Yoga Positions for Beginners

Preparing for Yoga

The principles of yoga don't exclude anyone based on body or knowledge limitations. Rather, everyone can experience the many benefits of yoga simply by dedicating the self to frequent practice.

When you combine mind, body, and spirit together, that focus is what builds skill and balance. While the physical aspects of yoga demonstrate control and concentration, yogis achieve those elements only through a dedicated intent and purpose. Correcting your form is easy, but it’s the practice of internal motivation that really expands your yoga practice.

If you approach yoga as a means to improve your whole person, you’ll adapt much more quickly.

Why Instruction is Important

Consider starting your yoga practice in a yoga class under the specialized guidance of a certified yoga instructor. This one-on-one tutorial is very beneficial.

• An instructor routinely checks your form and teaches you to perform the poses correctly, thus protecting you from injury and ensuring you get the most from every practice.
• You’ll learn what posture modifications best suit your experience and flexibility.
• Class and instructor interaction enhances the feeling of unity that yoga encourages, and fellow classmates provide insight into the practice and lifestyle.
• What you learn in class makes home practice easier.

To find a class near you, visit a yoga studio, a local fitness center, or spa. You can also consult the Yoga Finder website for information on local classes and other enthusiasts.

An instructor guides a class through Wide-Legged Forward Bend.

Easy Yoga Positions for Beginners

If you’d like to build a meditative sequence on your own, try starting with the following yoga positions for beginners:

• Mountain Yoga Pose – More than just standing, this posture is used to center the body, focus the breath, and as a transition to other poses.
• Warrior Pose – Because of its many variations, this asana is a very accessible yoga position for beginners.
• Triangle Pose – Helps beginners understand what it means to “activate” certain areas of the body and achieve balance.
• Seated Forward Bend – Provides a wonderful stretch for anyone’s skill level and helps a yogi calm the mind before moving on.
• Plank Pose – This strength-building pose is beneficial, even if only the modified version is performed.
• Upward Facing Dog Pose – One of the many energizing poses in the Sun Salutation Sequence.
• Seated Spinal Twist – Beginners continue to deepen twisting poses as skill level increases.
• Lotus Pose – This is the traditional meditation pose.
• Corpse Pose – A healthful restorative pose, usually done at the end of practice.

Almost any yoga position is more accessible to beginners with the use of yoga equipment. Straps are helpful for arm and leg extensions; blocks help yogis balance in any number of poses; and bolsters add a foundation of support, as well help practitioners open up areas of the body such as the chest, hips, and back.

Helpful DVDs

If you’re unable to go to a yoga class now and can’t wait to start, here are some of the best instructional DVDs that teach gentle yoga positions for beginners:

• A.M. and P.M. Yoga for Beginners, with Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden. Both practices last approximately 20 minutes, and provide an effective introduction to the concept of yoga.
• Yoga Journal’s Yoga for Beginners I and Yoga Basics, a two-disc set, also features Walden. Some poses may be a bit too challenging for some beginners, but Walden’s careful instruction is helpful nevertheless.
• Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss, with instructor Suzanne Deason, has three different yogis performing postures with her. Each yogi is at a different skill level and flexibility, so beginners will have no trouble at all advancing their practice gradually. The focus on weight loss is more about striking a life balance than working out excessively.