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Easy yoga poses and exercises for beginners

Team AckoJan 17, 2024

Yoga is known to be beneficial for the body and the mind. Are you new to yoga and want to learn the basics? Here’s an article that can help you out, as it highlights some easy beginner exercises that will set you on the path of becoming a pro yogi.

Contents

Top 15 yoga poses and exercises for beginners.
Frequently asked questions

Top 15 yoga poses and exercises for beginners.

Here are some basic yoga poses and exercises that can benefit you

1) Downward Facing Dog (aka Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Pose position: Standing

You may have heard of this popular pose before.

The body position involves you being in a standing pose and then bending down and touching the floor.
Just make sure there is adequate floor space between your legs and hands.
Also, keep your feet parallel to your hands.

2) Mountain Pose (aka Tadasana)

Pose position: Standing

To do a Mountain Pose, you need to align your body in a straight line.
Stand straight in a way that the crown of your head and your feet are in a straight line. Also, make sure that your spine is erect.
Your yoga instructor may be able to correct your posture if necessary. So, do this with external guidance to get it right (if you can).

3) Warrior I (aka Virabhadrasana I)

Pose position: Standing

The Warrior I pose sounds cool, right? It also looks and feels good too.

It involves the stretching of your legs wide apart from each other, one in front of the other.
Then, put your hands together in a prayer pose and raise them above your head.
While doing the pose, ensure that your hips are aligned with the front of your yoga mat.

4) Warrior II (aka Virabhadrasana II)

Pose position: Standing

The Warrior II Pose is slightly different from the Warrior I Pose, but it is just as cool.

Here, the feet need to be kept wide apart on the floor, one behind the other, just like in the Warrior II pose.
The main difference is that your hips have to be nearly parallel to the side of your yoga mat, and your arms need to be stretched out on either side of your body.

5) Extended Side Angle (aka Utthita Parsvakonasana)

Pose type: Standing

This pose involves placing your legs away from each other, yet parallelly.
Then, let one foot face straight at a 90-degree angle and the other turn to a zero-degree angle.
Once you have done this, take the hand on the side of the foot you have turned to a zero-degree angle and place it on the floor.
Make sure your hand and foot on the floor are parallel to each other. Then, raise the other hand to the ceiling at a 90-degree angle.

6) Triangle Pose (aka Utthita Trikonasana)

Pose position: Standing

This pose is very similar to the previously discussed Extended Side Angle Pose.
The only difference is instead of placing your hand on the floor; you place it on a block.
The Triangle Pose will improve your balance, strength and flexibility.

7) Standing Forward Bend (aka Uttanasana)

Pose position: Standing

This pose can be achieved by bending your body over your legs and touching the floor.
If your hamstrings feel tense, you can bend your knees slightly. Also, make sure your head is hanging upside down, facing the floor.
You can additionally add a slight swaying from side to side to improve the exercise benefits of the pose.

8) Reverse Warrior (aka Viparita Virabhadrasana)

Pose type: Standing

As its name suggests, a Reverse Warrior pose is the reverse of the Warrior II Pose.

In this pose, the position of your legs remains the same; however, the direction of your hands has to be changed to the opposite direction.
So, instead of leaning forward, you have to lean back.
Also, make sure to look up at your palm while executing this pose.

9) Garland Pose (aka Malasana)

Pose type: Standing

This pose focuses on strengthening your pelvic muscles.

It involves putting your hands together in a prayer pose and doing squats.
You can do as many reps as you are able to.
In the process, you may also strengthen your feet and thighs.

10) Raised Hands Pose (aka Urdhva Hastasana)

Pose type: Standing

This pose is the mountain pose plus another action.

You have to put your hands together and raise your arms above your head. This will serve as a full-body stretch.
Also, while your hands are raised above your head, make sure that your feet are adequately grounded on the floor.

11) Low Lunge

Pose type: Standing

To achieve this pose, stand straight, stretch one foot as much as you can, and try to make a right angle.
After that, bend down and touch the floor with both hands.
While you are doing that, make sure your hands are parallel to your feet.
You can use a mirror to check if you are doing this correctly.

12) Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Pose type: Balancing/standing

To do this pose, balance your body on one foot and place the other foot on the opposite thigh.
After that, raise your hands, making a tree pose, and bring them back down to a namaskar pose.
If you feel you are about to fall, try counterbalancing by using your hips.
A Tree Pose will help you improve your balancing skills.
After you have done the pose for a few seconds, alternate the foot you use to support your body weight.

13) Downward Facing Dog Split

Pose type: Balancing/standing

This pose can help you build your core strength.

For this pose, bend down and touch the floor.
Make sure your hands and feet are parallel to one another.
After that, lift one leg behind you into the air.
Rather than focusing on the lifted leg, try to focus on distributing your body weight equally.

14) Plank Pose

Pose type: Balancing

Rest your body weight on your arms and feet to achieve this pose.
While supporting your body on your hands and feet, make sure that your body is spread out in a lying position.
Also, ensure that your arms are kept straight and not bent.
This will strengthen your core and also improve your stamina and stability.

15) Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Pose type: Resting

This pose may seem like you do not need to do a lot. However, after an intense yoga session, it is essential to wind down by relaxing.
So, to achieve this pose, lie flat on your back and focus on your breathing.
The goal is to bring your body and mind to stillness,

Frequently asked questions

The following are some of the commonly asked questions regarding easy yoga poses for beginners.

What are the benefits of practising yoga?

The benefits of practising yoga include the following.

Provides relief regarding back pain
Improves heart health
Enhances flexibility, balance and strength
Facilitates mind and body relaxation

Which yoga is recommended for beginners?

Generally, Hatha yoga is recommended for beginners because it requires a slower pace than other yoga forms.

Can yoga help me gain weight?

Yes, practising the above yoga exercise regularly can help you gain weight over time.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet and is subject to changes. Please consult an expert before making any decisions. Explore more: