MOST IMPORTANT YOGA POSES FOR BEGINNERS

If you're new to yoga you might have wondered what the best yoga poses for beginners are. In this article we'll be taking you through some basic yoga poses, their benefits, and how they can help your practice. We’d suggest holding each of these postures for 5-10 breaths and trying to incorporate them into your daily routine of yoga for beginners. 

High Plank: This yoga pose is perfect for beginners as it will help you cultivate strength in your shoulders and core which will help to advance your practice. Remember to keep your body in a nice straight line, push up away from the ground and really squeeze your core (imagine you’re sucking your belly button to your spine). This basic yoga pose is one of the fundamentals of a Sun Salutation (a yoga sequence which coordinates each breath with a movement) so it is a beneficial yoga pose for a beginner to master. 

Downward Facing Dog: Probably the most iconic yoga pose there is, the Downward Facing Dog is your bread and butter of yoga. It can be a challenging yoga pose for beginners, but it’s worth working on if you want to stabilise your practice. This basic yoga posture strengthens and stretches the body, increases shoulder stability, lengthens the hamstrings and calves, brings the blood flow to the brain, and supports a healthy spine. 

Cat-Cow: A healthy spine is integral for yoga for beginners – for this, the Cat-Cow is your best friend. This basic yoga pose teaches you to articulate your spine and will help you learn how to synchronise your breath and movement. As you drop the belly down, gaze up and inhale deeply, and then as you exhale, slowly begin to round the spine and press up away from the mat. The gentle flow between these two poses will warm the body and bring flexibility and awareness to the spine. 

Warrior 1 & 2: These two yoga poses will teach beginners the basics of foot placement and body awareness which will help as you progress through more advanced standing postures. For Warrior 1, your back foot is at a 45° angle with your hips square to the short edge of the mat and your arms reaching up and overhead. As a beginner, you might feel this posture testing your balance and coordination. It will also help to build strength in the legs. For Warrior 2, your back foot shifts to 90° and you will need to square your hips to the long edge of the mat as you reach out to either side with your arms, gazing over your front hand. You’ll still be strengthening your legs, plus you’ll also be working on your hip flexibility. 

Savasana: This pose may not seem like much, but it is one of the most beneficial yoga poses for a beginner.  It is certainly not one to neglect. This basic yoga pose is your opportunity to come into a meditative state and allow your body to integrate and digest your yoga practice. Lay flat on your back, with your arms to either side, and allow your body and mind to completely relax and allow the effects of your practice to settle. Try to stay in Savasana for at least 6 minutes.