If you’re new to yoga, it’s important to find a class that works for your body and your ability. This will help prevent injury and keep you from getting discouraged if you can’t master certain poses right away.
Add this standing balance pose to your practice to improve your hip flexibility and your sense of stability. If you have trouble holding the balance, try placing a block under your front foot.
Downward-Facing Dog
The most famous yoga posture, Downward Facing Dog strengthens the wrists, arms and shoulders; and stretches the hamstrings, calves and back body. It also helps relieve lower back pain, which is common among many people.
For beginners, Downward Dog can feel challenging, especially if the feet are too far apart. Beginners often think their feet should be wider than the mat, but they should actually be hip distance apart.
Another problem in Downward Facing Dog is that the upper arms are not externally rotated, which can cause shoulder impingement. To prevent this, make sure that the index fingers point forward. If you are unable to do that, try placing the base of the palm on a folded blanket or fancy foam wedge to open the angle of the wrist.
Child’s Pose
Child’s Pose, also known as Balasana (ba-LAH-sana) is a soothing forward bending yoga pose that stretches the back muscles and relaxes the neck. This restorative posture may help reduce lower back pain, and enhances the health of the hips, knees, thighs, ankles and spine.
Start in tabletop position, then spread the knees a little wider than hip-width apart with the big toes touching. For people with tight hips or knees, you can use a folded blanket for extra cushioning.
Practicing child’s pose can help you to breathe more deeply, which may help manage stress and depression. You can hold the pose for one to two minutes or as long as it feels comfortable.
Cobbler’s Pose
Baddha Konasana (BAH-dhah koh-NAHS-ah) is a hip and groin opener that improves fertility. The pose also increases blood flow to the pelvic floor and can relieve menstrual pain.
Cobbler’s Pose can be a restorative pose, especially if you use a pillow to support your head or a bolster under your spine. You can also place a folded blanket beneath your knees to create a deeper opening in the groin and hips.
Reclined Cobbler’s Pose helps to calm the mind and encourages mindfulness meditation. You may choose to focus on your breath, a mantra or any other form of meditation. Hold the pose for 10 to 20 minutes, using a timer to keep you from falling asleep.
Warrior II
Warrior II, or Virabhadrasana 2, is a balancing and energizing pose that strengthens the legs and back. It also stretches the chest and shoulders, opening them and strengthening the core muscles.
It’s a common mistake to line up the hips too far behind the shoulders in warrior 2. This can cause pain, especially if the front knee is not bent at a 90-degree angle.
If the front knee is not bending at a 90-degree angle, it can put too much stress on the quadriceps. Shortening the stance by bringing the feet closer together can help alleviate this problem. It also reduces compression through the back leg and hips.
Tree Pose
Often called Vrksasana, Tree Pose strengthens the legs and core, opens the hips and stretches the inner thigh and groin muscles.1 It also cultivates balance—a skill that’s especially important as you get older.
Beginners may find it helpful to stand close to a wall, which can offer support if they lose balance. Even if you don’t touch the wall, knowing it is there can provide confidence and boost your performance.
To make the pose more challenging, try placing your raised foot on a block, a blanket or even a chair to increase the difficulty of maintaining balance. You can also experiment with arm variations to further challenge your balance and proprioception.
Cat Pose
The Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana) improves spinal mobility and stretches the shoulders, upper back and neck. It can also alleviate lower back pain and neck discomfort. It is usually performed alongside Cow Pose in a vinyasa flow that synchronizes the movement of the spine with the inhalation and exhalation of the breath.
This rhythmic movement is energizing and helps the spine de-stress, activating the parasympathetic nervous system. It also strengthens the erector spinae muscles, long muscles that run the length of the back. It is a prerequisite to other spine-related yoga poses such as Cobra Pose, Bow Pose and Tiger Pose. This pose is a part of most yoga classes.