Tree pose

A front-facing balance with one foot against the standing leg and the palms joined in front of the sternum.

One leg carries everything and the other folds out to the side, the sole resting against the inner standing leg. That lateral fold is what makes the pose asymmetric from the front: the pelvis tilts up on the lifted side, the standing hip juts out, and the raised knee points away from the body rather than forward.

The joined hands in front of the chest pull both shoulders forward and down, closing the ribcage. Together with the lift of one leg, that creates a narrow vertical with a wide horizontal band at the elbows, and the outline reads as calm and contained even though the body is doing work.

Draw the standing leg as a compressed column: the knee stays soft rather than locked, and the calf muscles tighten. The lifted thigh rotates out from the hip socket, which means the kneecap turns outward and the inner thigh faces the camera. Beginners drawing this pose usually put the lifted foot too high and let it float; check that the sole presses into the leg and the ankle is flexed. The upward drift of one hip and the slight lean of the torso toward the standing side complete the balance.

• balancing
• front view
• single leg
• hands at chest