Ready to start Yoga? It’s time to get familiar with all the wonderful poses you’ll be practising. While these poses might seem difficult at first glance, there are ways to get the hang of them, and we’ll take a closer look at them in this piece.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that engages the mind and body. It involves meditating, movements, and breathing techniques to improve your mental and physical state. It also has a ton of other science-based benefits for the body.
Before embarking on your yoga journey, beginners have a lot to learn. For starters, it’s important to note that you should pick yoga styles based on your fitness scale and aims. There are tons of yoga styles with different Yoga poses underneath them.
For instance, we have Ashtanga yoga, Power yoga, Hot Yoga, Restorative Yoga, kundalini yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and Hatha Yoga.
Yoga for Beginners
As a beginner, your yoga routine can be easy with Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a type of Yoga that is recommended for the average beginner because it’s a gentle practice. It’s the basics of Yoga. It focuses on static and simple poses and, thus, is an excellent choice for any user looking to start easy.
Under Hatha Yoga, here are the yoga poses for beginners:
- Mountain pose
- Tree pose
- Locust pose
- Downward-facing dog pose
- Bridge pose
MOUNTAIN POSE
As a beginner, it is advisable to kick off your yoga journey with the Mountain pose. It is the basis for standing asanas (poses). It is a standing pose that focuses on balancing and has been recognized since mediaeval times. It is also called Tadasana.
Now how does one do the Mountain pose? Although it is a standing pose, it’s a little more complicated than simply standing. There are specific movements to make with your body.
When doing a Mountain pose, you stand tall, ensuring that your back is straightened with your weight balanced on your feet. Lift your hands above your head and join your palms, ensuring your palm is upward. Raise your shoulders to your ears, then roll them back and down as you exhale. This simple pose tests your focus and can improve your stature. However, while it might be super easy, it does have a downside. Staying in the Tadasana pose can lead to dizziness and low blood pressure. Thus, you might want to avoid staying in this pose for too long.
TREE POSE
Like the previous one, the Tree Pose is also a pose for balancing. It is a simple yoga pose. Another name for it is vrikshasana. As it was popular during mediaeval times, it is still recognized in modern Yoga as exercise.
So, how is this tree pose done?
As a beginner, if you constantly practice the ‘mountain pose,’ this one will be a piece of cake. After getting into the mountain pose, bend one leg towards the other knee. It can be left or right.
The tree pose helps to strengthen the ligament and tendons of your feet. It, however, has its side effect, as staying in the tree pose for a long time may lead to insomnia and hypertension.
LOCUST POSE
If you’re looking to try Yoga, one of the best poses is the locust pose, also known as the grasshopper pose. It is stretching yoga for beginners. You don’t need a partner for this yoga pose; it is a simple back-bending pose.
First, lay down on your stomach with your arms by your side and place your chin on the mat. Pressing your lower stomach on the floor helps to stretch the lower back. Then as you exhale each time, pull your navel in.
This pose helps to improve the back and core muscles and is an excellent choice if you’re prone to back pain and stiffness. However, the pose is not the best for asthmatic patients as the pressure placed on the abdomen and the chest in that position can be dangerous.
DOWNWARD FACING DOG POSE
This pose is a Yoga stretching pose for beginners. Also known as Adho Mukha Svanasana, it’s a forward bend pose and is also considered a foundational yoga pose.
First, go on all fours and slightly bend your knees to reach the back of your hips. Your shoulders should be far from each other, and your fingers should be spread wide. Gently press your hand onto the mat, tuck your toes, and breathe.
It helps in strengthening the shoulders and helps with body heating. However, despite this pose’s benefits, it can lead to back pain if not done correctly.
BRIDGE POSE
Also called Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, this pose is a reclining back-bend pose. This is one of the best poses for maximum and effective beginner stretches.
Straighten your leg on your back and gently place your feet flat on the floor, ensuring your hips are wide apart. With arms alongside your body, palms should be facing down as the fingertips slightly touch the heels. Your knees should be squeezed together for the hips to be still kept apart. Similarly, keep your arms and shoulders down at all times. This pose is an excellent choice because it helps to stimulate the nervous system and endocrine. It also energises the body.
However, not everyone can pull off this pose. It is not the best pose for those with knee problems as it places a lot of strain on the knee.
Final Thoughts
Practising Yoga as a beginner can be tricky and flat-out brutal. But with the right trainer, you should be fine. If some yoga poses are not done correctly, you could experience medical issues like hypertension and injuries that might require surgery. However, with this handy guide, you can get into these poses with minimal difficulty.
These may not be the only yoga poses, but they’ve been carefully chosen and curated as they’re the best Yoga poses for beginners. These yoga asanas will gradually ease you into a comfortable Yoga routine, and subsequently, you can explore other yoga positions.
