Practicing yoga poses can be challenging, especially for beginners. But it’s important to remember that your body will improve with time and practice.
Taking legs-up-the-wall pose (viparita karani) relieves tired feet and legs, and it gently stretches the back of the neck and hamstrings. The balancing pose also helps you focus and promotes concentration.
Janu Sirsasana
Janu Sirsasana, also called Head-to-Knee Forward Fold, is a deep forward bend that helps calm the mind and stretch the body. This posture is usually practiced towards the end of a yoga session to allow the body time to relax in it.
If you have tight hips, you can prop up your knee with a block or towel. This is better than allowing your knee to “float” in the air and will lengthen the muscles around the externally rotated hip.
This pose is a great for beginners and can be deepened by practicing Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana, Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose. It stretches the spine, hamstrings, and hips, and stimulates the abdominal organs. It also brings fresh blood to the diaphragm, which improves breathing. This posture also increases concentration and awareness.
Downward-Facing Dog
The Downward-Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana is a powerful full body stretch. It stretches the shoulders and arms, lengthens the spine, opens the back of the neck, and strengthens the legs. It also invigorates and calms the mind.
It activates the Manipura and Ajna chakras which promote courage and self-confidence. On an energetic level, it symbolizes loyalty and unconditional love.
This pose should not be done by students with knee, shoulder, wrist, ankle or spine injuries. It is also a poor pose for those with high blood pressure because it’s an inversion. However, you can recreate the same shapes and actions of the traditional Downward-Facing Dog by standing in an upside down L facing a wall. This will reduce the angle of the hands and alleviate the strain on your wrists.
Warrior II
Warrior II, or Virabhadrasana 2, builds strength and stability in the legs and core. It also stretches the front leg and torso. It is a good transition posture for a flow sequence.
There is an outdated belief that the front knee must be bent at a precise 90 degrees in Warrior 2. A more important consideration for beginners is to make sure the front knee does not move inward toward the center of the mat.
From Warrior II, students can go into Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana) by extending the front arm down to the mat or a block and raising the back hand overhead. This pose builds balance and strengthens the shoulder muscles and inner thigh of the back leg. It can also be used to move into Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana). This requires a bit more strength, but it is a wonderful transition posture that emphasizes balance and core.
Cat-Cow
A staple in most yoga classes, the Cat-Cow stretches the spine and helps with balance. It also warms up the synovial fluid that lubricates each vertebrae, relieves stress and calms the mind. It’s especially helpful for beginners, and can help prevent back pain when practiced regularly.
It works the erector spinae (the main muscles that run along the length of your spine) and also the small muscles around each vertebrae, extending the neck, iliopsoas and serratus posterior muscles of the hips, and the front shoulder and chest muscles. It can be performed daily in a chair for people who cannot or do not want to practice on the floor.
Begin in tabletop position with your hands on the mat, shoulders directly over your wrist creases and hips aligned over your knees. Move into Cat on your exhalation and into Cow on your inhalation, repeating several times.
Bridge
Often used in sequences like Sun Salutations, the Bridge helps build back strength and creates length in the spine. It also strengthens the legs and hips, and promotes balance and concentration.
Start on all fours, with palms shoulder-distance apart and knees stacked under the hips. As you inhale, lift your hips and shoulders toward the sky. If you can’t reach the ground, place a block on the floor for support.
This energizing inversion strengthens the shoulders, arms, and wrists. It also opens the chest and stimulates the heart, while promoting confidence, calm, and stability. It’s also a great stretch for your legs and feet. You can even add a deep twist by holding your bottom leg higher up on the thigh or shin. This pose can be challenging for beginners and should be done with caution.