The following yoga poses for beginners are some of the most common ones found in all yoga classes. They are put together in a sequence, designed to give you the full range of motion, and help improve strength and flexibility in the whole body.
Contents
There are modifications offered to poses within the descriptions.
Seek medical advice if you have any injuries, medical conditions, or do not already undertake any physical exercise.
1. Cat / Cow – Chakravakasana
Come on to all fours. Make sure the wrists are lined up under the shoulders and the knees are lined up under the hips. Push your belly button towards the mat, tilting the pelvis up, and look up whilst breathing in. Follow this, by drawing the belly button up, bring the pelvis and head down, whist breathing out. Continue to do this as many times as you wish. This is a great pose to do at the beginning and end of the day, as it takes your spine in both directions. We spend much of the day with the spine hunched over. This pose releases the back and warms the spine ready for the rest of the poses.
If you have an injury or pain in the wrists or shoulders, sit on the mat or a chair. Take your arms out wide, push the chest forward, take the shoulders back and tilt your chin, as you breath in. Then bring the arms out in front, interlacing the hands together, pulling them forward and rounding the back, as you breathe out.
2. Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
A wonderful go to pose in yoga, usually practiced a few times in class. This pose lengthens the spine, opens the shoulders, stretches the arms and back of the legs, strengthens the core, shoulders and wrists, whilst improving circulation.
Whilst on all fours, tuck the toes on to the mat and lift the sit bones upwards. Come into a pyramid shape. There will be an immediate head rush, so breathe evenly in and out through the nose.
Keep the fingers spread out and the palm flat to the mat. Release your shoulders away from the ears and draw the shoulder blades apart, creating a space between them.
Lift away from the hands, pulling the sit bones upwards. If the back of the thighs, hamstrings feel tight, bend the knees.
If you have an injury or pain in the wrists, you can provide support to the wrists with yoga bricks. Alternatively, walk the feet in and lower to your elbows, keeping the knees bent.
Too come out of the pose, lower your knees to the mat. Take hands to hips, step each foot forward, keep the knees bent and head down, whilst sliding the hands up the legs, bringing the head up last, to standing position.
3. Mountain Pose –Tadasana
This pose improves posture, alignment, and balance. It provides the foundation pose for many of the standing poses in yoga. It looks deceptively simple, but there are many things to work on, in order to achieve the full pose.
We all get into bad habits whilst standing still. We shift our weight to one foot and hang our hips to one side. Often, we slump, curving the spine and slouching the shoulders forward. Often, we spend a lot of the time with our heads thrust forward whilst hunched over a computer or other activity.
For this pose, take the feet slightly apart (they can be together), ensuring the inside of the feet are in line (rather than turned out or in). Allow the arms to fall away from the body and spread the fingers.
Consciously press the feet into the mat, spread the toes. At the same time, lift and squeeze all the way up the legs, pelvis and spine, drawing the shoulders up and back down, pushing the fingertips towards the mat.
Gently draw the abdominal muscles in and be careful not to stick your front ribs out. Rock your pelvis gently backwards and forwards until you find a neutral position.
Draw the chin back until the ears are level with your shoulders and lower the chin slightly so you are looking straight ahead.
Place one or both hands to a wall or the back of a chair if you require support.
4. Warrior 2 – Virabhadrasana 2
This pose is challenging to hold. It is great for strengthening your legs and arms. It also opens the hips.
From Mountain pose, step the left foot back and bend the right knee. Keep the right knee over the right ankle. Turn the toes of the left foot out, leaving them pointing slightly forward.
Push your feet into the mat, just as you did in Mountain pose. Lengthen up through the legs.
Raise the right arm up and point the hand away in front of you. Raise the left arm behind and away from you, palm face down. Lengthen through the arms to the fingertips, lowering the shoulders away from the ears.
Try not to hold your breath. Breathe evenly in and out through the nose.
Place one or both hands to a wall or the back of a chair if you require support.
Repeat the pose by stepping the left foot back up to Mountain pose, then stepping back with the right foot.
Step back to Mountain pose.
5. Side Angle Pose – Utthita Parsvakonasana
This pose lengthens and stretches the sides of the body, and strengthens the obliques. It also strengthens and tones the legs and arms.
From Mountain pose, step back with the left foot, lowering the heel and turning the toes out. Lower the right forearm to the right thigh. Take the left arm down and circle it in front of the face and lift the arm so that it is parallel to the ear, fingers pointing over the head and away from you, palm down.
Whilst the forearm is on the thigh, lift the right armpit, so that you are not collapsing and sinking into the pose. Actively engage the muscles in the legs by pressing the feet into the mat. Imagine that you are attempting to push a hard surface with the fingertips of the right hand, so that you feel the arm and the right side of the body lengthening.
Breathe evenly in and out through the nose.
If it is uncomfortable or you have a shoulder injury, the left arm can be taken up so that the fingertips are pointing up to the ceiling. Alternatively, the left hand can be placed in the lower back.
Place one or both hands to a wall or the back of a chair if you require support.
Step the left foot up and the repeat by stepping the right foot back.
