21 Best Yoga Postures For Beginners

As a newbie to yoga, you might feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of poses and their odd-sounding names. However, in any case, yoga can be simple. If you have already executed a yoga stance, you must stretch your arms over your head when you first got out of bed this morning. Additionally, remember that practicing yoga is a lifetime endeavor that will give you many chances to become proficient in various poses.

Many basic yoga postures seem pretty familiar because our bodies naturally fold and bend into poses. Learn the fundamental poses of yoga first, paying attention to your breathing. Keep things simple while you’re just getting started. The basic yoga poses given here are valuable enough.

Remember that you don’t have to be an expert in all 21 listed stances. They are merely options for you to think about; you are not required to master them. You are free to pick a time and a place to learn them. Continue reading for more details on each posture.

1. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

The downward-facing dog pose is synonymous with yoga, but just because you’ve heard of it doesn’t mean it’s easy to accomplish.

Beginners frequently lean too far forward in this position, turning it more into a plank. Instead, remember to lift your hips while maintaining a heavy base on your legs with your heels pointing down. You might need to flex your knees to make the movement easier if your hamstrings are tight. Hold your feet parallel.

2. Mountain Pose

Even though Mountain Pose isn’t as famous as Downward Facing Dog, it’s just as important. This is a great chance to talk about alignment, the term for placing your body parts in each pose.

Mountain pose involves stacking your shoulders and pelvis so that a straight line extends from your head to your heels. Focus on lengthening your spine and tucking your toes under since each person’s body is different.

3. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

It’s crucial to remember that the hips should be facing forward when performing Warrior I. Think of your hip points as headlights, and your front mat should be about parallel to them. For this, you should take a more flexible stance.

4. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

The hips in Warrior II face the side of the mat as opposed to Warrior I. Therefore, the shoulders and hips are open to the side when moving from Warrior I to Warrior II.

You’ll also rotate your back foot, pointing your toes at a 45-degree angle. Try to keep your front leg stacked over your ankle in both Warrior poses. You are standing on your front toes in this pose.

5. Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parvakonasana)

In the Extended Side Angle Pose, instead of placing your hand on the floor, bring your forearm to your thigh. It should just barely lay on your thigh and not be overly heavy. By making this adjustment, you can continue to have broad shoulders. An additional choice is to place your hand on a block.

If you reach for the floor before you’re ready and turn your chest downward instead of upward, the position of your torso may be compromised.

6. Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

Like the Extended Side Angle, if you find it difficult to extend your arm to the floor, you can modify the Triangle by using a yoga block for your bottom hand. Don’t put your hand on your knee immediately. Instead, place it higher up, on your thigh or shin.

Feel free to micro-bend both knees if the pose makes you uncomfortable. This movement won’t feel or appear to be a sharp bend; instead, it will be subtle enough to release your knees and loosen your hamstrings.

Triangle has several benefits, such as balance, groin, hamstring, hip flexibility, and chest and shoulders opening.

7. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

To perform this yoga pose, move forward. When you have finished exhaling, bend your legs. If your hamstrings first feel stiff, bend your knees to assist your spine in relaxing. Retort your head.

To increase stability, keep the legs slightly bent and hip-width apart. Then, you can gently rock from side to side while holding opposing elbows with your opposite hands.

8. Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Reverse Warrior assumes a similar stance to Warrior I and features a heart-opening side bend in addition to an optional backbend.

Maintaining stability in the stance requires engaging the front foot’s sole, securing the back foot’s outside edge and squeezing the glutes and hamstrings. Next, focus your gaze upward toward the outstretched palm. Finally, keep your front knee tracking over your ankle as you sag further into your hips.

9. Garland Pose (Malasana)

In the 21st century, the vast majority of individuals have never squatted. However, in yoga, it’s frequently referred to as a “hip opener” since it’s a fantastic stretch for the pelvic floor muscles.

Unexpectedly, it’s also good for your feet, which are typically neglected. If squatting is difficult for you, a prop can help: Consider using a block as a seat or putting a towel or blanket under your heels. Keep planting your heels firmly on the ground.

10. Half Forward Bend (Ardha Uttanasana)

This forward bend with a flat back is most typically practiced during the sun salutation sequence; it is also sometimes referred to as a “halfway lift.” Because of this, it’s typically rushed, but spending the time to work on it alone is beneficial. In addition, knowing when your back is flat is part of having body awareness.

