Yoga Poses for Beginners: Read This Before Taking Your First Class

Downward-Facing Dog

You can rejuvenate your entire body and elongate your spine with Downward Facing Dog, one of the common therapeutic yoga poses.

1. Put your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips and begin on your hands and knees.
2. Place your index finger and thumb on your mat and spread your hands wide.
3. Pull your hips toward the ceiling by lifting your tailbone and pressing your butt up and back. Make sure your legs are straight and press your heels gently into the floor.
4. Face your knees with your head between your arms, and keep your backs flat.
5. Take five to ten deep breaths.

Upward-Facing Dog

In Sun Salutations, upward facing dogs are commonly performed as a strengthening backbend.

• Put your toes on the floor in Low Plank/Chaturanga after dropping your hips down to the ground.
• Push your chest up by tightening your core and straightening your arms. Open your chest by pulling your shoulders back, squeezing your shoulder blades, and tilting your head upwards.

Mountain Pose

As the foundation of all standing yoga poses, Mountain Pose is believed to be a grounding and therapeutic pose. This posture is traditionally performed with the arms down by your sides, but often the arms are raised overhead (Urdhva Hastasana).

Bridge Pose

• Put your feet hip width apart while lying on your back. Lift your butt off the mat by pressing firmly on your feet. While you open your chest even more, interlace your hands and press your fists to the floor.
• Engage your hamstrings by pulling your heels toward your shoulders. You can repeat this two more times by lowering your hips down after each hold for 8-10 breaths.

Crescent Lunge

• Begin in a staggered stance with your feet almost mat-length apart by taking a big step forward with your left foot.
• Maintain a straight back leg and lift your heel off the ground while bending your front knee. Your thigh should be parallel to the floor when you bend your front leg. Face the front with your hips squared.
• Press into the mat and feel your hips stretch as you extend your arms toward the ceiling on either side of your head.
• Hold for five breaths, then repeat.
• Keeping your leg extended long and your shin flat on the mat, move into Low Lunge/Anjaneyasana by dropping your back knee to the floor.

Tree

• With your toes together and heels slightly apart, begin in mountain pose.
• Put your right foot on the inner thigh of your left leg. Place your foot on the inside of your thigh and squeeze them together. At a 45-degree angle, turn your right thigh toward the ground and your right knee out.
• Using your hands, raise them to prayer position in front of your chest (as shown), or up overhead if you prefer.
• Stay balanced by focusing your gaze on a fixed point in front of you.
• Take 5–10 breaths, then switch sides.

Plank Pose

• Muscles in the arms, legs, wrists, chest, spine, and core are strengthened
• Boosts circulation and endurance as well as warming and energizing your body
• Improves your arm balancing skills

Child’s Pose

• Strengthens shoulders, backs, and hips
• Strengthens the spine as a whole
• Psoas muscles are opened
• Buttocks are stretched
• Stretches the sides of the body
• Relaxes the nervous system

Dancers Pose

• Muscles in the chest, shoulders, thighs, and abdomen are stretched
• Enhances leg, ankle, back, and gluteal strength
• Balance and focus are improved
• Body is warmed and energy is increased

Eagle Pose

• Provides shoulder, upper back, and outer hip stretches
• Boosts leg, inner thigh, core, and spinal muscles strength
• Enhances focus and concentration
• Stabilizes and coordinates the body

Seated Spinal Twist

• Promotes greater detoxification processes in the body by stimulating the inner organs
• Strengthens the spine
• Helps relieve sciatica by stretching the outer hips
• Shoulders are opened
• Maintains optimal spinal health

Wheel Pose

• Body’s entire front side is stretched
• Exercises the quadriceps, shoulders, chest, abdomen, and neck
• Enhances shoulder and upper body strength

Wide Legged Forward Fold

• Stretches hamstrings, hips, lower back, and spine
• Leg-strengthening
• Stretching the inner legs and groins deeply
• Enhances hip joint mobility