Are you looking for the best beginner yoga poses? You’ve come to the right place. This article is a complete guide on how to get started with yoga, which will help you create your perfect practice and enjoy all of the amazing benefits a consistent yoga practice has to offer:
-You’ll have more energy!
-You’ll feel happier!
-Your mind will be healthier!
If that’s not enough, a regular yoga practice can also increase muscle tone and flexibility, improve balance and posture, reduce stress levels, relieve back pain and neck tension. Yoga is a great way to de-stress, it can be soothing and helps with sleep as well. It’s fun and offers an incredible community if practicing at a shala or studio and will help you connect more on an emotional level. It can also provide the “aha moments” that change your life for something new or better once you learn to get deeper into your practice and learn the true value of yogic principles.
Regardless of what style of yoga you end up practicing, there are some basic poses every yogi should know:
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Your starting point in any pose cycle; it brings energy into the body by calming the nervous system while simultaneously lengthening muscles throughout your whole body, it also helps to improve posture if done consistently. Stand tall, back straight, with your hands facing forward. Feel the power that you harness. This is one of my favorite things to do at the beach, the power of the ocean and the strength your body holds makes you feel like you can accomplish anything!
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
A powerful pose that brings your heart over your head improving circulation and blood flow. Downward dog opens up your chest and your shoulders if done properly. Make a triangle with your body ensuring that your neck is not hyperflexed or hyperextended, try to relax into the posture. Keep equal weight in your hands and feet and make sure to spread your fingers to help with weight distribution. Bend your knees if you feel too much of a pull when trying to straighten your legs and if you can’t get your heels down don’t worry about it, do your best and improve with time. It might be a little hard to accomplish at first but once you find the right balance this posture feels incredible!
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
This pose helps you build a better balance of strength in the body while gaining focus; it also is great for inner-thighs! It might be a bit tough if your balance isn’t quite there but don’t give up, you’ll get it and when you do you’ll feel so good. Stay strong through your grounded foot trying to keep the weight on the big toe mound. If you have an issue getting into tree pose try to keep your core tight, your inner thighs strong and focus on one point in order to not topple! *Preferably don’t play with your hair like I’m doing, push your knee back when you get your foot on your inner thigh and bring your hands to your heart.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
This probably doesn’t look like the chair pose you’re used to, many times it’s done incorrectly, you do not need to be in a squatting position, you should be focusing on the following cues! It is a beginner version of Uttanasana which opens up your hips and builds leg muscles safely at an easier level. Keep your legs pressed together, flip your pelvis up, lift your stomach, reach your arms up, press your palms together and look up at your thumbs. The further you can reach your arms up the better your breathing capacity will be after working on the posture. Make sure, as with all postures, you continue to breathe through the entire thing, in through your nose and out through your nose!
Childs Pose (Balasana)
One everyone loves and it’s great for beginners because it gives them an opportunity to feel what a deeper stretch is like. Childs pose stretches your spine, hips, and ankles. You can stay with the crown of your head pointing forward, forehead down, or you can shift to the right or left for a deeper side stretch! Make sure to turn your head when you shift right or left to not strain your neck.
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
Ustrasana stretches the front of your body and also strengthens the back muscles, tones abs and builds stamina in order for longer sessions at higher levels later down the road. If you find it difficult to touch your feet with your hands keep your toes tucked and grab onto your ankles. Don’t forget to breathe through the posture and try to relax into it. Camel pose is also excellent to relieve any kind of stomach cramps or period cramps!
Namaste Yogis!
