Yoga Guide for Beginners: Sixteen 101 Yoga Poses for Strength, Flexibility, and Mindfulness

Feeling tired all the time? Wonder what could make you feel healthier both physically and mentally? It’s time to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit with yoga!

Discover what yoga can bring to your life and wellbeing. This yoga guide for beginners will provide you with all you need to know to get into yoga.

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Also Read: Everyday Mindfulness Exercises

What is Yoga?

Yoga is way more than you think! Yoga will not only allow you to have a healthy body ready for the task at hand but will also greatly strengthen your mind. Broadly speaking, yoga refers to a collection of practices for body, mind, and soul which originated in ancient India.

Yoga is a means of discovering the dysfunctions in our perception and cognition. Through yoga poses, we overcome these to liberate ourselves from suffering, bringing forth inner peace and wellbeing.

Yoga is an age-old practice, and its usefulness could never be denied. Yoga poses offer several benefits to perseverant yogis. Constant physical exercise, coupled with strong meditation and focus, leads to better health and well-being. This extends to the mind and the body.

The precise definition of the term “yoga” varies with the context, but most of the time it refers to:

1. A disciplined method of achieving a goal
2. A set of techniques to control both mind and body
3. A school of philosophy
4. In conjunction with other prefixes, a traditional set of techniques and philosophies (yoga schools)
5. The practice of yoga

Yoga involves static principles that vary slightly from one school to another while maintaining the same ultimate purpose: liberation.

This refers to yoga as a means of discovering the dysfunctions in our perception and cognition. Through yoga, we overcome these to liberate ourselves from suffering, bringing forth inner peace and salvation.

By meditating with yoga, we raise and expand our consciousness. We change the lens to become coextensively aware of all that surrounds us and not just ourselves.

Yogis must carve a path to omniscience and heightened consciousness with yoga. The end goal is breaking our chains to falsehood and suffering. We are meant to understand both the impermanent and permanent realities that clash in life.

Practicing yoga poses will grant your body the following physical benefits:

•Increased flexibility and agility

•Stronger and better-toned muscles

•More energy and vitality

•Improved respiration and metabolism

•Reduced weight (closer to your ideal weight)

•Better cardiovascular and circulatory health

•Higher athletic performance

Yoga Poses also provide the following mental benefits:

•Increased focus

•Reduced stress levels

•Diminished anxiety and fidgetiness

•More motivation and willpower

•More happiness

•Heightened empathy

•Increased emotional resilience

Inside this article, you will find 16 yoga poses from beginner to a more advanced levels.

You can mix and match 16 different yoga poses to design your sequences. The yoga poses have been ordered from easiest to hardest. The yoga poses have also been divided into different categories according to their focus.

These include:

•Warm-up,

•Neck,

•Arms, wrists & shoulders,

•Chest,

•Hips,

•Back,

•Legs, and

•Whole body.

Each pose includes:

•An image

•The focus of the pose,

•The physical indications and contraindications,

•And, the time to hold the pose,

•The Sanskrit name, and

•The level aimed (beginner, intermediate, or advanced).

There are a few rules for performing the asanas:

1. Asanas should be performed while fasting.
2. Force should not be applied. The body should not tremble.
3. The parts of the body should be moved slowly, particularly the head and heels.
4. The breathing should be controlled (referred to as “pranayama”, the Sanskrit word for “breath control” or “control of the breath”; more about it later).
5. Stress from the body should be released with special yoga poses before performing other asanas.

Following these traditional rules, while not mandatory, can be very helpful for any prospective yogi.

It would be wise to remember that practicing yoga poses should be comfortable regardless of your skill level. You shouldn’t push your body into discomfort at any point. Try your best not to turn yoga into a competition with yourself.

The goal here is mastering your body. Beginners won’t feel too comfortable at the start; it will take several short sessions with relatively simple yoga poses. As the yogi advances, he or she becomes unattached from the feeling of discomfort.

This is vital to reach the spiritual goal of yoga and yoga poses, which is detachment from suffering.

Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga offers several benefits to perseverant yogis. Constant physical exercise, coupled with strong meditation and focus, leads to better health and well-being. This extends to the mind and the body.

You must never forget that yoga and practicing yoga poses are about transcendence. A prospective yogi should seek to strengthen his body, mind, and soul. This will lead him on a path of tranquillity and peace.

Let’s break down the many benefits of yoga poses into physical and mental categories.

Physical

Yoga is not an aerobic exercise (except for some of the most complex yoga poses). However, constant (as in daily) yoga exercise will help you build up muscle and burn calories.

For those who suffer from diabetes or other insulin-related problems, yoga allows your body to re-oxygenate at a better rate, breathing more life into your cells. In turn, this helps you regulate your blood sugar level.

Yoga poses stimulate your lymphatic system. This boosts your immune system and releases toxins from your body. Those who start practicing yoga regularly often experience a surge of energy. This can be attributed to the fact that oxygenated blood allows our bodies to perform much better.

Yoga exercises, along with controlled breathing and thoughtful meditation, can increase your overall energy. Lack of sleep, sedentary habits, and piled-up stress can lead us to feel like we’re at half our potential all the time. Yoga lets you recover from that! Yogis who practice constantly reach a point at which they can push their physical boundaries far beyond what they could initially. This leads to better physical balance and more agility.

So, in a nutshell, practicing yoga will grant your body the following benefits:

1. Increased flexibility and agility          
2. Stronger and better-toned muscles          
3. More energy and vitality          
4. Improved respiration and metabolism          
5. Reduced weight (closer to your ideal weight)          
6. Better cardiovascular and circulatory health          
7. Higher athletic performance

Mental

Our everyday life is full of countless stressors that make everything harder. As it piles on, stress takes a whole new toll on our bodies because it triggers the release of cortisol and adrenaline (also known as the “survival” hormones).

I’m sure that you’ve felt a sudden rush of energy and hastiness after a heated argument or before an important event. That’s stress for you!

The surplus of “survival hormones” in our bodies serves a purpose in real survival situations, but not in our everyday life. Many of us have a hard time managing our stress levels.

Fortunately, yoga is one of the many beneficial practices that help you relax your body. With constant practice, we learn how to release muscle tension on demand, and when we get our needed dose of stretching and breathing our body responds by triggering the release of certain “relaxation” hormones like serotonin.

20-minute yoga sessions inject more oxygen into our bloodstream, and that blood gets carried into our brain.

As we lower our stress levels, our immune system is strengthened. On the other hand, high levels of cortisol in our blood lead to a depressed immune system.

All in all, this leads to improvements in our quality of life. Better sleep is often a result of daily yoga practice.

The best part is that the mental benefits of yoga function pretty much like a positive feedback cycle. You sleep better, then you have less stress, then you have a better outlook on life—which in turn makes you sleep better!

The benefits of yoga poses are plentiful. You won’t be lifting weights or running, but you will be cultivating your inner balance.

Some people dismiss these concepts, but the truth is that sometimes we need to take a moment to think about ourselves.

That is the primordial offer of yoga: thoughtful meditation and self-reconnection tied together with a series of yoga poses to stretch our bodies.

So, in a nutshell, practicing yoga will grant your mind the following benefits:

1. Increased focus          
2. Reduced stress levels          
3. Diminished anxiety and fidgetiness          
4. More motivation and willpower          
5. More happiness          
6. Heightened empathy          
7. Increased emotional resilience

