The benefits of doing yoga are vast. It helps you become more flexible, relaxed, and in tune with your body, mind, and breathing.
If yoga has intimidated you in the past, beginning with easy poses is a good way to ease yourself into the practice.
The 10 beginner yoga poses below will help you connect with your body and begin to understand the restorative effects of yoga.
Since this is a yoga for beginners list, we will use the common names for our basic yoga poses.
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Mountain Pose
This pose allows beginners to connect with their breath. Simply standing tall with your feet grounded into the floor will help you feel the energy around you and begin to calm your heart rate.
Cat/Cow Pose
The cat/cow asana (pose) engages your core. Tying your breath to the movement by inhaling when rounding your back and exhaling when dropping it is a great way to connect to your breath.
Upward-facing Dog
The upward-facing dog pose stretches one’s stomach and engages the arms. This is a beginner yoga pose to warm up the body.
Downward-facing Dog Pose
This most commonly used yoga pose works your entire body. It is also a nice stretch for your legs and upper arms.
Many people like to go into a downward-facing dog pose when they need a break from more intensive yoga poses, making it a great starting point for beginner yogis.
Plank Poses
Plank poses are often dreaded, but they shouldn’t be. Another pose that engages your entire body, plank poses are an excellent basic yoga pose for beginners.
Child’s Pose
After engaging your muscles in the downward-facing dog and plank poses, it can be nice to take a full rest in a child’s pose. This comfortable asana is a mindful way to reconnect with your breath.
Tree Pose
Another very commonly used pose is the tree pose. Similar to the mountain pose, the tree pose is a grounding yoga pose for beginners. This pose also helps with balance and focus.
Warrior Poses
The warrior I pose, warrior II pose, and warrior III pose are basic yoga poses for beginners. Warrior I helps build strength, warrior II is a hip opener, and warrior III strengthens one’s entire back.
If a beginning yogi is looking to build the muscles often used in other yoga poses, the warrior poses are a great place to start.
Pigeon Pose
The pigeon pose is a bit of a flexibility test, but its release of hip tension makes it a yoga for beginners must-do. Performed regularly, the pigeon pose is a good way to increase one’s flexibility.
Savasana
The oftentimes most awaited pose at the end of every yoga class, Savasana allows one to focus on their breathing and be mindful of their thoughts. Most people find savasana very meditative.
Even beginner yoga poses can be intimidating, but practicing them regularly will have you performing more difficult poses in no time.