It’s helpful to first give yourself a quick once-over in the mirror. You may need to let your hands rise as high as necessary off the ground and onto your legs to keep a flat back. If necessary, softly bend your knees.

11. Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)

Use your yoga blocks to make the position more tolerable when executing standing forward bends like the Pyramid pose or Parsvottanasana. Place a block on either side of your front foot to “lift the floor” so your hands can easily access it. Still, your hamstrings will appreciate your consideration and benefit from a soothing stretch.

12. Raised Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

You are instructed to keep your legs planted on the floor while performing Urdhva Hastasana, based on Mountain Pose. The result is a full-body stretch, which is an excellent way to begin the physical portion of your yoga session.

13. Low Lunge

Your lunge must be perfectly aligned. With your front leg, try to create a straight angle so that your thigh is parallel to the ground and your knee is directly above your ankle. Keep your hips level while also energizing your back leg.

Many people tend to sink too little into the front leg while sagging in the back leg. Please take a glance in the mirror to ensure you’re performing it correctly.

14. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Tree pose is a fantastic way to get started with balancing poses. If you feel like you’re about to fall out, you can quickly escape it. Avoid generating a counterweight by extending your hip to the side of your standing leg.

Find what feels comfortable for you by experimenting with various foot positions and focusing your eyes on a specific floor region—an ankle, a block, above or below the knee with a low-hanging heel.

15. Downward Facing Dog Split

By introducing suitable balancing postures, core strength can be developed. Lifting your leg high in a down dog split is irrelevant. Instead, focus on sinking into your hands and keeping your weight evenly distributed across both hands.

16. Plank Pose

Since the likelihood of falling over is relatively low, it may seem strange to refer to plank as a balancing posture, but it captures the essence of this pose: core strength.

Planking is a great technique to improve your stability and stamina. A strong core is necessary for many yoga poses, such as standing and arm balances. Attempt to maintain a neutral spine and hips.

17. Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana)

The best of both worlds is provided by spinal extension followed by spinal flexion. Going back and forth is a fundamental strategy for doing a vinyasa sequence while synchronizing your movements with your breath. The entire body is awakened and warmed by doing this, which also awakens and warms the back and improves body awareness.

If your back hurts, the Cat-Cow position can be the first yoga pose you learn. Even if you can only make it to a few yoga classes, keep performing this stretch yourself. Join our 200-hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh to learn this pose.

18. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

A backbend, also known as spine extension, can be carefully explored in the bridge position. Starting to include this type of exercise will increase the mobility of your spine and offset the harmful effects of extended sitting.

If Bridge seems too challenging, try building a supported bridge out of blocks. Remember to root into your feet while you sustain the pose with your leg muscles.

19. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Cobra is a pose repeated numerous times in the vinyasa sequence of flow yoga. Executing low cobras, in which you lift your chest without pressing into your hands, will help you build more back strength, while a full cobra with straight arms encourages a deeper backbend.

Lift the sternum and expand through the collarbones, the soles of your feet, and the tops of your head. Securing your pelvis to the ground is crucial before lifting.

20. Knees, Chest, and Chin (Ashtanga Namaskara)

Before, all new yoga practitioners were taught Ashtanga Namaskara as a substitute pose and a warm-up for Chaturanga Dandasana. However, it has fallen out of favor recently.

As a result, some pupils feel compelled to perform chaturanga before they are ready. It belongs to the group of sun salutations for newcomers. It also works wonders as a warm-up for deeper backbends.

Take your time and carefully enter the pose from a plank position. Bring your knees to the mat at first, tucking your toes beneath. Learn ashtanga yoga teacher training program from our institute.

21. Staff Pose (Dandasana)

In that it provides alignment cues for numerous other seated postures, the staff pose is like a seated variation of the mountain stance (above). Flex the feet and contract the leg muscles.

Chest raised; shoulders relaxed. You can also allow your knees to bow slightly, making it easier for your shoulders to stack over your hips.

If you have problems sitting straight with your butt flat on the floor, modify by utilizing a block or a few folded blankets. This pose leads to a forward bend in traditional yoga practice.

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