin to work much like your legs, helping to support your body weight, create lift and establish a more balanced relationship with gravity. This class explores ten essential standing poses with particular attention to how the hands, arms and shoulders contribute to stability, alignment and extension. Many of the poses establish a direct connection between the hands and the floor, while others use a chair, wall or blocks to emphasise the supporting action of the arms. Throughout the sequence, you’ll focus on the alignment of your wrists, elbows, shoulders and shoulder blades, learning how to use the inherent strength of your skeletal structure rather than relying excessively on muscular effort. By developing a clearer understanding of how your arms can bear weight and create lift, you’ll discover new ways to refine familiar poses, improve their structural integrity and bring greater depth and intelligence to your standing pose practice.