Introduction
Yoga is perfect for people who are new to fitness. Yoga doesn’t require any high level skills or any high end equipment. Anyone can do yoga no matter what body type or their experience in fitness journey. Yoga helps you build flexibility, strength and confidence and control over your body. Yoga also helps in weight loss and back pain. In this blog, I will tell you some basic but effective yoga poses which will help you start your yoga journey.
1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
How to do mountain pose: Stand straight, spreading your legs with hip-width, your arms relaxing at your sides, weight should be equally distributed on both legs, properly engage your thighs and lengthen your spine
Benefits: This pose improves posture and strengthens legs. Other then this their are many other benifits of yoga
2. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
How to Do It: At start, put both of your hands on the ground, lift your hips upward and straighten your arms and legs, forming an inverted V shape and relax your neck.
Benefits: Scratches many parts of our body like, hamstrings, shoulders, and calves.
3. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
How to Do It: To perform this pose – sit on your heels and lean forward over your thighs as much as you can, then extend your arms forward or rest them beside your body.
Benefits: This yoga pose helps in relieving lower back pain and also calms the ming.
4. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
How to Do It: First kneel down and put your hands on the ground. Now bend your spine upward and downward with each breath.
Benefits: This yoga pose relieves neck and shoulder stiffness and also increases spinal flexibility.
5. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
How to Do It: Stand straight , step one foot forward into a lunge, then turn your back foot slightly outward and raise your arms overhead and scratch your body upward and a little backward. Keep your front knee bent at 90 degrees.
Benefits: Build leg strength and improve overall body balance.
6. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
How to Do It: Same as Warrior I keep your front foot at 90 degrees. Open your hips and arms to the side, aligning your hands with your feets. Gaze over your front hand.
Benefits: This yoga pose opens hips, strengthens the legs and enhances stamina.
7. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
How to Do It: Stand on one leg then place your other foot on your inner thigh (don’t place the other feet on your knee) and join your hands together in a praying position.
Benefits: This yoga pose enhances balance and mental focus.
8. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
How to Do It: Lie down on the ground on your stomach, palms under your shoulders and lift your upper body while keeping your hips grounded.
Benefits: This yoga pose strengthens the spine and opens the chest.
9. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
How to Do It: Sit on the ground with your legs extended straight. Now fold forward reaching for your feet or shins.
Benefits: It stretches hamstrings and calms the nervous system.
10. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
How to Do It: Lie on your back and bend your knees, try to reach your feets with your hands or arms pressing into the mat, while lifting your hips towards the ceiling. Keep the feets hip width apart.
Benefits: This yoga pose strengthens the glutes , relieves the back pain, stretches the chest and also improves flexibility.
11. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
How to Do It: Stand straight with your legs wide apart, reach one hand to your shin or floor (according to your flexibility level) and the other hand toward the ceiling and do this while twisting your torso.
Benefits: Stretches the sides of your body, improves alignment and remove muscles stiffness.
12. Plank Pose
How to Do It: Start in a push-up position (hands on the ground body straight from head to heels) engage your core properly and hold this position for 30 seconds. To increase difficulty you can put your elbows on the ground instead of palms.
Benefits: This pose strengthens your core, arms, shoulders and your all over body strength.
13. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
How to Do It: Sit straight with your legs crossed on the floor, rest your hands on your knees and keep your spine straight. Close your eyes and relax.
Benefits: Prepares your body for meditation and also relaxes our mind and gives inner peace.
14. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
How to Do It: As the name suggests, lie on your back and put your legs vertical on the wall. Rest your arms and your hips should be touching the walls.
Benefits: This yoga pose reduces stress and relieves leg fatigue.
Relieves leg fatigue and reduces stress.
15. Corpse Pose (Savasana)
How to Do It: To perform this pose, lie straight on your back, arms relaxing on your sides. Close your eyes and take deep breaths.
Benefits: By performing this pose you will experience your body deeply relaxed and also relax your mind.
Promotes deep relaxation and integrates the benefits of your practice.
Tips for Success
- Start slow: Don’t hurry , take your time and hold each pose for 3-5 breaths at the start.
- Use props: If you can’t access some poses use folded towels, blocks or pillows to make them accessible.
3. Breathe deeply: Never hold your breath while doing yoga. Inhale and exhale continuously through your nose.
Sample Beginner Yoga Routine
- Warm-up (5 mins):
- Do some basic stretching poses at the start or any other activity which opens your body.
- Flow (15 mins):
- Mountain Pose, Downward Dog, Plank, Cobra Pose (repeat 3x).
- Cool-down (10 mins):
- Seated Forward Bend, Legs-Up-the-Wall, Savasana.
Follow this routine if you are at beginner level. You can increase the intensity and difficulty according to your expertise.
Conclusion
You can achieve any goal by consistency and patience. These 15 yoga poses can make your body strong, flexible, and mentally clear. Throughout the time you will notice many physical and psychological changes in yourself. Changes like, improved posture, confidence, mental clarity, reduced stress, and you will feel connected to your body.
Always remember nobody is born perfect but with consistency, dedication and hard work you can push yourself towards perfection.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overstraining: If doing any pose is hurting you then ease out of it, discomfort is one thing which can be avoided but sharp pain can’t be avoided.
- Holding your breath: Never hold your breath while doing yoga. Inhale and exhale continuously through your nose. Holding your breath can be harmful or less beneficial for your body.
- Skipping rest days: Your muscles and joints need time to recover so don’t skip rest days let your muscles heal.
- Sources of information on this blog
– https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga
– https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286745
– https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-benefits-of-yoga