Read Also: Yoga 101: Yoga Poses For Beginners

General tips

1. Once you’re done with a yoga pose, don’t rush to the next one! Transition to your new pose with calm and grace. You must invite harmony and peace to yourself when practicing yoga.
2. Don’t force yourself to perform complex yoga poses. Some people have the mistaken assumption that they can go straight for the Firefly (Tittibhasana) pose just because they go to the gym every day. That is not the case! Yoga is a different beast altogether, and you need to go steady and slow.
3. Don’t do over 40 minutes. As you acquire more skills, you’ll be met with uncomfortable yoga poses that will require many weeks of practice to pull off. 20 to 40-minute sessions are your best bet (I prefer the 20-minute ones). I’m referring here to the actual physical exercise. Typical yoga classes last about an hour, but they include meditation and a warm-up section. Don’t extend your asana practice beyond 40 minutes.
4. Count with breaths. Each yoga pose should be held for as long as 3 to 5 deep, controlled breaths. First, you must inhale slowly, then you must hold the air, then you exhale slowly. Be sure to work on the consistency of each breath!
5. Don’t mix more than 20 yoga poses. You might be eager to try a lot of yoga poses in a single day, but generally, doing 10 to 15 a day is more than enough. If you want to push it, 20 should be your max. Constantly practicing, improving, and lastly, mastering yoga poses are far better for you.
6. If a pose involves one side of your body, then it must be mirrored on the other side as well. So, if you stretch to the left for 3 breaths, you must stretch to the right for 3 breaths too.

Also See: How Emotional Abuse and Neglect Affect Your Sense of Self

Sixteen Warm-up 101 Yoga Poses

Mountain Pose

1. Focus: Thighs; knees; ankles; abdomen
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Tadasana
4. Time: At least a minute
5. Indications: Strengthening; stretching; improved pose
6. Contraindications: Headache; insomnia; low blood pressure

The Mountain Pose is the quintessential pose from which most standing yoga poses begin. It improves your alignment; strengthens your thighs, knees, and ankles; and firms your torso and buttocks.

It’s a great pose to follow up (or prepare for) the Downward Facing Dog Pose, and it can be used before or after most standing yoga poses.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Stand firmly, with the bases of your big toes touching. Your heels should be slightly apart so that your second toes are parallel.

2. Lift the toes and balls of your feet, spreading them thoroughly as you lay them gently on the floor. Move them back and forth and side to side. Gradually come to a stop, balancing your weight evenly on your feet.

3. Firm your thigh muscles and raise your kneecaps. Don’t harden your lower belly.

4. Lift your inner ankles to strengthen the arches, then turn your upper thighs slightly inward.

5. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and then move your pubis toward your navel.

6. Send your shoulder blades into your back, and then widen them and press them down into your back. Lift the top of your sternum toward the ceiling without pushing your ribs forward.

7. Widen your collarbones and then hang your arms along your torso.

8. Balance the crown of your head over the center of your pelvis, keeping your chin parallel to the floor.

9. Hold the pose for a minute.

As you become more skilled, try doing this pose with your eyes closed, while breathing easily and evenly. This will help you attain inner balance.

Three even breaths should be long enough for this pose.

Staff Pose

1. Focus: Back; shoulders; chest
2. Level: Beginner Sanskrit
3. Name: Dandasana
4. Time: At least a minute
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; improves pose
6. Contraindications: Back injuries; wrist injuries

The Staff Pose is a straightforward seated pose to strengthen the back, shoulders, and chest. It helps those with poor pose habits to adopt a correct pose.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended. If you feel like you can’t keep your hamstrings from dragging your torso, you might want to lift your pelvis with a blanket or a bolster.

2. Adjust your pubis and tailbone to be equidistant from the floor.

3. Firm your thighs, press them against the floor, and then rotate them slightly to face each other.

4. Draw your inner groins towards the sacrum.

5. Flex your ankles and firmly press your palms against the floor.

If you’re not sure about your alignment, try doing the exercise leaning against a wall. If your alignment is correct, your sacrum and shoulder blades should touch the wall. Your lower back and head shouldn’t. You might want to put a small soft object, such as a rolled-up towel or cloth, between your lower back and the wall.

Laying some heavy objects (such as sandbags) on top of your thighs will help you ground them.

This seemingly simple pose has more than meets the eye. You should imagine your spine as a staff, rooted firmly in the ground. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 even breaths. I recommend spending at least a whole minute like this.

Easy Pose

1. Focus: Knees; ankles; back
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Sukhasana
4. Time: At least 3 minutes
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; mental relaxation
6. Contraindications: Knee injuries

The Easy Pose is a seemingly simple pose that will challenge beginners accustomed to working long hours while sitting.

It stimulates the brain; lets you meditate; strengthens the back, and stretches the knees and ankles.

I suggest sliding a folded blanket or two into the area you’re going to practice; this will be your support.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Sit close to the edge of your blanket support, and then extend your legs out in front of you, as if you were performing the Staff Pose.

2. Cross your shins while you widen your legs, and then slip each foot beneath the opposite knee as you bend your knees and fold your legs toward your torso.

3. Be sure to keep your feet relaxed so that the outer edges rest on the floor while the inner arches settle below the opposite shin. Ideally, you should discern a triangle between your two thighs and crossed shins. The gap between feet and pelvis should be comfortable, not closed.

4. Sit with your pelvis relatively neutral. To achieve this, press your hands against your blanket support, make your thigh bones heavy, and then slowly lower your sit bones toward the blankets. Your pubic bone and tailbone should be equidistant from the floor.

5. As for your hands, you can:

a. Stack your hands in your lap, palms up.

b. Lay them on your knees, palms down.

c. Perform the Anjali Mudra: palms clasped and thumbs resting against the sternum.

6. Lengthen your tailbone down toward the ground and firm your shoulder blades into your back, making sure you don’t compress your lower back.

7. Hold the pose for as long as you want, but at least for 3 minutes. If you do it regularly, alternate how you cross your legs. For example, on even-numbered days you cross your left shin in front of the right, and on odd-numbered days you do the opposite. Alternatively, you can just split practice time with one leg crossed to the other, and then the opposite.

Hero Pose

1. Focus: Ankles; arches; knees; thighs
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Virasana
4. Time: At least 1 minute, up to 5
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; improves digestion
6. Contraindications: Heart problems; headache; knee injuries; ankle injuries

The Hero Pose is a seated pose. It stretches the thighs, knees, and ankles. This pose is perfect for relieving tension from your legs and arches. It can even help you feel a bit better if you’re having digestion issues!

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Kneel on the ground. I recommend using a folded blanket or rug if your floor is too hard on the legs. Touch your inner knees together while keeping your thighs perpendicular to the ground.

2. Slide your feet apart, slightly wider than your hips. The tops of your feet should be flat on the floor. Try to angle your big toes slightly toward each other and press the tops of your feet evenly against the floor.

3. While you sit, your torso should lean slightly forward. Try wedging your thumbs into the backs of your knees, drawing the skin and flesh of the calf muscles gently toward your heels. Then sit down between your feet.

4. Ideally, you should rest your buttocks on the floor. If you’re not comfortable doing that, a block or a thick book between your feet might do the trick.

5. Turn your thighs inward and then gently press the heads of the thigh bones into the ground with your palms.

6. Lay your hands, palms up, in your lap, one on the other. Alternatively, lay your hands on your thighs, palms down.

7. Firm your shoulder blades against your back ribs. Lift the top of your sternum. Widen your collarbones and then release your shoulder blades. Lengthen your tailbone into the floor to anchor your back.

8. To end this pose, lift your buttocks, just above your heels, and then cross your ankles underneath. Sit back over your feet and onto the floor. Stretch your legs out in front of you.

If you’re looking to add some variation to the pose, try clasping your hands together and then extending your arms forward (parallel to the ground), then turn up your palms to face the ceiling. Stretch your arms and hands thoroughly during this.

I suggest staying in this pose for at least a minute. Eventually, you should stay up to five. Don’t forget to control your breathing. The exercise should last as long as 3 to 9 even breaths.

Corpse Pose

1. Focus: Whole body
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Savasana
4. Time: At least 5 minutes
5. Indications: Meditation; mental relaxation; body relaxation; lowers blood pressure
6. Contraindications: Back injuries; back pain; late-term pregnancy

The Corpse Pose is the prime relaxation pose for beginners. I suggest you practice it a lot, even on its own, outside your typical yoga sessions.

