20 Yoga Poses for Beginners to Practice at Home

What is yoga and what is it for?

Yoga is a perfect balance between meditation, breathing and body postures (asanas). This practice has many physical and psychological benefits, including:

• Weight loss, maintaining positive energy, relieving tension and cramps, improving flexibility and posture, and controlling emotions, including fear;
• According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), yoga also helps manage stress, improve mental health, reduce smoking, and reduce pain and symptoms of menopause;
• According to a study published in the journal Brain plasticity, yoga may also help improve brain activity in parts of the brain associated with memory, planning, and emotional regulation;

Doing 30 minutes of yoga a day will help you feel better about your body and mind, so grab your mat and get started.

What are the different types of yoga?

As explained above, yoga includes several aspects including breathing (pranayama) and meditation, and can even include nutrition and hygiene. But the most important basis for differentiating one type of yoga from another is the postures. There are indeed several styles of yoga and you can choose the one that suits you best, depending on your needs, here is a non-exhaustive list:

• Hatha Yoga: This type of yoga is best for beginners. With this technique, you will master the basic relaxation postures.
• Ashtanga Yoga: This style of yoga requires more muscle strength, so if you practice it, you’ll likely end up with cramps at the end of your session. It’s the perfect technique to firm up your body.
• Kundalini Yoga: In need of spirituality? This type of yoga is your ally par excellence. In addition to postures and breathing, Kundalini Yoga is accompanied by mantras and chanting.
• Iyengar Yoga: If you have back pain and poor posture, know that Iyengar Yoga is perfect for alleviating your suffering and helping you to stand properly.

In addition, you should know that there are other versions such as AcroYoga that you can practice as a couple, AeroYoga and TRX Yoga for high-flying lovers, prenatal Yoga dedicated to mothers-to-be, or Bikram Yoga practiced in a room heated to 42 degrees.

How to start doing yoga?

Yoga is a practice that will allow you to have a better balance and will give you the feeling of being more agile, more serene, more concentrated… so in great shape! To get started, you’ll only need a few accessories:

• A yoga mat: Be careful when choosing your rug. The latter is thinner than a fitness mat. It is non-slip, measures 60 x 170 cm and is about 3 to 4 cm thick.
• Tights: You can use any running or fitness tights, but make sure they don’t have a zipper that could hurt you while you’re exercising.
• A top: Choose a top that doesn’t compress your chest, preferably with a crossed back so you don’t get in the way when doing your poses.
• Other: A yoga brick or a strap can be useful when you are just starting out, as these objects will make it easier for you to perform certain postures.

Start your learning little by little by trying as many basic postures as possible. This discipline requires a lot of practice, so be patient if you don’t get your handstand right the first time! Find 20 easy yoga poses below that you can start with, without leaving your living room.

20 Easy Yoga Poses for Beginners

You will say that this yoga position is not at all simple, but if you don’t manage to do it on the first try, that’s okay. Take it easy and you’ll get better as you practice. This pose will help you stretch your shoulders and chest, tone your legs, and improve your balance.

The side plank works the core of the body while improving concentration and balance. If you want to have a flat stomach and see your abs appear, this pose will help you achieve this.

This posture is the most used in mediation sessions. You may find it a little difficult to cross your legs, so start with a half lotus, resting one leg on top of the other without crossing them.

This pose is perfect for toning your body in depth and for stretching laterally. Start with one side, then the other.

Doesn’t this pose make you want to take out your mat and put on your tights? In addition to looking great, the pigeon king pose will help you work on opening your hips and stretch your thigh and back muscles. Do it during your yoga session or use it as a stretching exercise after a good run.

This is a very simple posture, but as beneficial as the others! In a standing position, place the sole of your foot on the thigh of the other foot, clasp your hands to your chest and you are in a tree pose. To maintain your balance, yogis advise you to focus on a fixed point. This exercise will help you improve your concentration and increase your vital energy.

For this posture, you will have to sit on your heels, spread your knees and move your upper body forward as far as possible by touching the ground. You will feel very relaxed in your leg and back muscles. In addition, this exercise helps the brain to oxygenate.

The upward-facing dog pose is one of the most popular poses to do during your sun salutation routine. In the latter, you can also integrate the Sphinx (Ardha Bhujangasana) or Cobra (Bhujangasana) pose. Choose according to the flexibility of your back and the strength of your arms.

This asana is a must-have in any yogi’s routine worth their salt. And for good reason, it has countless benefits! The latter tones all the posterior muscles of the legs and stretches the arms and spine. If at first you have trouble keeping your heels anchored to the ground, that’s okay, you’ll get there with time.

This arm balance pose is combined with the Lotus pose to make you more flexible and help tone your body at the same time. Do it frequently and you will get well-muscled arms.

Need to stimulate your abdominal organs and stretch your inner thighs? Think about this posture!

This pose is an elaborate version of the Pigeon King Pose. It allows the groin and psoas to be stretched well and thus relieve sciatica pain. So, if you have back pain, this exercise is especially effective, especially after a long day of walking in heels.

One of the benefits of yoga is that it helps to increase self-esteem. And among the best postures to love yourself and have self-confidence, we have the table! In addition to working on your mind, this position will help you strengthen your abdomen and reduce fatigue.

This acrobatic trick is certainly not very simple at first glance, but you will adopt it once you have enough strength in your arms. This is a typical Ashtanga Yoga posture that will allow you to impress your friends!

Don’t panic, this posture seems difficult, but it is no more difficult than the others! The latter is effective in improving your digestion if you are constipated and relieving your headaches. In addition, it will make you a beautiful photo to post on your social networks.

To stimulate your digestive system and protect your back from possible pain, this posture is for you. Indeed, twists are known to soften the spine and help the stomach assimilate the food ingested.

This pose is adequate for strengthening your lower back, but it also works the rest of your body. It thus helps to increase back mobility and tone the abdominal strap. Elevated leg pose also helps boost the body’s energy.

Like the dog pose, the equestrian pose can be performed in the sequence of the sun salutation. In the lunge position, keep your front knee bent and your hands on the floor. This will help you improve your balance as well as flexibility and tone your legs and hips.

By working on the opening of the chest, this exercise will help you improve your posture. If you spend your day sitting in front of a computer, ustrasana is ideal for you.

This relaxation position is usually performed at the end of the session. To succeed in this posture, there is nothing simpler, play dead! Lie down for 5 to 20 minutes on your mat with your eyes closed and your body relaxed on your back. Don’t move a hair. Breathe and feel your limbs, from the tip of your toes to the top of your head.

FAQ

Are there any risks to doing yoga?

In an article by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, published in the NIH, it is explained that yoga carries risks, as with any physical activity. But these are minimal compared to other sports activities. Now, the elderly will have to be more careful, because they are the ones who injure themselves the most while performing their postures. In addition, it is recommended to learn the practice of yoga, under the supervision of a qualified teacher, and to avoid practicing certain postures alone such as headstands and supports on the shoulders which can carry risks.

How does a yoga session work?

Generally speaking, a typical yoga session begins with an awareness of the breath. Then the yogi moves on to warm-ups and performs a series of postures, first standing and then on the floor or on a chair. Breathing and meditation techniques can also be performed. All classes end with relaxation exercises.

What is the hardest yoga pose?

There are several difficult yoga poses to do that you can perform little by little, as your level increases. improves and your body becomes more powerful. Among them, there is the crow pose (Bakasana) or the crane pose, the scorpion pose (Vrschikasana) or the eight-angle pose (Astavakrasana).