Yoga is a fantastic way to get fit and stay healthy. It is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world today because of its many benefits.
If you are looking for a great way to stay healthy without having to go out and buy expensive memberships or workout equipment, then look no further than doing a regular yoga practice.
We have listed down the best yoga poses for beginners below and a beginner yoga flow to help you get started.
But first, we will be answering the most common beginner questions about yoga so that you can get a better idea of what to expect.
What are some excellent beginner yoga practices?
Even though beginner yoga poses are no such thing, it doesn’t mean that you can’t jump straight into a yoga practice.
It will be helpful to start with breathing exercises and stretches before getting started with the different poses. Breathing techniques are a fundamental part of yoga classes and will prepare you for poses that require a lot of strength and concentration.
Additionally, the best beginner practices are those where most of the time is spent slowly moving from one pose to the next, as this enables your body and mind to gradually adjust.
How long should I do yoga for each session?
We would recommend starting with thirty minutes of your time per day to practice beginner poses and flows for beginners. That’s all you need! But if you feel that thirty minutes is quite long for you, then try twenty minutes or even ten to fifteen.
You can slowly build up your practice over time to one hour when you feel ready for it!
Also, beginner yoga poses are not meant to be intense exercises, so there is no need for super long sessions if you don’t have the time in the day.
What materials or equipment do I need to get started with yoga?
You can do beginner yoga poses in your own house without any equipment or help from a certified yoga instructor (although having a yoga mat is always suitable for comfort).
Don’t worry about getting fancy workout gear either because all of these poses require nothing but your body weight.
15 Basic Yoga Poses For Beginners
Now that you have a better idea of beginner yoga and what to expect, we have listed out fifteen easy yoga poses for you to try. Remember, beginner poses are meant to help you get comfortable and familiar with the different movements and breathing techniques before moving on to advanced flows.
Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
One of the most well-known poses, the downward-facing dog is a pose that will help you stretch out the muscles in your calves and heels as well as strengthen your back. It also aids with the strengthening of the arms, legs, and core.
Moreover, the downward-facing dog can also help with better circulation and blood flow to the head.
How to do it: Begin by kneeling on all fours with hands directly below shoulders. Press your hips up towards the ceiling as you stretch out through your heels. Keep your gaze downward and continue to breathe deeply for five breaths before slowly lowering yourself down on all fours again.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The mountain pose or Tadasana is a great beginner yoga pose that will help you to better understand your body’s alignment and balance. It is also a beginner version of the Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) and is considered one of the most popular standing poses.
Mountain pose helps build better focus and concentration during a yoga session while also strengthening the ankles, knees, and thighs.
How to do it: Stand with the feet together, arms at sides. Keep shoulders relaxed down, back straight but not stiff. Pull in abdominals for support while lifting up through the spine. While keeping arms relaxed down at sides, slowly raise the hands up to chest height and make a prayer position with both palms pressed together.
Plank Pose (Phalakasana)
Great for core and upper body strength, the plank pose is a beginner-friendly move meant to help you build up strength and balance over time.
The plank pose can also be done with one leg raised for an added challenge, so it is perfect for increasing your balance as well! The only downside of this beginner pose is that it is a balancing pose, which requires a lot of coordination, focus, and concentration.
How to do it: Begin by lying on your stomach and placing hands directly underneath shoulders with palms flat against the floor. Slowly lift up onto all fours, keeping knees a little wider than the hips as you stretch out through the bottom and heels. Keep back straight as you hold for five breaths before slowly lowering back down onto the stomach.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
An excellent pose that targets both your core and upper body, the cobra pose is also a great beginner workout for strengthening your spine! It can help with digestion and detoxification of the blood, which increases energy levels and helps with better circulation.
The cobra pose is beginner-friendly and perfect for relieving stress, anxiety, and fatigue while also calming the mind, which can be a great way to fall asleep at night!
How to do it: Lie on your stomach with your forehead down towards the floor as you place hands underneath shoulders, sitting bones up into the air. Keep your gaze forward and begin to slowly lift the chest up while dropping shoulders back down away from ears.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Child’s pose is one of the basic poses that works great for beginner yogis. It is a basic pose that helps relieve stress and anxiety and builds strength throughout the arms, back, legs, chest, shoulders, and neck.
Child’s pose also works excellent during meditation which can be a great way to calm the mind and release tension throughout the body.
How to do it: Begin by kneeling on all fours with hands underneath your shoulders. Slowly lower yourself down, so you are resting your chest on the thighs while keeping your feet together and toes tucked. Relax into this pose for five breaths before slowly rising back up onto hands and knees to relax briefly in child’s pose again.
Forward Fold (Uttasana)
Forward fold or bends are beginner yoga poses that work great to stretch out the back of your body while also relieving tension throughout the neck and shoulder blades. This beginner pose is an essential move for yogis. Still, it can be difficult for some due to the lack of flexibility throughout the back and hamstrings.
The forward fold pose stretches out your hamstrings, so this beginner yoga move can be a great way to release tension in these muscles!
How to do it: Begin by standing with feet together, arms at sides. Slowly bend at the hips and let your head hang heavy as you walk hands forward towards your shins.
