Yoga is praised for its comprehensive effects on the body, mind, and soul. For those who are new to the practice, yoga can help them become more physically strong, more flexible, and simply find moments of calm among the busyness of life.
It is crucial that you start your yoga practice with fundamental positions that encourage awareness, breathing exercises, and appropriate alignment. These fundamentals not only make every pose more effective, but they also foster a stronger body-mind connection.
Mountain pose (Tadasana)
How to perform: Place your feet together and keep your arms by your sides. Lift your chest, engage your thighs, shift your weight equally over both feet, and extend your arms above so that your palms are facing each other.
Benefits: include better posture, stronger knees, thighs, and ankles, as well as heightened body awareness.
Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
How to perform: Get down on all fours. Raise and extend your hips, erect your legs, and press your heels down towards the ground. Maintain a head-between-arms position.
Benefits: Strengthens arms and legs and stretches shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and hands. Additionally, it increases circulation and eases tension.
Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
How to perform: Start off on all fours. Taking a breath, raise your head and tailbone while arching your back (Cow). Exhale, tuck your chin and tailbone in, and round your spine (Cat).
Benefits: Promotes flexibility in the spine, massages the organs, and reduces tension.
Child pose (Balasana)
How to perform: Bend forward, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms in front of you or beside your body while kneeling on the floor.
Benefits: Lessens tension and weariness while gently stretching the ankles, thighs, and hips.
Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
How to do it: Extend your legs while lying face down. With your elbows slightly bent, place your hands beneath your shoulders, press into your palms, and raise your chest.
Benefits: Enhances posture, opens the chest and lungs, and strengthens the spine.
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
How to perform: stand with your legs apart. Rotate your left foot slightly inward and your right foot out ninety degrees. While bending your right knee, maintain a straight left leg. Lift your arms above your head.
Benefits: Increases focus and balance, expands the chest and hips, and strengthens the legs.
Tree pose (Vrksasana)
How to perform: Position the sole of your other foot on your inner thigh or calf while standing on one leg; do not rest it on your knee. Maintain equilibrium while bringing your hands together above or at your chest.
Benefits: include strengthening the legs and core, increasing stability and balance, and enhancing focus.
Seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana)
How to perform: Sit with your legs out in front of you. Take a breath, extend your back, then release it as you bend forward from the hips and grab your shins or feet.
Benefits: Enhances digestion, stimulates the liver and kidneys, and stretches the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings.