5 Easy Yoga Poses For Beginners with Explanations and Video Links
If you are brand new to the world of yoga, it probably feels like a minefield to you especially when your only point of reference is seeing somebody do a complicated pose on the edge of a cliff. Some yoga positions are definitely a little more complicated than others but you should not let that put you off. There are still many yoga positions that you can do as a beginner and as you become more experienced at yoga, different positions and melting into the moves should just come naturally to you as you notice a difference in your strength. To help you out when you are first getting started, please take a look at these 5 easy yoga poses for beginners with explanations and video links included also.
1 - Child’s Pose
This is actually quite an easy pose to get into and many yoga workouts will start and end with this pose because it is known as one of the more relaxed ones. This is often the pose that you will return to while you rest between some more complicated maneuvers. You should start by kneeling on the floor with your heels pressed together and your knees about shoulder width apart, ensuring your palms are resting on the tops of your thighs. As you do a deep exhale lower your torso between your legs and stretch your arms out in front of you on the floor. You can also have your arms stretched behind you if this comes more naturally to you. If you are still a little confused about how to do the child’s pose, you can check out the following link which will take you to a YouTube video.
2 - Mountain Pose
This is a very strong pose and it is the pose that a lot of other movements and yoga positions come from so it is a very important one to know. It is fairly easy to do for most beginners who are looking to improve their skills. Start with your feet together and arms down by your side, make sure that your weight is distributed evenly on your feet while you do this. Press your toes together and then pull them apart before putting them back on the mat, one foot at a time. Rotate your thighs inwards and pull in your belly as you stand up tall. All your body should be elongated as you let your arms hang naturally by your side with your palms facing forward. Check out the mountain pose in action below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDY2ayzTUuU [/Mountain%20Pose]
3 - Cat and Cow Pose
The alternating cat and cow pose is easy to do and provides a really good stretch for beginners who are looking to improve their flexibility. Start off by getting on all fours on your yoga mat, your spine should be neutral and your abs should be engaged while you get ready to do the pose and throughout. Breath slow and mindfully and as you exhale, round your spine up towards the ceiling and tuck your chin into your chest. On your next breath, arch your back inwards and lift your head and tailbone upwards. These two moves slightly resemble a cow and a cat, hence the name! You can find an example of the cat and cow pose in video form on the following link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqnua4rHVVA [/Cat%20and%20Cow%20Pose]
4 - Downward Facing Dog
Even if you are completely new to everything relating to yoga, you should have definitely heard of the downward-facing dog. It takes slightly more effort than the other yoga poses that have been mentioned so far but it is really important that you learn it because it is probably the most common position in yoga. Go onto your hands and knees with your palms just past the shoulders and your fingers facing forwards. Lift your hips and move your body into a “V” shape, your feet should remain hip-width apart. When you first do this move, the heels of your feet might be off the floor but don’t worry about that because the more you practice it, the better you should become. If you are still confused, take a look at the following video as you try to master the downward-facing dog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC7RGJ975iM [/Downward%20Facing%20Dog]
5 - Warrior One
You will look and feel like a warrior in this position and once you have mastered this move, you will be able to easily transition into warrior two. You have to start in a mountain pose (as discussed previously) and as you exhale, step your left foot back approximately four feet so that you are in the lunge position with your right ankle over your right knee. Raise your arms over your head and turn your left foot around 90 degrees until it is facing the wall. Make sure that you align your left heel perpendicular to your right heel and expand your chest while pulling your shoulders back. To check out the warrior one position, you can look at the link below. If you want to learn to go from warrior one into warrior two and exactly how to perform warrior two, you should easily be able to find a video about this on YouTube also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4qaVoAbeHM [/Warrior%20One]
Now that you know a little bit more about yoga and the different poses you need to learn when you are first starting, you will hopefully be more confident going forward. When you try some of the poses, you will hopefully see that they are not as complicated as you might have thought. Even though the explanations are quite complex, they are easy to get into especially if you watch the corresponding videos for reference. Whether you want to look for yoga classes in your area or you just want to teach yourself to do it at home using videos, it is completely up to you. All you really need is a mat and the drive to want to show up on that mat every single day!