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
A beginner yoga pose that is great for strengthening and toning your thighs, the Warrior I also helps to strengthen shoulders and improve balance.
This pose can also help increase energy levels while helping with concentration throughout the day, which makes it a beginner-friendly pose!
How to do it: Begin by standing with feet together and arms at sides. Step your left foot back about three feet while keeping your right leg straight and your hips facing forward. Slowly bend the left knee as you raise your arms up overhead, palms together with gaze forward.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
While this is considered one of the more advanced poses in a yoga class, Virabhadrasana II can also be beginner-friendly since it requires minimal balance and flexibility.
This works great for strengthening and toning your thighs, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles and improving balance throughout the body.
How to do it: Begin standing with your feet together and arms at your sides. Step forward with the right leg, spin the left leg to turn your feet out 90 degrees and raise your arms in line with your shoulders. Focus on keeping the hips level as you balance here for five deep breaths, then return to standing when ready.
Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
Unlike Warrior I and Warrior II, Warrior III requires more flexibility throughout the legs and a strong core, glutes, and hamstrings. Those new to practicing yoga can find this pose a bit difficult, but it can be beginner-friendly if you take your time and begin to stretch out the legs.
Warrior III is great for toning muscles throughout your entire body while also improving balance which can help with concentration throughout the day!
How to do it: Begin standing with feet together and arms at sides. Step forward with your right leg and slowly raise your arms out to the sides with palms facing each other. Slowly begin leaning forward as you keep your left leg straight and gaze up towards your hands. Hold here for five breaths before returning to standing when ready.
Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
Triangle pose helps strengthen and tone the legs, hips, hamstrings, shoulders and improve balance. This beginner-friendly move is great for beginners or those recovering from an injury because it also stretches out your entire body while calming the mind!
How to do it: Begin by standing with feet together and arms at your sides. Slowly step the left foot forward three to four feet while keeping the right toes facing forward for balance. Bend both knees as you hinge over towards the left side, reaching fingertips down your left shin or on the floor beside your outer ankle if possible (if not, just keep them lifted). Focus on lengthening the spine and gaze forward. Hold here for ten deep breaths before returning to standing when ready.
Garland Pose (Malasana)
Great for opening up the hips and strengthening your legs, the Garland pose is an easy beginner yoga pose that can also help to improve balance.
Malasana can also help stretch out your lower back and inner thigh, making it a perfect move to do at the end of a long day!
How to do it: Begin by standing with feet together and arms at your sides. Slowly step the feet wide apart, with toes pointing outwards as you lower your hips down between your legs until you are almost sitting on top of ankles (or however low that is comfortable for you). Raise your arms up until your chest is in a prayer position while your hips are lowered. Hold here for ten deep breaths before returning to standing when ready.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
The bridge pose is beginner-friendly because it primarily works your back, shoulders, and spine. This beginner yoga move can help improve flexibility in the pelvis and strengthen your legs, which makes it a great stretch for those who are new to practicing yoga or recovering from an injury!
Beginners may need to start with their hips lifted on a block or blanket until they are ready to hold the pose for more extended periods.
How to do it: Begin by lying flat on your back and allowing your knees to bend so that feet are planted firmly onto the floor hip-width apart. Keep arms at thighs, palms face down as you begin to press your hips and torso upwards towards the sky.
Cat-cow Pose (Chakravakasana)
This beginner yoga move is great for strengthening the back and toning the abdominals, and improving flexibility throughout your entire body. The Cat-Cow pose can also calm frazzled nerves, making it perfect for trying at the end of a long day!
Beginners should make sure not to let the back arch too much in this pose to avoid pain and discomfort.
How to do it: Begin on hands and knees with shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. Slowly bring your gaze up towards the ceiling as you inhale deeply while dropping your belly downwards (Cow Pose). As you exhale, lift your chest upwards, allowing a slight arch in the back, so that shoulder blades come together behind you.
Staff Pose (Dandasana)
The Staff Pose is a seated yoga pose that helps the body relax and calm the mind. Staff Pose also opens up your chest, shoulders, and hips while strengthening your back and leg muscles, making it a must-try for anyone new to the yoga practice.
How to do it: Begin by sitting down with legs extended straight out in front of you and feet flexed so that toes point upwards towards the sky. Slowly bring your hands together behind you, fingertips touching while you gaze down towards the floor. Hold here for ten deep breaths before returning to seated when you are ready.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
The Corpse Pose or Savasana is a simple beginner yoga pose that is great to do at the end of a long day. Corpse Pose helps reduce stress, lower blood pressure and heart rate while calming your nervous system, which makes it perfect for beginner yogis!
How to do it: Begin by lying on your back with feet together and arms at the side. Allow your eyes to close while all of the muscles in the body begin to relax every part of you after a long day of being active!
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a way to improve your fitness and health, the answer might be closer than you think.
Yoga is a great form of exercise that can help people stay fit while also improving their balance, coordination, moods, and more.
The best part? You don’t need any equipment or unique clothes!
The yoga poses listed here can be quickly done in the comforts of your own home (or even at work). So what are you waiting for? Get started today with these fifteen easy beginner yoga poses to jumpstart your health journey.
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