Easy Yoga Positions for beginners

Yoga is an incredible practice to help your body move healthily. It has incredible benefits to both your physical and mental health, however, you may be tentative to know where to start. We’ve put together 5 basic yoga positions that are perfect for beginners.

Yoga is an intense yet holistic form of exercise, with its beginnings starting in ancient India all based on balance, strength, and flexibility. With any new sport or fitness regime you try, it will be difficult at first. All you need to do is persevere and you’ll soon reap the rewards of your hard work. Start with these basic asanas (positions). Hold each pose for 3-5 long breaths.

Tadasana

Tadasana is the Mountain pose, taken by literally translation. The purpose of this pose is to stand with majestic strength. Tadasana involves major groups of muscles, improves focus and concentration, and is the starting position of all the other poses.

You’ll need to stand with your heels slightly apart and your arms resting beside your body. Ensure you balance your body weight evenly on your feet. The most important part of tadasana is ensuring that your alignment is correct. Your ears, shoulders, hips, and ankles should all be in one line.

Vrikshasana

Vrikshasana is also known as tree pose. The purpose of this asana is to give you a sense of grounding by improving your balance and posture. Place your left foot evenly and firmly on the floor, then raise your right foot to be flat against your left thigh. Spend some time finding your balance whist keeping your left leg straight. Start to inhale and whilst doing so, raise your arms over your head and bring your palms together. Keep your spine straight and upright, take some deeps breaths and exhale. When you exhale you can bring your hands down and release your leg. Repeat this asana with the other leg.

Kursiasana

This pose is known as the chair pose and is intensely powerful. This asana not only strengthens the muscles of your legs and arms, but builds your willpower. All of this together creates an energising effect both on your body and mind. Stand with your feet slightly apart. Stretch your arms straight. Inhale and bend your knees, pushing your hips down as if you’re sitting on a chair. Keep your hands parallel to the ground and your spine always straight. Bend gradually whilst taking deep breaths.

Warrior poses

Warrior poses are extremely important for building strength and stamina in yoga. They aid to build strength in the entire lower body and core, whilst stretching the hips and thighs in particular. For Warrior pose 1, you stretch open the front body, whilst strengthening legs, core, and upper body with a gentle backbend. Take a large step back with your left foot, similar to a lunge. Turn your left heel down and angle your left toes forward 45˚. Lift your chest up and press your palms overhead. Hold for multiple depth breaths, then repeat on the opposite leg.