These basic poses are the best way to start your practice
You might feel overwhelmed by all the poses and strange-sounding names as a beginner to yoga. Yoga doesn’t need to be complicated. You can already do a yoga pose if you leave the bed and stretch your arms across your head. Remember that yoga is a lifetime pursuit, so you have plenty of time to learn many postures.
Because our bodies naturally bend and fold into yoga poses, many basic postures are familiar. Learn beginner yoga poses by taking deep, mindful breaths. It is a good idea not to complicate things when you are just beginning. These yoga poses are good enough to keep you busy for a while. As you continue to improve your practice, you can take on more challenging poses.
You don’t need to master all 31 of the poses below. These are your only options and can be learned as you wish. Continue reading to learn more about each pose.
Different types of poems
There are many types of yoga poses. The classification depends on how your body moves to complete them. These are the most basic yoga poses.
Standing poses are a great way to warm up and “build heat” in yoga classes. Vinyasa/flow yoga, standing postures are strung together in long sequences. Hatha classes allow you to do each standing pose individually, with rest in between.
Balance poses: Beginners’ balances are a great way to strengthen your core for advanced yoga postures. Although balances can initially seem daunting, your ability to improve steadily through regular practice will be evident.
Backbends – As a beginner, you will start with gentle spine extension and flexion, then move to deeper bends. Backbends are vital for your spinal health as you don’t carry this way every day. 1
Seated poses: These stretches are designed to stretch the hips and hamstrings. They are done at the end of a class after your body has warmed up. You can make these positions more comfortable by placing a blanket or block under your chair.
Supine or resting positions: It’s essential to learn your resting postures, mainly child’s, and practice them whenever you feel like taking a break from a yoga session. These resting positions continue the hip, hamstring, and back work of the seated postures and allow for gentle back-bending, twisting, and inversion.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Pose Type: Standing
Yoga and Downward Facing Dog go hand in hand. However, just because you have heard of it doesn’t make it easy.
This position is more like a plank for beginners. Keep your weight in your legs and heels from touching the floor.
If you have tight hamstrings, bend your knees slightly to make a move easier. Keep feet parallel.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Pose Type: Standing
Although the Mountain pose is less well-known than Downward Facing Dog, it is still essential. This is a great time to discuss alignment. It is the way your body parts are placed in each pose.
The mountain pose is a straight line drawn from your crown to your heels. Your shoulders and pelvis are stacked along this line. Each person is unique, so be mindful of your body and work on rooting down with the feet and lengthening your spine.
A yoga instructor can guide you through this step in class. They will remind you to keep your weight on your heels and slide your shoulders down.
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
es that your hips face forward. Your hip points should be viewed as headlights. They should be parallel to the front of your mat. You may need to adopt a wider stance.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
Pose Type: Standing
Warrior II has the hips facing the mat, unlike Warrior I. When you move from Warrior I into Warrior II, your hips and shoulders will open to the sides.
Rotate your back foot and angle your toes 45 degrees. Your front knee should be stacked above the ankle in both Warrior poses. Keep your front toes facing forward.
Extended Side Angle (Utthita Paravakonasana)
Pose Type: Standing
Extended Side Angle Pose can be modified by bringing your forearm up to your thigh and not putting your hand on the ground. Your forearm should rest lightly on your thigh and not be too heavy. This modification allows you to keep your shoulders open. You can also place one hand on a block.
You may reach for the floor before your body is ready. This could cause you to lose the position of your torso.
Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)
Standing
You can modify the Triangle by using an Extended Side Angle. You can use a yoga block if you have trouble reaching your arm down to the ground. Your hand can rest higher on your leg, shin, or thigh but not directly on your knee.
Don’t be afraid to micro-bend your knees if the pose is uncomfortable. This will not feel or look like a pronounced bend. It’s more of a movement that unlocks your knees and relieves tension in your hamstrings.
Triangle has many benefits. It increases strength in the legs, flexibility (in hips, groin, and hamstrings), opening your chest and shoulders, and balance.
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Stand Forward by Bending, inhaling, and folding your legs over. If your hamstrings feel tight, bend your knees to release your spine. Allow your head to hang heavily.
Keep your legs bent and your feet about hip-width apart for better stability. You can also straighten your legs, but this is optional. While gently swaying from one side to the other, you can clasp your elbows with opposing hands.
Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)
Standing
Warrior I’s reverse Warrior has a similar stance. Reverse Warrior incorporates a slight side bend or backbend to open the heart.
It is essential to anchor your back foot outside the front foot and root into the sole of your front foot. This will help you maintain a steady posture.
As the palm reaches overhead, focus your attention upwards. Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle as you lower your hips.