Yoga for beginners: These easy poses can help you kickstart your wellness journey.
If you’re new to yoga, here are 10 beginner-friendly poses you can try to ease into the practice. Each pose works on flexibility, posture, and breath control—essential foundations of yoga.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose): This basic standing pose improves posture and balance while grounding your body.
How to do it: Stand upright with your feet together and arms relaxed at your sides. Evenly distribute your weight across both feet, engage your thighs, lift your chest, and gently lengthen your spine.
Balasana (Child’s Pose): A restful pose that stretches the lower back and helps calm the nervous system.
How to do it: Lower yourself onto your heels, touch your big toes together, and gently fold forward. Extend your arms in front of you or keep them alongside your body. Let your forehead rest on the mat and take slow, deep breaths.
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog): This rejuvenating pose stretches the spine, hamstrings and is great for relieving tension.
How to do it: Start in a tabletop position, tuck your toes under, and lift your hips up to form an inverted V-shape. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and gently press your heels toward the ground.
Vrikshasana (Tree Pose): A gentle balancing posture that enhances focus and strengthens the legs and spine.
How to do it: Stand upright and shift your weight onto one leg. Place the sole of your other foot on your inner thigh or calf, avoiding the knee. Bring your palms together at your chest or extend them overhead.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): Ideal for strengthening the spine and opening up the chest. It also helps with posture correction.
How to do it: Lie face down with your hands placed beneath your shoulders and elbows tucked in. As you inhale, engage your back muscles to lift your chest off the ground, keeping your pelvis firmly rooted to the mat.
Marjaryaasana-Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Pose): This moving asana warms up the spine and syncs breath with movement.
How to do it: Begin on all fours. Inhale as you drop your belly, lift your head and tailbone into Cow Pose. Exhale as you round your spine, tucking your chin toward your chest for Cat Pose.
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose): Strengthens the back, opens up the chest, and stimulates the lungs and thyroid.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet placed hip-width apart. Press your feet into the mat and lift your hips upward, keeping your thighs aligned and parallel.
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend): It’s a calming stretch that relaxes your mind, body and lengthens the back of your body.
How to do it: Begin in Mountain Pose, then exhale as you hinge at the hips and fold forward. Allow your head to hang freely, and if needed, keep a gentle bend in your knees.
Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose): A relaxing seated pose that helps open the hips and thighs.
How to do it: Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you, then bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together. Hold onto your feet and allow your knees to gently drop to the sides. Take deep, steady breaths.
Shavasana (Corpse Pose): The final relaxation pose that calms the mind and allows the body to absorb the benefits of your practice.
How to do it: Lie on your back with arms relaxed at your sides and palms facing upward. Gently close your eyes, breathe naturally, and let each muscle in your body soften from head to toe.