Step back to Mountain pose.
6. Tree Pose – Vrikshasana
This is one of the best-known poses associated with yoga. It is designed to improve balance, open the hips and strengthen the legs. If balance is poor, the support of a wall can be used to build confidence.
From Mountain pose, bring your palms together in a prayer position and place thumbs to heart centre. If using a wall, stand with left side facing the wall, placing palm of left hand to the wall.
Focus on a spot directly in front of your eye gaze. Shift your weight on to the right foot and lift your left foot, placing it on the ankle, calf, or thigh of the right leg. If you have difficulties with balance, keep the big toe of the left foot on the ground. Avoid placing the foot on the knee.
If you are using the wall, tap the wall and take your hand away when you feel confident.
Tip: Press the big toe of the standing foot into the ground, to prevent your foot from rolling out and losing balance.
Repeat on the left side.
Return to Mountain pose.
7. Seated Forward Fold – Paschimottanasana
This pose stretches the whole of the back of your body, especially your hamstrings and back. It is also a calming pose, as you are closing down your body.
From Mountain pose, take a seat on the mat and bring your legs straight out in front, to Staff pose (Dandasana). Flex the feet and push the heels away. Keep the feet together, or if you need to make space for your stomach or chest, take the feet slightly apart.
Sit on your hands and pull your buttocks out behind you – this helps to tilt the pelvis forward.
Bend the knees, extend your arms above the head and fold forward, keeping the back long, and looking towards the toes. Avoid rounding the back and looking at your knees. Draw the shoulders away from the ears and extend forward, lowering the chest towards the thighs.
You can adjust your knees by lowering or bringing them up higher, according to how comfortable it is for the hamstrings.
Take the hands wherever they reach. You can use a yoga strap, or dressing gown cord around the feet, holding on to both ends, to help pull you forward, if you cannot easily reach the feet with your hands.
Return to Staff pose.
8. Seated Twist variation, Sage’s pose – Marichyasana III
A twisted pose is great for strengthening the spine and stretching the back. It also compresses the internal organs, aiding digestion.
From Staff pose (seated, with your legs out in front), bend the right knee and bring the foot to the inside of the left thigh, as high as you can. Flex the left foot, pushing the heel away. Place the left hand on the mat behind you. Hold the right knee in the crook of your left arm, or place the palm on the knee (for an easier position).
Breathe in and sit up tall, keeping the spine long. As you breathe out, start to turn slowly to the right, twisting form the base of the spine up. Avoid turning the shoulders first – work form the base of the spine to gain a deeper twist. Keep the head in line with the spine as you turn.
If you are pregnant, avoid this closed twist, which compresses the stomach. Instead, take the twist in the opposite direction, i.e. to the left, creating an open turn.
Repeat on the left side.
Return to Staff pose.
9. Bridge pose – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
This is a back bend, which stretches the front of the body. It strengthens the spine, hips, and legs. It is a pose which counteracts the effects of sitting for any length of time.
From Staff pose, bend both knees, keeping the feet on the ground. Take your arms out in front and lower on to your back.
Place your palms on the mat, either side of your hips. Bring your feet up close to your sit bones and keep the heels to the outside of the hips.
Lift your body away from the mat, keeping the shoulders, arms and feet down.
Resist the temptation to widen the knees. Press down with the feet and push the knees forward, to engage the inner thighs, front of the hips, and glutes. You can hold a yoga brick between the thighs to support this.
An option is to clasp your hands and wriggle the shoulder blades together to lift a little higher.
Lower the back gently down to the mat.
10. Corpse pose – Savasana
This is a pose which rapidly becomes a favourite in yoga and is undertaken at the end of your practice. It is a deeply relaxing pose and great for emptying the mind, calming the nervous system, and releasing tension in the body.
From Bridge pose, lengthen out the legs to lie out fully on the mat. Take your legs out wide and your arms away from the body.
Allow your body to relax into the mat. Slacken your hands, allowing them to fall open and the fingers to curl, with the palms facing up. Loosen the tongue away from the roof of the mouth.
Focus on the breath, breathing in and out of the nose. Keep returning to the breath when your mind starts to drift or you feel yourself falling asleep. Alternatively, focus your mind on a familiar place where you feel relaxed and imagine yourself there.
If lying flat is painful in the lower back, you can place your feet on the mat.
Remain in Corpse pose for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
As well as this piece, I have also written some other helpful articles, check out the following for further inspiration to begin your yoga journey:
https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/reasons-to-do-yoga/
https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/a-beginners-guide-to-yoga/
https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/does-restorative-yoga-burn-calories/
Beginners are welcome to all classes at Ellie Stafford Yoga.
See https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/classes-workshops/ and https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/timetable/ for details.
See also the following articles:
For a Beginners Guide to Yoga: https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/a-beginners-guide-to-yoga/.
For Reasons To Do Yoga: https://www.elliestaffordyoga.co.uk/reasons-to-do-yoga/.
Ellie Stafford is an advanced 500hours yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance**.
She is also a qualified Restorative Yoga teacher.