This pose allows you to meditate, giving you the mind reconnection we all need. It relaxes the body; relieves stress; reduces both physical and mental fatigue, and even helps to lower your blood pressure.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Sit on the floor and bend your knees, placing your feet on the floor.

2. Lean back onto your forearms and lift your pelvis slightly off the floor.

3. Push the back of your pelvis toward the tailbone, and then lower your pelvis to the floor.

4. Extend your right leg, and then the left, pushing through your heels.

5. Release both legs, softening the groins as you do, and make sure that your legs are angled relative to the midline of your torso.

6. Narrow your front pelvis, and soften your lower back as you turn your feet out.

7. Lift the base of your skull away from the base of your neck and release the back of your neck down toward your tailbone. If you’re having difficulty doing this, rest the back of your head and neck on a folded blanket.

8. Broaden the base of your skull, and then lift the crease of your neck diagonally and push it into the center of your head. Be sure your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.

9. Extend your arms up, toward the ceiling, and keep them perpendicular to the floor.

10. Sway slightly from side to side, broadening your back ribs and shoulder blades away from your spine. Release your arms, keeping them angled to the midline of your torso. Turn your arms outward, and then extend.

11. Rest the backs of your hands on the floor, keeping them as close as you can to the index finger knuckles. Spread your collarbones.

12. Now comes the hardest part: Relax! You must calm and soothe your sense organs. Clear your mind and focus on relaxing.

13. Hold the pose for 5 minutes. Performing the pose after 30 minutes of physical practice can help you get back in tune with your senses as well as function as a muscle relaxer.

This pose is great to open or close beginner yoga practices—but don’t forget about it as you become more skilled!

Standing Half Forward Bend

1. Focus: Torso; back; belly
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Ardha Uttanasana
4. Time: At least 30 seconds
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; abdominal stimulation; improved pose
6. Contraindications: Neck injuries

The Standing Half Forward Bend Pose is a beginner forward bend pose that stretches the front torso, strengthens the back, improves the pose, and stimulates the belly.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Part from the Standing Forward Bend Pose and press your palms (or fingers) into the ground beside your feet. If you can’t rest your hands comfortably on the floor, use a couple of blocks as support.

2. Inhale deeply, and then fully extend your elbows, arching your torso away from your thighs, making as much distance between your pubic bone and navel as possible.

3. Use your palms (or fingers) to push down and back against the floor. Lift your sternum up and forward from the ground. Feel free to bend your knees slightly for movement.

4. Set your head in a neutral position and gaze forward, making sure you don’t compress the back of your neck.

5. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths. End by calmly releasing your grip from the floor and coming up. The Standing Forward Bend Pose is a common follow-up for this pose.

Bound Angle Pose

1. Focus: Inner thighs; groins, knees
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Baddha Konasana
4. Time: At least a minute, up to 5
5. Indications: Strengthening; stretching; abdominal stimulation; opening hips; mental relaxation
6. Contraindications: Groin injury; knee injury

The Bound Angle Pose is a hip-opener seated pose that can stimulate the abdominal organs, heart, kidneys, and bladder.

If you’ve piled physical stress on your thighs, groins, and knees, this pose will help you reclaim some of your wellbeings!

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Sit on the ground with your legs stretched in front of you. Start bending your knees, pulling your heels toward your pelvis. Drop your knees out to the sides and join the soles of your feet together.

2. Bring your heels to close together by pressing your soles and then bring them as close to your pelvis as you can.

3. Using your first 2 fingers and your thumb, grasp each big toe with each hand.

4. You must keep your pubis and tailbone equidistant from the floor. Firm your shoulder blades and sacrum, and then lengthen your front torso through the top of the sternum.

5. You shouldn’t have to force your knees down; in fact, you must not. Pressing your thigh bones toward the floor will be enough, as your knees will follow.

6. To release this pose, lift your knees away from the floor, and then stretch your legs back to their original position.

Don’t get frustrated if you’re not quite getting your knees to stay grounded. It will require constant practice, but it will come eventually.

