Pose guide
How to improve your Mountain Pose
Standing tall, shoulders over hips, ears over shoulders, weight centered through both feet. Here’s the rubric Posewise measures it against, and what to train when you miss.
The rubric
Posewise checks three things from the side. Here’s what good looks like.
- TorsoUpright, shoulders stacked over hips0–10°lean from vertical
- HeadEars over your shouldersStackedear vs shoulder
- NeckLong, crown lifting0–14°neck from vertical
What’s holding it back
Build core strength, and you’ll stand tall, shoulders stacked over your hips.
A lean usually means the trunk isn’t holding itself up, or your weight has drifted into your heels or toes.
Core bracing10 reps
Pelvic tilts10 slow reps
Stack your shoulders over your hips, weight centered through your feet.
Free up your upper back, and your head will stack over your shoulders.
A forward head is a common desk-posture pattern. It usually points to a stiff upper back and neck, not to the pose.
Chin tucks10 slow reps
Upper-back extensions8–10 reps
Draw your chin back gently and lift through the crown of your head.
Not sure which one is yours?
Posewise watches your Mountain Pose through your iPhone camera, tells you which of these is holding you back, and builds a six-minute daily plan to fix it. Video never leaves your phone.
Join the betaFree during the beta · iPhone
Quick answers
Should my feet be together?
Either way works. Big toes touching is traditional; hip-width apart is steadier if you wobble.
Where should my weight be?
Spread evenly across both feet, between the heels and the balls of the feet, not sinking back into your heels.
Should I tuck my tailbone?
Not hard. Keep the natural curve in your low back with your pelvis level, and let your ribs sit over your hips.
What do I do with my arms?
Let them hang relaxed by your sides, palms in or facing forward, with your shoulders soft and away from your ears.
How can I check my Mountain Pose form at home?
Film yourself from the side. Or use Posewise, an iPhone app that measures your Mountain Pose with the camera, speaks corrections as you hold it, and builds a six-minute daily plan for what it finds.