Step onto your mat and embrace the journey of yoga with easy-to-learn poses that will leave you feeling refreshed and centered. Many newcomers feel overwhelmed by the variety of poses and styles. In this blog post, I’ll simplify your introduction to yoga by focusing on a selection of beginner-friendly poses that lay the foundation for a transformative practice.
Whether you’re looking to improve flexibility, build strength, or simply find a bit of tranquility in your day, these poses will help you ease into the world of yoga with confidence.
bananna
Banana is a yin yoga pose that gently stretches the side body.
How to do it: Lying on your back, extend both hands above your head, resting them on the ground above you. Guide both hands to the right until you feel a point of resisstence in your hip. Keep your left shoulder and left hip grounded on your mat or a block. Then begin to walk your heels as far as you can in the same direction.
upward facing dog
Also known as cobra pose, this targets the lower back and upper body. It represents rebirth as the cobra sheds its skin and is reborn into a new body.
How to do it: Lying with your belly on your mat, root down your hands below your shoulders and lift your chest forward. Ground both hips, draw your shoulder blades back, and feel your heart center opening.
downward facing dog
Named due to its similarities to a dog stretching, this is pose appears in almost every yoga practice.
How to do it: From table top position, sink your weight into your heels and send your hips up and back. Spread your fingers wide, lift through the center of your palms, and bring your ears in line with your arms.
warrior I
Warrior I is an empowering standing pose with many variations.
How to do it: From a standing position, step your right foot back about 3 feet. Angle your back foot slightly outward. Bend into your front knee, stacking it over your ankle. Square your hips, activate your inner thighs, and extend both arms overhead.
warrior II
An energizing hip opening pose.
How to do it: Keep your back heel rooted down and your front knee stacked over your front ankle. Draw your back hip and shoulder open. Energetically extend through your finger tips in opposite directiosn. Steady gave over your fingertips.
tree
A beginner friendly balance pose.
How to do it: Lifting your knee, guide it out to the send and place the bottom of your foot against the inside of your leg. Root down into your grounded foot while actively lift through your upper body.
bridge
Bridge pose strengthens, tones, and stretches.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent, foot rooted down hip with distance. Ground into your feet and lift your hips. Draw your shoulder blades together underneath you.
happy baby
This gentle yoga pose is commonly offered at the beginning or the end of a yoga class. It’s simple, beginner friendly, and a soothing option for inviting expansion into your hips.
How to do it: Lying on your back, hug both of your knees in towards your chest. Guide your knees out towards your sides and grab the bottoms of your feet or ankles. You can gently rock side to side or play around with straightening on leg, then the other. For a more intense version, you can straighten both of your legs. This can also be done up against a wall.