Staying anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes will be beneficial. Remember to count even breaths as you do; 3 to 9 should be fine depending on the duration.

Child Pose

1. Focus: Ankles; hips; thighs
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Balasana
4. Time: 30 seconds to 2 minutes
5. Indications: Stretching; relieving pain; mental relaxation
6. Contraindications: Diarrhea; pregnancy (especially late-term); knee injuries; back injuries

The Child Pose is a restive pose that can be performed in between other asanas in sequences.

It stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles, and it allows us to calm our mind and brain, relieving stress and fatigue. You can start this pose from the Hero Pose.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Kneel on the floor, touching your big toes together. Sit on your heels and then separate your knees as much as your hips will allow.

2. Exhale all the air in your lungs and then lay your torso between your thighs.

3. Broaden your sacrum across the back of your pelvis. Narrow your hip points towards your navel, nestling them down onto your inner thighs.

4. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis while you lift the base of your skull away from your neck.

5. Place your hands, palms up, on the floor alongside your torso. Release the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Let the weight of your front shoulders pull your shoulder blades across your back.

6. To end the pose, you must lengthen the front torso, and then lift from the tailbone as it presses down and into the pelvis.

The Child Pose is excellent for resting in between other asanas. Initially, you might struggle to stay in it for 30 seconds, but the goal here is to stay a few minutes.

Start with 30 seconds to 1 minute, but work your endurance up to 3 minutes. Count 3 to 5 even breaths, or end if you feel too strained.

If you want to increase the length of your torso during the exercise, try stretching your arms forward while lifting your buttocks slightly above and away from your heels. Extend your arms while you draw your shoulder blades down your back. Without moving your arms or hands, sit your buttocks down on your heels again.

Diamond Pose

1. Focus: Thighs
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Vajrasana
4. Time: At least 5 minutes, up to 15 minutes.
5. Indications: Meditation; improves digestion; mental relaxation
6. Contraindications: Joint pain

The Diamond Pose is a straightforward beginner seated pose. It is excellent for practicing breath controlling techniques (pranayama) and meditation.

It can soothe the mind; help you with gas problems; stimulate focus, and strengthen your thighs.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Kneel on the ground, torso upright.

2. Lower your thighs until you’re sitting on the back of your shins, placing your buttocks on your feet.

3. Set your head in a neutral position, gazing forward. Make sure you keep your spine straight.

4. Close your eyes and try to concentrate exclusively on your breathing. Erase all thoughts that cross your mind for the moment.

5. Slowly inhale, until you can’t breathe in more air, and then exhale, gently. Imagine that all your physical ailments just left your body.

6. Hold the pose for at least 3 minutes. End by opening your eyes and regaining control over your consciousness. Gradually increase your stay in this pose every time you perform it; the goal is to reach up to 15 minutes.

Practicing this pose with consistency will make your breathing better, and it will help you become more focused.

 Tree Pose

1. Focus: Calves; ankles; spine; chest; inner thighs; shoulders
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Vrksasana
4. Time: 30 seconds to a minute per side
5. Indications: Strengthening; stretching; improves balance
6. Contraindications: Insomnia; high (or low) blood pressure; headache

The Tree Pose is a challenging standing pose that will help you strengthen your thighs, calves, ankles, and spine.

Doing one-legged standing yoga poses will improve your balance and reduce flat feet. It stretches the groins, inner thighs, chest, and shoulders.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Part from the Mountain Pose, shifting your weight subtlety onto the left foot while keeping the inner foot firmly planted on the ground.

2. Bend your right knee and reach down with your right hand to grasp your right ankle.

3. Draw your right foot up and press the sole against your inner left thigh. Try pressing your right heel into your inner left groin with your toes pointing toward the floor.

4. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and then raise your arms to your chest while joining your palms together in a prayer position, also known as “Anjali Mudra”. Your thumbs should rest against your sternum.

