To beginners in yoga or those who have never previously attempted the practice, it can appear daunting to watch others bend backward or raise their legs over their heads. You don’t have to do handstands to benefit from yoga. Even simple, easy poses can do wonders for your health to help you look and feel good.
It’s not easy to narrow everything down since there are over 300 positions in the physical yoga practice(asana), but these poses can start you off on the right path. If you do each one of these for 5-10 breaths, it also creates a great beginner’s yoga program for you to do every day.
This sequence of 10 poses look simple but will stretch and strengthen your major muscle groups.
1. Supine core pose
Supine yoga poses should be done on your back. They’re great at releasing stress and promoting flexibility.
- Lie on your back. Your arms should be at your sides.
- Bend the knees and bring them over your hips.
- Exhale and extend your left leg. Reach your arms overhead. Hold the left leg above the floor for 15 seconds and keep the lower back still.
- Switch legs.
2. Triangle
Triangle is a wonderful standing posture to stretch the sides of the waist, open up the lungs, strengthen the legs, and tone the entire body.
Curd Nutrition FactsHow to do it: Start standing with your feet one leg-length apart. Open and stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder height. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and your left toes in about 45 degrees.
Engage your quadriceps and abdominals as you hinge to the side over your right leg. Place your right hand down on your ankle, shin or knee (or a block if you have one) and lift your left arm up to the ceiling.
Turn your gaze up to the top hand and hold for 5-8 breaths. Lift up to stand and repeat on the opposite side. Tip: I like to imagine I’m stuck between two narrow walls when I’m in triangle pose.
3. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaiasana/Bitilasana)
Start by positioning the body on all fours on the mat with knees aligned underneath the hips and hands below the shoulders. Next, arch the back with the head and tailbone lifted upwards and chest open. On the next breath, flow into the cow pose by arching the back upwards and lowering the head. This pose will not only improve posture and balance, but also strengthen and stretch the neck, arms, abdomen, and back.
4. Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)
How To: Lie flat on your stomach. Place your elbows under your shoulders, then begin to lift your chest. Draw your shoulders down your back and press your forearms down. Look forward and allow your chin to drop slightly.
Purpose of Pose: Stretches the abdominal muscles, opens the chest and shoulders, and strengthens the spine.
5. Melting heart
The melting heart pose is a great combination of opening your heart and chest area to vitalize and relax the whole body.
- Start on all fours. In case you feel some pain in your knees, put a blanket underneath you.
- Pull your hands forward. The hips should stay right above the knees.
- Gently sink your chest toward the mat.
- Stay in this pose for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Child’s Pose
Everyone needs a good resting pose, and Child’s pose is an awesome one not just for beginners but for yoga practitioners of all levels.
It’s good to learn a child’s pose to use when you’re fatigued in Down Dog, before bed at night to work out the kinks, or anytime you need a mental break and stress/tension relief.
How to do it: Start on all fours then bring your knees and feet together as you sit your butt back to your heels and stretch your arms forward. Lower your forehead to the floor (or block or pillow or blanket) and let your entire body release.
7. Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
After a difficult yoga class, the corpse pose can feel like a huge relief. It might look more like nap time, but actually, Shavasana provides the ideal time to clear the mind and meditate. To enter the pose, lie flat on the back with hands by the side and palms facing up. The pose relaxes the entire body and relieves stress and fatigue. Make the most of the pose by clearing the thoughts. You can breathe out all that no longer serves you and breathe in positive vibrations.
8. Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)
How To: Lie flat on your back. Bring the soles of your feet together so that they touch. Bring one hand to your heart, one hand to your belly. Close your eyes. Optional: Reach your arms overhead and allow your right palm to rest in your left hand. Breathe deeply.
Purpose of Pose: Opens the hips and stretches the inner thighs. May soothe the entire body.
9. Warrior
Warrior poses are essential for building strength and stamina in yoga practice. They give us confidence and stretch the hips and thighs while building strength in the entire lower body and core.
Warrior is a gentle backbend; and a great pose for stretching open the front body (quads, hip flexors, psoas) while strengthening the legs, hips, buttocks, core, and upper body.
How to do it: For warrior one, you can take a giant step back with your left foot coming towards a lunge, then turn your left heel down and angle your left toes forward 75 degrees.
Lift your chest and press your palms up overhead. Step forward and repeat on the opposite leg.
10. Boat Pose (Naukasana)
How to do Naukasana / Boat Pose
- Lie on your back with your feet together and arms beside your body.
- Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lift your chest and feet off the ground, stretching your arms towards your feet.
- Your eyes, fingers, and toes should be in a line.
- Feel the tension in your navel area as the abdominal muscles contract.
- Keep breathing deeply and easily while maintaining the pose.
- As you exhale, come back to the ground slowly and relax.
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