15 Basic Yoga Poses – Yoga for Beginners

By Jola @YolaYoga | August 28, 2021

There is a lot of yoga poses. But to get started, you need to know basic yoga poses for beginners. We share some of them in this article so you can start your practice at home as soon as possible.

To get more information about yoga and getting started, you may check out this article: Yoga Guide for Beginners.

The wonderful aspect of yoga is that what we gain on the mat we can take with us to our daily lives. Gained strength and flexibility of the body translates to willfulness and adaptability of the mind. Yoga practice also teaches us subtle lessons on how to be better.

The question to ask yourself while you are practicing yoga are:

Am I still breathing? Be careful not to hold your breath while in the pose. Maintain smooth breathing throughout the practice.

Is my body properly aligned? Are my feet aligned? Are my arms in the right position?

Where is my mind? Where is my attention during practice? Is it on the things you will be doing after the practice? Always bring attention to the body while practicing.

How Am I transitioning from pose to pose? Is it with intention and mindfulness?

To help you get started, the following are the basic 15 yoga poses.

Mountain Pose – Tadasana

The pose often starts the practice, and it has centering effects.

1. Stand at the front of your mat, with your feet together. Spread the toes wide and press evenly through all four corners of your feet.

2. Stand up tall and engage your legs, and buttocks, and draw your navel in. Projects the chest forward and relax your shoulders down. Make sure that the neck is aligned with the spine and the chin is parallel to the floor. Gaze forward.

Standing Forward Bend – Uttanasana

The pose stretches the hamstrings, and hip joints and has a relaxing effect on the mind.

1. From a standing position, bring both feet together. Then raise both arms overhead. Inhale and extend the spine and arms up.

2. On exhalation fold forward from the hips, keeping the back straight. Extending out and down and bringing the head toward the legs.

3. While in the pose, relax the back and keep the knees straight. Breathe normally and hold the pose for 20 seconds to 1 min.

Modifications: If there is tightness in the hamstrings or this bothers your lower back, bend your knees while in the pose.

Down dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana

This pose calms the mind and helps to relieve stress. It also stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves.

1. To start, come to your hands and knees. Spread your fingers wide on the floor. Make sure your hands are shoulder-distance apart—Tuck your toes under.

2. To come to a position, press into the palms and lift your hips up and back to create a “V” shape with your body. Press the heels down toward the floor.

3. While in the pose, straighten your arms and roll the inner part of the elbow forward while pressing evenly through all fingers. Allow the head to release down. Look toward feet. Bring the awareness to calf or hamstrings. Take 10 breaths. Come down to your fours or Child Pose (pose 1) if you are tired. Repeat 2x.

Warrior I – Virabhadrasana I

Warrior I strengthens the legs and back. It is also a centering pose that trains the mind to be focused.

1. Stand at the front of your mat. Take a big step back with your right foot, align your heels, and square your hips. Turn your right foot slightly forward and make sure your left toes point straight ahead.
2. Bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle so your left thigh is parallel to the floor. At the same time, press the right foot into the mat and keep straightening the right leg.
3. Extend your arms overhead. If elbows are straight, then touch your palms together and look up. Spin your left rib forward to square off your chest with the front of the room. Repeat on the other side.
4. Hold the position for 10 breaths and repeat on another side.

Warrior II – Virabhadrasana II

The Warrior II pose increases endurance and strengthens the legs and arms. Creates a sense of braveness.

1. Starting from the previous pose (Warrior I) turn your torso so it faces the sidewall of the room. Right toes to face forward and your left toes at a slightly in. Line up your front heel with the arch of your back foot.
2. Keep your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Press through the outer edge of your back foot and straighten the back leg.
3. Raise arms to shoulder height and reach them forward and back. Keep your torso directly over your hips.
4. Hold for 10 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Extended Side Angle –Parsvakonasana

The pose stretches the torso and lower back and strengthens the legs.

1. Starting from the previous pose (Warrior II) reach your front arm forward and place the elbow on the bended knee or place your hand on the outside of the front foot for a more intense stretch.
2. Turn your top palm toward the front of the room and reach it forward alongside your ear.
3. Open the chest towards the sidewall and look up.
4. Hold for 10 breaths and switch the sides.

Triangle – Trikonasana

The pose stretches hamstrings and calves, strengthens the core, and corrects the alignment of the shoulders.

