How long should I hold Tree Pose?

Start with 15 to 30 seconds on each leg and build toward 30 to 60 seconds, or about 5 to 10 slow breaths. Always do both sides for the same time.

Why do I wobble so much in Tree Pose?

Some wobble is normal, because the foot, ankle and hip are making constant small corrections to keep you upright. It settles with practice, and fixing your gaze on one point, softening the standing knee and pressing the foot and thigh into each other all help.

Is it cheating to hold a wall?

No. In a study of older adults doing Tree Pose with the lifted foot just above the ankle, lightly touching a wall did not change the load on the standing hip, although calf activity was 123% higher once the wall was taken away. A wall is a fine way to train the hip while your ankle balance catches up.

Can I put my foot below the knee instead of on the thigh?

Yes. Resting the foot on the calf or the ankle is a standard version and easier to balance in, as long as the foot stays off the knee joint itself.

What should I do with my arms?

Hands pressed together at the chest are the most stable, arms out to the sides help you correct a wobble, and arms straight overhead with the palms together are the hardest. Move to the next arm position only once the current one feels steady.

Tree Pose

What Is the Tree Pose?

Tree Pose is a compound exercise that primarily targets the glutes, especially the gluteus medius of the standing leg, and also engages the calves, ankle stabilizers and core. It is a beginner-level movement and one of the first standing balance poses taught in yoga, held on one leg with the sole of the other foot pressed into the inner thigh.

The pose trains single-leg balance. The standing hip has to keep the pelvis level while the ankle makes constant small corrections, the same job the hip and ankle do in walking, on stairs and in sports that put you on one foot. In a biomechanics study of older adults after 32 weeks of yoga classes, a modified Tree Pose placed more demand on the hip abductors of the standing leg than any of the other six standing poses tested. The load on the thigh muscles is low, so it builds control and endurance rather than leg strength.

The lifted leg does different work. Holding the knee out to the side opens the front and inner hip of that leg, so tight hips show up as a knee that drifts forward. Arm position changes the balance more than the muscles: hands at the chest are the most stable, arms out to the sides help you correct a wobble, and arms overhead raise your center of mass and make the hold harder.

Tree Pose suits almost anyone, from beginners and older adults working on balance to athletes using it as a warm-up or a cooldown. If you cannot hold it yet, start from Mountain Pose, rest the lifted foot on the ankle or calf instead of the thigh, or keep a fingertip on a wall. Once it feels steady, Eagle Pose, Warrior III Pose and Half Moon Pose are the next standing balances to work toward.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Gluteus Medius: Primary
Gluteus Minimus: High
Peroneus Longus: High
Soleus: High
Gastrocnemius (Lateral Head): Medium
Gastrocnemius (Medial Head): Medium
Tensor Fasciae Latae: Medium
Deltoid: Low
External Oblique: Low
Sartorius: Low

Instructions

Stand tall with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
Shift your weight onto your left foot and spread the toes so the whole foot presses into the floor.
Bend your right knee, turn it out to the side and place the sole of your right foot on the inner left thigh, above the knee.
Press the foot and thigh into each other and keep both hip points level and facing forward.
Keep the standing knee straight but not locked, and fix your gaze on one point at eye level.
Raise your arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms down.
When you feel steady, lift your arms overhead, straighten the elbows and press the palms together.
Hold for the planned time while breathing slowly.
Lower your arms, place the right foot back on the floor and repeat on the other leg.

Common Mistakes

Foot against the knee
Resting the lifted foot on the side of the standing knee pushes the joint sideways, so place it on the inner thigh or on the calf instead.
Standing hip pushed out
Letting the standing hip slide out to the side hangs you on the joint instead of the hip muscles the pose is meant to train.
Hiking the lifted hip
Drawing the hip of the bent leg up toward the ribs tilts the pelvis, so keep both hip points level even if that means a lower foot.
Locking the standing knee
Pressing the standing knee straight back stiffens the leg and makes balance harder, so keep it straight but soft.
Knee swinging forward
Letting the bent knee drift forward loses the hip opening, so point it out to the side only as far as you can keep the pelvis square.
Gazing around the room
Moving the eyes makes the body follow, so fix your gaze on one still point at eye level.

Injuries

Tree Pose is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The load on the joints is small, and the main risks are losing your balance and pressing the lifted foot into the wrong place.

The knee is the joint to protect. Placing the lifted foot against the side of the standing knee pushes the joint sideways, so always rest the foot above the knee on the inner thigh or below it on the calf or ankle. Pressing the foot and thigh into each other also keeps the foot from sliding down onto the knee. Locking the standing knee back loads the joint and makes you wobble more, so keep it straight but soft.

If balance is the limit, practice next to a wall or the back of a chair, rest the lifted foot on the ankle with the toes on the floor, or keep the hands at the chest instead of overhead. If raising the arms bothers your shoulders, leave them at the chest or on the hips. To progress, hold longer, raise the arms overhead, or try Eagle Pose and Warrior III Pose.

Stop and come out of the pose if you feel dizzy or light-headed, if the knee of either leg hurts, or if you feel pain in the hip of the lifted leg. Anyone with a balance disorder or a history of falls should practice beside a wall or chair until the pose is steady.

Overview

Primary Focus: Glutes
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Yoga
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Tree Pose

The Tree Pose is also known as:

Vrksasana

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long should I hold Tree Pose?: Start with 15 to 30 seconds on each leg and build toward 30 to 60 seconds, or about 5 to 10 slow breaths. Always do both sides for the same time.
Q: Why do I wobble so much in Tree Pose?: Some wobble is normal, because the foot, ankle and hip are making constant small corrections to keep you upright. It settles with practice, and fixing your gaze on one point, softening the standing knee and pressing the foot and thigh into each other all help.
Q: Is it cheating to hold a wall?: No. In a study of older adults doing Tree Pose with the lifted foot just above the ankle, lightly touching a wall did not change the load on the standing hip, although calf activity was 123% higher once the wall was taken away. A wall is a fine way to train the hip while your ankle balance catches up.
Q: Can I put my foot below the knee instead of on the thigh?: Yes. Resting the foot on the calf or the ankle is a standard version and easier to balance in, as long as the foot stays off the knee joint itself.
Q: What should I do with my arms?: Hands pressed together at the chest are the most stable, arms out to the sides help you correct a wobble, and arms straight overhead with the palms together are the hardest. Move to the next arm position only once the current one feels steady.