5. Gaze at a fixed point 4 to 5 feet away with utmost concentration. Focus on your balance and stretching.

6. When ready, step back into the Mountain Pose and switch to the other leg.

Spend between 30 seconds to a minute for each side. That is the space of 1 or 2 even breaths. Alternatively, you could close your eyes instead of focusing on an object.

Garland Pose

1. Focus: Ankles; back; groins
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Malasana
4. Time: At least 3 minutes
5. Indications: Stretching; toning
6. Contraindications: Back injuries; knee injuries

The Garland Pose is a beginner squat pose to stretch the ankles, groins, and back while toning the belly.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Perform a deep squat with your feet as close together as you can while keeping your heels grounded. If you can’t, slide a folded mat underneath.

2. Move your thighs slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Exhale and lean your torso forward, wedging it between your thighs.

3. Push your elbows against your knees and bring your palms together in the Anjali Mudra: Palms clasped together with your thumbs resting on your sternum.

4. Press your inner thighs against the sides of your torso, reaching your arms forward and swinging them out to the sides while you notch your shins into your armpits.

5. Press your palms to the floor or reach around your ankles and clasp them with your hands.

6. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute. To come up, straighten your knees as you inhale.

Root Bond Pose

1. Focus: Back; spine
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Mula Bundha
4. Time: At least 3 minutes
5. Indications: Breathing; meditating; stretching
6. Contraindications: Back injuries; spine injuries

The Root Bond Pose is a powerful meditative pose that helps you train your breath retention (pranayama) techniques.

This pose doesn’t require much physical effort, but it does require a great deal of concentration and spiritual focus. You must try to keep your body stretched without using conscious force while you try to get in tune with your chakras.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Start by standing straight with your legs shoulder-width apart.

2. Raise your arms just below shoulder level and join your palms together into a prayer position. Keep your arms firm and stretched. Close your eyes.

3. Gently crouch, placing your feet firmly against the floor.

4. Lift your heels until you’re standing on your tiptoes.

5. Relax your mind and focus on your breathing.

Use the chance to train your mindfulness. Try your best to become aware of your bodily movements and sensations such as muscle tension relief, rib cage contractions, the air whistling in your ears, the temperature of your skin, and so on.

You must perform even-spaced breaths consciously. Ideally, you should take between 3 to 7 breaths before ending the pose but do it as long as you can remain concentrated.

Low Lunge Pose

1. Focus: Thighs; groins; chest
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Anjaneyasana
4. Time: 1 to 3 minutes
5. Indications: Stretching; opens chest
6. Contraindications: Heart problems

The Low Lunge Pose helps you stretch your thighs and groins and opens your chest. If you’ve mastered the Downward Facing Dog Pose, this pose won’t be a problem!

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Perform the Downward Facing Dog Pose.

2. Step your right foot forward between your hands, keeping your knee and your heel as aligned as possible.

3. Step your left foot back, lowering your left knee to the floor. Stretch your back until you feel comfortable. Turn the top of your left foot until your sole is perpendicular to the ground or until the top of your foot meets the floor.

4. Lift your torso until you’re upright. Sweep your arms out to the sides and up until they meet. Keep them perpendicular to the floor.

5. Draw your tailbone down toward the floor and then lift your pubic bone toward your navel.

6. Bring your head back and look as far upward as you can. Be careful with your neck!

7. Once you’re done holding the pose, bring back your right foot and then your left foot. Step back into the Downward Facing Dog Pose and then repeat the process on the other leg.

For starters, I recommend doing the pose without sweeping your arms up. If your feet aren’t flexible enough, you don’t have to place the tops against the floor.

Hold the pose for 3 to 5 even breaths, at least a minute. Don’t forget to do each side!

Upward Facing Dog Pose

1. Focus: Spine; arms; wrists; shoulders; abdomen
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
4. Time: 15 to 40 seconds.
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; abdominal stimulation; improved pose
6. Contraindications: Back injuries; carpal tunnel syndrome; pregnancy (especially if late-term); headache

The Upward-Facing Dog Pose is a challenging pose to build up endurance and open your chest.

