Essential Yoga Poses for Beginners: 7 Key Positions (PDF Included!)

Yoga is an incredible activity for your body, especially since you don’t need a gym, any equipment, or prior experience! You may have heard similar things about yoga before and might have even tried a class or two. But what makes yoga so special? Isn’t it just stretching and breathing? Yes, but it’s much more than that. Yoga can be one of the best workouts for weight loss—if done correctly.

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As you can see, yoga offers a wide range of benefits that other fitness activities may not provide. So, how do you begin? The poses listed below are included in our FREE yoga guides, so be sure to download them for easy access on your mobile device or tablet when you’re ready to practice! Maintaining your health can be simple. Even if you’re short on time, you can start working on your weight loss goals with some basic poses.

Vajrasana, or the Thunderbolt Pose, is a straightforward seated position with your knees and feet together, resting your sit bones directly on your heels. This posture is great for aligning your spine, practicing deep breathing, and calming your mind. It also stretches the ankles and knees, boosts blood circulation, and helps maintain flexibility. Practice for up to five minutes, taking breaks if your knees, ankles, or feet feel strained. You can also sit on a prop like a block, folded blanket, or pillow.

This classic pose, commonly practiced in vinyasa-style classes, is perhaps the best full-body stretch. Your body forms an inverted “V,” with your tailbone as the highest point and your weight evenly distributed between your hands and feet. Your heart is above your head, providing the benefits of a gentle inversion. This grounding pose stimulates the first and second chakras and fully opens the ribcage, allowing for deep, powerful breathing. Beginners may find this pose challenging as they seek flexibility and alignment, but with practice, it can become as restful as Child’s Pose and Corpse Pose.

A deep hip stretch is both powerful and enjoyable for yoga students at any level. While this pose has many variations and difficulty levels, a passive or yin approach can create an effective stretch. One knee bends so that the foot is in front of the opposite hip, resting on the mat, while the other leg extends behind you. Let the bent leg rest naturally without forcing the angle, and relax your torso over the leg. As you breathe deeper into the stretch, you can gently use a hand to increase the angle of the bent leg for a more intense stretch. Keeping your hips flexible can reduce lower back pain, improve posture and balance, and lower the risk of injury.

This simple set of poses gently strengthens the core while stretching the arms, stomach, and back. Often used as a warm-up for a longer, more intense yoga practice, it can also serve as an introduction to more challenging core-strengthening poses. To begin, get on your hands and knees, spreading your hands wide and tucking your toes. Ensure your knees are hip-distance apart and directly under your hips, with your wrists under your shoulders. Inhale as you sink your stomach toward the ground, lifting your chest and head into the air for Cow Pose. Exhale as you push into the floor and arch your back, drawing your navel toward your spine for Cat Pose. Continue alternating between these two poses with your breath, maintaining strength in your limbs and core.

The upper back holds a lot of tension, so releasing it is crucial for both body and mind. In this pose, your legs come over your head, with your body weight resting on your shoulders and the back of your head. Remember to keep your cervical vertebrae lifted by tilting your chin up and keeping your shoulder blades close together. This pose is one of the best for relieving stress, anxiety, and depression. It teaches us to breathe into our back and belly rather than just the upper chest.

This pose is excellent for core strength and is often included in vinyasa flow sequences like sun salutations. It’s easy enough for most people to hold for a few seconds, yet challenging enough that staying in this pose for an extended period can provide a good core workout. This core-strengthening pose resembles the position your body takes at the top of a push-up. Place your shoulders over your wrists, with your arms shoulder-width apart and fingers spread. Keep your legs and back straight behind you, engage your leg muscles, and avoid bending your back too much for the best results.

The classic resting pose, typically done at the end of any practice, can be hard to remember to practice. Even if just for a moment, take a few breaths in this pose. Remember that you are perfect in that moment simply by breathing, which is the most important thing we do and our deepest connection to life around us. You can find even more poses in our yoga for beginners PDF—sign up for your free yoga guides here.

If you want to start a regular yoga practice but aren’t sure how to begin, check out our Yoga Fat Loss Bible for Beginners! You don’t need a gym membership or expensive equipment, and there are no complicated poses! It’s a great option for those looking to lose weight, gain flexibility, and relieve aches and pains through a calming yoga practice. It also includes a free meditation guide for beginners to help you let go of worries and reduce stress and anxiety. The guide features detailed instructions and beginner modifications for your practice, along with a 6-Week Workout Plan that any beginner can follow! You can check it out by clicking here!

Always remember that the hardest part of doing yoga is simply showing up. Make sure to show up today and give your best to these exercises. You deserve it! If you enjoyed this article on yoga for beginners or have any questions, please leave them in the comments below!