The sequence
- Mountain Pose · 60 seconds. Feet hip-width. Press the feet down before you do anything else.
- Chair Pose · 45 seconds. Sit the hips back as if there were a chair. Knees point the same way as the toes.
- Standing Forward Fold · 45 seconds. Knees deeply bent. The fold is in the hips, not a tug on the lower back.
- Halfway Lift · 30 seconds. Hands on shins. Lengthen the front of the body.
- Downward-Facing Dog · 50 seconds. Hips high, knees bent, heels wherever they land. Pedal the feet if the calves feel loud.
- Low Lunge · 40 seconds. Right foot forward. Back knee down. Hands can stay on blocks or the front thigh.
- Low Lunge · 40 seconds. Left foot forward. Same shape. Keep the back of the neck easy.
- Warrior I · 40 seconds. Right foot forward, back heel down if it can. Bend the front knee. Arms can stay on the hips.
- Warrior I · 40 seconds. Left foot forward. Shorten the stance if the hips feel stuck.
- Warrior II · 40 seconds. Right foot forward. Arms reach. Gaze over the front hand, not up.
- Warrior II · 40 seconds. Left foot forward. Front knee tracks over the ankle, not past it in a painful way.
- Mountain Pose · 40 seconds. Stand still and feel the difference in the legs.
- Child’s Pose · 60 seconds. Knees wide, arms forward, forehead down.
- Corpse Pose · 150 seconds. Rest. Let the breath land low in the ribs.
Day 3 · Standing up
This short standing practice fits well when you want to wake up your legs and attention without doing a long session. It can work in the morning before your day gets busy, or later when you’ve been sitting and want to feel your feet under you again. Many people find it helpful to move through it with steady nose breathing if that’s comfortable, especially in the standing shapes where effort builds little by little.
The order has a clear build. Mountain gives you your base first, with the feet pressing down and the spine stacking up. Chair and the bent-knee fold ask the hips to move while keeping strain out of the lower back. Halfway Lift and a short Downward-Facing Dog create length through the front of the body and the sides of the waist. Then the lunges and both Warrior poses bring that length into stronger standing work, one side at a time. The second Mountain Pose is a pause to notice what changed before Child’s Pose and rest on the floor.
If you want to shorten it, keep Mountain, Chair, Downward-Facing Dog, one round of each Warrior pose, then Child’s Pose. If your hamstrings pull hard, bend your knees more in the fold and in Downward-Facing Dog. If the floor feels far away in Low Lunge, put your hands on blocks or your front thigh. In Warrior I, shorten the stance or keep your hands on your hips. If anything pinches, ease out a bit and choose the version where your breath stays steady.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
Day 3 · Standing up is a 12-minute practice written from the pose pages on this site. Mountain, Chair, a short Downward Dog, and both Warrior poses. Bend the knees whenever the hamstrings pull you around. The player above is a timer and a list of cues. It is not a video class, and it is not next to an advertisement. Use the written sequence under the player if you would rather read than watch a clock.
The opening cues include: Feet hip-width. Press the feet down before you do anything else; Sit the hips back as if there were a chair. Knees point the same way as the toes; Knees deeply bent. The fold is in the hips, not a tug on the lower back. Follow the seconds as a suggestion. If a pose says to stay and your knee or your breath disagrees, come out early. Pausing the timer is part of using it correctly. You do not earn the practice by finishing a number.
Nothing in this routine is offered as a treatment. A short practice may help an ordinary stiff day, a loud afternoon, or the few minutes before sleep, depending on which routine you opened. It does not cure back pain, insomnia, anxiety, or an injury. If you are pregnant, hurt, or unsure whether a shape is appropriate, consult a doctor first. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, chest pain, or dizziness.
Read the pose page linked from any line you have not tried. The safety note there is more specific than this overview. Then come back and do the shorter version if the full 12 minutes is more than you wanted. A shorter honest practice is the one worth repeating.
Day 3 · Standing up stays inside this site’s pose library. The minutes on the page are a ceiling, not a target you have to hit. Come out of a shape early, use the modification on the pose page, and leave the last cue for another day if you want. The practice counts when it is calm enough to repeat, including a practice you cut in half.
Day 3 · Standing up: common questions
What should this routine feel like in my body?
You’ll likely notice your feet working, your legs warming up, and some effort through the hips and shoulders. In the fold and Downward-Facing Dog, a strong pull in the backs of the legs is a sign to bend the knees more. The poses should feel active, not sharp or pinchy.
Do I have to put my back heel down in Warrior I?
No. The back heel can come down if it can, but it doesn’t need to force its way there. If the shape feels jammed or your hips feel stuck, shorten the stance and keep your hands on your hips. A steadier version is usually more useful than a bigger one.
How can I tell if this routine is working for me?
By the end, many people notice they feel more grounded in Mountain Pose and more awake through the legs. Your breath may settle more easily once you reach Child’s Pose and rest. If you can move without bracing your jaw or rushing, that’s a good sign the pace and shape choices suit you.