Are you interested in learning yoga but not sure where to start? With these top yoga poses for beginners, you’ll soon be on your way to practising yoga and leading a healthy lifestyle!
Yoga is a great exercise for any age or fitness level. It combines body conditioning with relaxation. By making yoga a part of your routine, you can reap the benefits. From reducing chronic pain to increased flexibility to better balance, you can be confident when you choose yoga for your health.
Millions turn to yoga for health, improved body condition, or as a way to recuperate after an injury. But if you’re just starting out, you may not be sure where to start with yoga. Working with a trained professional is the best way to get your toes wet with this great exercise and meditation practice. They can ensure you are taking care of yourself as you start out and moving into the postures in a way that will prevent any injuries.
Familiarising yourself with these top yoga poses for beginners before you head to your first class can help you build confidence. That way you’ll know what is expected in the class when you’re instructed to move into poses like the plank, triangle, or tree!
Many of these poses are used to help you shift from one part of your yoga session to the next, so it’s important that you know what they are. You’ll be able to focus on your form and muscles instead of worrying about how to do it! Here are the top 10 yoga poses for beginners that you need to know.
10 Top Yoga Poses For Beginners
Mountain
This pose is a very important part of your yoga sessions. This standing pose is often used to move into other poses, so it’s key to learn as you first start out with yoga. While it is very simple, you’ll learn to focus on your alignment.
For a proper mountain pose, stand on your mat with your feet together. Balance your weight across the soles of your feet and keep your arms at your sides, palms facing your thighs. Keep your shoulders relaxed, bringing your muscles together in harmony as you breathe in and out.
Downward Facing Dog
This could be the most well-known yoga pose! Chances are, you already know this one by name. But the downward facing dog is a fantastic pose since it stretches and strengthens your entire body, from the tips of your fingers to your toes!
To take the downward dog pose, you’ll start on all fours with your arms and thighs making right angles to your shoulders and hips. Curl your toes into the mat and lift your hips up, pulling your weight into your legs. Keep your palms flat and your heels as close to your mat as possible.
It can be a bit challenging to get your balance right in this position when you first start out. Draw your torso back towards your legs to shift your weight properly.
Child Pose
This is an important pose to learn as you start out with yoga. Child’s pose can be swapped into your sessions if you need a break or find a pose too difficult to attempt. This still allows you to participate with a pose, albeit one with less strain on your body. It’s a resting pose, so you’ll have a chance to catch your breath.
For child’s pose, start on all fours with your knees and feet together. Lower your rear to rest on your heels and stretch your arms forward. Next, lower your head to rest against the floor (or block if needed) and let yourself relax.
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Warrior 1
Warrior poses are incorporated into many yoga routines, making them a must-know when you first start out. They help you build strength in your lower body and core, increasing your stamina. They are also a lot of fun to do since you can feel the stretch in your hips, thighs, and arms as you do them!
Warrior 1 will help you stretch muscles in the front of your body while strengthening your upper body and areas like your legs, hips, and buttocks.
In warrior 1, take a step back with your left foot while lunging forward. Your left foot will be slightly at an angle to help you balance. Then, raise your palms overhead and press upwards with your chest in a slight backbend. You’ll repeat on the other side.
Warrior 2
Warrior 2 is often used as a starting pose before you move into other poses that work on your sides. It helps open up your hips and inner thighs.
For Warrior 2, you’ll start with your feet about four feet apart. Turn your right foot out and left foot in. Extend your arms out to your sides with your palms down. Then, you’ll bend your right knee about 90 degrees, keeping your knee over your ankle. Look out over your right hand. Hold the pose before switching sides.
Tree
The tree pose is a great standing pose that helps you work on your balance. When you first start with yoga, you’ll turn to this pose to help you learn how to focus and concentrate on your body.
Although you’ll need to balance on one foot, it’s very easy to catch yourself if you feel unsteady by simply placing your other foot on the mat. This makes it perfect for beginners!
To do tree pose, start with your feet together. Place your right foot against your inner left thigh, as high as you can manage. Press your palms together and hold the position before switching sides. Make sure that you keep your weight centred and avoid leaning to one side. Concentrate on your abdominal muscles and keep your shoulders relaxed.
Plank
This is another great pose to work on your balance. You’ll be supporting your body on your hands, so it also helps strengthen your arms and core muscles. It can be a bit of a challenge to hold, but you’ll be glad you learned it.
Start the pose from all fours. Grip your toes into your mat and lift your legs up. Then, make your legs as straight as possible—imagine a line from your shoulders to the heels of your feet. It will feel a lot like the up motion of a pushup. You’ll need to hold this position for several seconds to engage with your abdominal muscles for the full effect. Make sure that your shoulders are relaxed, keeping them down and away from your ears.
Cobra
The cobra pose will engage with your back muscles and help you increase their strength. It also helps stretch your core muscles. This pose is frequently used in classes as it helps you flow from one part of your class to the next.
Start cobra lying on your belly, face down. Spread your hands under your shoulders, keeping your elbows tucked in towards your body. Then, press the tops of your feet and hips into the floor. As you inhale, slowly straighten your arms to lift your chest off the floor. At the beginning, only lift yourself as far as you can go comfortably. Even a low cobra is good to help strengthen your back. You shouldn’t be pressing your weight into the floor as much as lifting your chest! The muscles in your legs and buttocks should be firm, but not tense.
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Triangle
This pose helps stretch the sides of your body, particularly around your waist. It also helps you open up your body to increase your flexibility and work on toning your legs.
To move into triangle pose, stand with your feet about three feet apart. Raise your arms to shoulder height as you shift your right foot out to 90 degrees and your left foot in slightly. Tilt your upper body to the right as you place your right hand down on your ankle and lift your left arm upwards.
Turn to look at your left hand and hold
It can be done with modifications as you start out. Try resting your hand on your shin instead or even on your thigh if you can’t reach your ankle. It’s most important to be comfortable as your practice yoga and not strain your body.
Corpse Pose
This is an essential pose for all beginners: it will end each yoga session! Corpse pose helps you prepare to transition from the motion of your yoga class back into your regular day. You’ll look forward to this pose as you have the opportunity to regroup by bringing your body and mind together in stillness. It can be difficult to truly let yourself be still, physically and mentally, but will get easier as you practice.
You take this pose by lying on your back on your yoga mat with your arms and legs stretched out. Keep your palms turned upwards and let your thoughts and worries drift away as you complete your yoga session.
Summary
Now that you’ve read about ten great yoga poses for beginners, you can be confident when you head out to your first class! Some of these poses are even simple enough to do at home to help you loosen up and stretch out your muscles. So even if you are just looking for a few easy poses to start of your existing exercise routine, you will have great success with these poses.
If this taste of yoga has left you wanting more, it’s time to try out your first class! You can either join with others in group sessions or take a class by yourself. No matter what you decide on, you’ll be glad you began your yoga practice with these great poses.
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