1. Begin with a comfortable wide stand. Turn your right foot 90 degrees out and your left foot slightly in. Bring the right heel in line with the left heel.
2. On the exhalation shift your hips to the left and tilt your torso to the right while reaching to the right side as far as you can. Let your right palm come down to rest either on your thigh, shin, or on the floor. Reach straight up with your other hand. Keep the torso aligned with the hips. The back heel is pressing to the floor. Keep the knees straight and lift the kneecaps up. Gaze towards the raised hand.
3. Lengthen through both sides of your waist. Bring awareness to the hip and side of the torso. Take 10 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Half Moon – Ardha Chandrasana

The pose strengthens the legs and promotes balance.

1. Start in the Triangle pose on the right side. Fix your vision at one point on the floor in front of your right foot and bend your right knee.
2. Shift your weight onto your right leg, and straighten your right knee as you lift your left leg so it is parallel to the floor. Place your right hand on the ground or a block and extend your other hand straight up. Gaze first toward the floor. Later you can start turning the chest forward and gazing toward the top hand.
3. While in pose flex your back heel and keep your neck in line with your spine. Take 10 breaths. To come out from position just bend the right knee and bring your back foot to the floor and come to the triangle.  Switch the sides.

Modifications: You can do this pose with the wall behind you for easier balance.

Camel – Ustrasana

The Camel pose energizes the body and opens the chest.

1. Kneel and tuck the toes under. Place your hands on the back of your pelvis. Draw your elbows close to each other, so they point straight back.

2. Bring your thighs and hips forward and open your chest upward. Look up. Breath normally. Bring shoulder blades together.

Bow – Dhanurasana

This pose is great for digestive problems as it stimulates internal organs. It also stretches and opens the chest, shoulders, and quads, and strengthens the back and glutes.

1. To start lie facedown on your mat. Bring your forehead to the floor. Bend the knees and bring the heels toward the buttocks. Reach back and take hold of the ankles. Knees and heels should be parallel and kept apart.
2. On the next inhalation press the legs into the hands lifting the lower half of the body. Then slowly extend the chin and raise the head, neck, and chest.
3. Continue pressing the feet into palms and allow shoulders to release and arch the entire spine. Hold the position for 15-30 seconds.

Cobra – Bhujangasana

The pose is opening the chest and strengthening the lower back.

1. Lie facedown on your mat. Bend your elbows and place your palms flat on the floor alongside your lower ribs so that your elbows are stacked directly over your wrists. Keep legs together.

2. On an inhalation, press into your hands and use the muscles of your lower back to lift your chest off the ground. Keep your shoulders relaxed away from your ears as you draw them back and down.

3. Start to work your arms straight, but stop as soon as you feel your shoulders raising toward your ears. Take 5 to 8 breaths and come down. Repeat 2 more times.

Bridge – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

The pose is alleviating back pain, opens the chest and shoulders, and strengthens the glutes and quads. It also stimulates the thyroid gland.

1. Lie on your back. Bend your knees. Place your feet flat on the ground, hip-distance apart and parallel to the side of the mat. Stack your knees directly over your ankles. Place your arms alongside you; palms face down.

2. Inhale, and press down into your feet to lift your hips toward the ceiling.

3. Roll your shoulders toward each other underneath you. Interlace your fingers. Open chest toward the ceiling. Engage buttocks.

Modifications: If you have lower back issues, try turning this into a restorative pose. To do so, place a block on its low or medium height underneath your sacrum, the boniest part of the back of your pelvis.

Forward Bend – Pascimotanasana

The pose stretches the hamstrings and has calming effects on the mind. Recommended after backbends.

1. Start seating on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Inhale and reach your arms up alongside your ears.

2. On an exhale, hinge from the hips and start to reach forward. Lead with your chest and do not round your back.

3. When you can’t reach any further, let your hands come down either to the ground or the outside of your legs or clasp your feet

Half Lord of the Fishes – Ardha Matsyendrasana

This pose promotes proper digestion and stretches the spine.

1. Seat straight with legs extended in front of you. Bend your right knee, place your right foot over your left thigh, and set it on the outside of your left leg.

2. Bend your left leg and the heel toward the right sit bone. Sit tall.

3. Place your right hand behind you and lift your left hand to the ceiling. As you exhale, twist to the right and bring your left elbow to the outside of your right knee.

Repeat on the other side.

Corpse – Savasana

The Corpse pose has relaxing effects on the body and mind, and it ends each yoga practice. Probably the most important pose as it requires letting go. During the Corpse poses, we can practice the Yoga Nidra – guided relaxation technique that leads to deeper relaxation.

Stay in position without movement for about 5 minutes after each yoga practice. Close your eyes. You can also cover yourself with a blanket and cover your eyes. If you feel pain in your lower back, you can place a bolster underneath your knees.

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