You might’ve heard about it before under its more colloquial name, the Sun Salutation Pose. It helps both beginners and rusty yogis to warm up their shoulders before action.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Lie flat on the ground, with your stomach facing down. Your head must be facing the floor as well.

2. Slowly bend your arms forward and rest your palms flat on the ground.

3. Gently push your arms against the floor and lift your chest off the ground.

4. Stretch your hip and thighs, leaving your feet and palms touching the floor.

5. Keep as straight as you can and look forward.

6. Optional: If you feel no discomfort during this exercise and your neck doesn’t mind it, feel free to tilt your head up as much as you can.

Ideally, you should draw your shoulder blades towards one another (and down the back), and your knees should be off the ground.

Tilting your head back should only be done if you feel okay with it. There’s no need to risk a potential injury!

Hold the pose for 2 to 4 even breaths. End if you feel strained or uncomfortable.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

1. Focus: Arms; legs; shoulders, hips; core
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Adho Mukha Svanasana
4. Time: 1 to 3 minutes.
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; building muscle
6. Contraindications: Carpal tunnel syndrome; late-term pregnancy; headache; high blood pressure

The Downward Facing Dog Pose is a celebrated core pose that stretches your shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, legs, arms, and hands.

It is considered the flagship pose of yoga, and it is a well-deserved title!

It will be a bit difficult for the less flexible beginners, but that is merely an incentive to master it.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Start by standing straight with your legs shoulder-width apart.

2. Come down onto the floor on your hands and knees. You must set your knees directly below your hips, and your hands should be slightly forward of your shoulders. Rest your palms firmly against the floor.

3. Lift your knees away from the floor. Keeping your knees slightly bent will help you keep your heels planted on the floor.

4. Lengthen your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press lightly toward the pubis.

5. Push your top thighs back and stretch your heels toward the floor. Try to straighten your knees as much as you can, but don’t block them.

6. Firm your arms and press the bases of your index fingers into the floor.

7. Firm your shoulder blades against your back and then widen them.

8. Keep your head between your upper arms.

A partner can help you keep your heels firmly on the ground. Other than that, constantly practicing the stretching bits will help you get there on your own!

This pose serves as the basis of various different yoga poses from beginner to advanced. It should be one of the first you master.

Hold the pose for 3 to 7 controlled breaths—usually between 1 to 3 minutes. End sooner if you feel too strained.

Three-Legged Downward Dog Pose

1. Focus: Arms; legs; shoulders, hips; core
2. Level: Beginner
3. Sanskrit Name: Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
4. Time: 1 to 3 minutes
5. Indications: Stretching; strengthening; building muscle; improving balance
6. Contraindications: Carpal tunnel syndrome; late-term pregnancy; headache; high blood pressure

The Three-Legged Downward Dog is excellent to build up strength and muscle, especially for arms and shoulders. It allows you to stretch your legs, hips, and lower body.

A fun piece of trivia: The Three-Legged Downward Dog Pose is just the Downward Facing Dog with a twist attributed to American yoga practitioners. Many yoga poses are just modern variations of the original ones.

Constant practice of this yoga pose will be thoroughly beneficial for your subsequent yoga sessions.

To perform this exercise, you must:

1. Start by standing straight with your legs shoulder-width apart.

2. Extend your arms to the front and then bend forward at the waist until your palms rest flat on the floor.

3. Stretch forward so that your head hangs loosely between your arms.

4. Lift your right leg until it’s level with your right hip. Ideally, it should form a 90° angle with your left leg.

5. Optional: If you’re flexible and strong enough, you might choose to lift your leg a bit more, forming a 110° or 120° angle with your left leg.

Remain relaxed and focused. Concentrate on your breathing. Hold the pose on one side for 3 to 7 breaths, and then switch to the other leg and repeat.

If you feel strained at some point, feel free to switch to the other leg. The consistency and quality of your breathing will influence your comfort.

Related: Yoga 101 Poses: Yoga Basics Everyone Needs to Know in 2022