Tree Yoga · The original pose reference
Squat
See this pose in the original book ↗From the original book
The practice.
Begin in a standing position, facing the tree — 1 or 2 feet away from the trunk. Place the hands directly on the tree. On an inhalation, slowly walk the hands down the trunk as you lower the hips. On an exhalation, walk the hands up as you drive down through the heels — pressing back up to standing. Actively pressing down through the heels allows you to fully activate the glutes. You can practice these squats dynamically, or find a static hold at the bottom — taking several deep breaths. Additionally, you can add gentle and subtle movements at the bottom of the squat to greatly improve mobility.
With all squats, make sure to keep the spine elongated. The tree really helps with this. Often times, people have trouble maintaining good posture as they lower into a squat. They also have a difficult time getting deeply into the squat position. By utilizing the tree, you can keep perfect posture throughout the squat, as well as get much lower. This greatly improves mobility and strength. It primes the nervous system, and it is the best way to relearn how to squat correctly.
Original book text by Alex Julian. Line wrapping and page breaks have been normalized for reading on the web. Personal accounts and energetic interpretations remain part of the original text.
Make the practice fit you.
This is a reference entry, not a required step in a beginner course. Use a comfortable range, keep breathing naturally, and stop if a movement hurts. Inversions and suspended exercises need appropriate instruction and equipment; a tree is not a certified anchor.
Explore the gentle introductory lesson →Keep exploring