If you’re a beginner, yoga poses can seem overwhelming. But with the right practice and guidance, you can master the basic poses. These beginner yoga poses can help you build core strength, sculpt your legs and arms, and calm your mind.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and bend your knees slightly. Reach your hands to the floor and relax your shoulders.
Ardha Uttanasana
The Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold Pose) is a very powerful pose that can put a lot of stress on the neck, shoulders and back. To prevent this from happening, you should do a series of preparation poses before trying the final pose. These preparation poses include the pigeon pose, bow pose, bound angle pose and garland pose.
This yoga stance strengthens the muscles in the ankles, calves, hamstrings and upper and lower back. It also stretches the neck, torso and arms. Practicing this pose also helps in improving the digestion process and preventing constipation. It also massages the internal organs such as the liver, pancreas, spleen and kidneys. It also improves posture by correcting hunchbacks. This pose is not suitable for those with back injuries, glaucoma or hyperextended knees.
Ardha Matsyendrasana
Aside from enhancing spine flexibility, this yoga pose also invigorates and balances energy levels. Moreover, it can help you develop mindfulness and a sense of calmness.
It is recommended that you perform this pose after a gentle warm-up of the spine, hips, and shoulders. You should also be mindful of any pre-existing conditions that may prevent you from practicing this posture.
The Ardha Matsyendrasana, or Half Lord of the Fishes Pose, is an intermediate-level seated twist. This pose is named after Matsyendranath, a ninth-century yogi who allegedly transformed himself into a fish and then into a human being by Lord Shiva. In Sanskrit, “ardha” means half, “matsya” means fish, and “indra” means lord or king. This pose combines a spinal twist with a leg stretch.
Supta Matsyendrasana
Supta Matsyendrasana, also known as Reclined Spinal Twist Pose or Belly Twist pose, is a supine twisted beginner-level yoga posture. This relaxing posture stretches the hips, back, and shoulders and stimulates internal detoxification processes. It is a great pose to end your practice or as a relaxing pose at the end of the day.
It improves spinal mobility, relieves tension and fatigue, and hydrates the discs. It is a good antidote to sitting hunched over desks for long periods of time and can also help with digestion. This yoga pose can be a challenge for beginners, but it can be modified by using props to support the body and prevent injuries. Beginners can also start with Half Supta Matsyendrasana, where only one leg is twisted across the body, before progressing to full pose.
Supta Padangusthasana
Supta Padangusthasana, also known as Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose, is a beginner-friendly yoga pose that strengthens and unwinds the legs and hips. It is a great way to relieve back pain and hamstring tension. This pose is also believed to stimulate the muladhara chakra, which helps one stay grounded. A balanced muladhara chakra can help improve fertility, family life and prosperity.
This pose is a great addition to any practice because it strengthens the hamstring muscles and the quadricep muscles, which are responsible for straightening the leg. It can be used early in the class to open the leg muscles before more challenging poses or at the end of the practice as a calming restorative pose.
This pose should not be performed if you have any hip, knee or lower back injuries. Also, pregnant women should avoid this pose.
Ardha Padangusthasana
Originally known as Half Lord of the Fishes, this pose is a seated variation of Dancing Shiva. To practice this posture, start by standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Keep the feet hip-width apart and distribute the weight evenly across both legs. Next, bend your knees slightly and fold forward to lower the head below the heart.
This posture is an excellent balancer for the lungs and heart and provides strength in the ankle and knee joints. It also strengthens the adductor muscles of the legs and helps improve balance and coordination. In addition, it stretches the Piriformis muscle and improves lower back flexibility. However, the pose is not recommended for anyone with a herniated disc or sciatic nerve problems. Also, it’s important to remember that attempting this pose too early can cause injury.