Know More About Yoga | Yoga Poses Online

If you are new to yoga, there’s a great chance you’ll be overwhelmed by the number of yoga poses online. There are around 300 yoga poses, out of which 80 are the most common. For a beginner, this can seem too much. The abundance of yoga practitioners posting their photos in extreme balancing poses can easily turn a newbie away. But don’t be discouraged! Yoga is a very powerful practice that impacts all levels of your being. It’s important to start with the asanas – physical postures that prepare your body and mind for more subtle exercises, like pranayama, breathing techniques. Here areten asanas to help you kick off your yoga journey. You can practice them individually or together in this order, for a nice flow.

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1. Tadasana – Mountain Pose

Begin your practice in Mountain pose, a fundamental asana that will give you a sense of body awareness and balance. Stand with your feet together, creating a solid base with your toes. Lift the kneecaps, engaging your quadriceps, belly slightly drawn in, hands relaxed by your side, shoulders down. Though this asana seems simple, it’s important not to rush through it, because it gives you a chance to feel your body. When you’re ready, with an inhale, you can lift your hands above your head and join the palms to extend the spine.  

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2. Bitilasana – Cow Pose

From standing position, the best way to warm up the spine is through the gentle movement of Cow pose.  Start in tabletop position, with your knees under your hips, wrists under your shoulders. Keep your elbows and shoulders in line and perpendicular to the floor, and your neck and head in a neutral position.  As you inhale, lift your chest and sitting bones to the ceiling, allowing your belly to sink to the floor, but make sure there is some engagement in the abdomen. Lift the head and look between your eyebrows. With exhale come back to neutral.

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3. Marjaryasana – Cat Pose

Cat Pose is often paired with Cow pose. Together they make a gentle vinyasa – movement paired with the breath, that you can do in the morning or any time before your practice. Maintain the same tabletop position as for Cow Pose. With an exhale round your spine toward the ceiling, without moving your knees and shoulders. Sucking the belly in will you give you an effect of a gentle organ massage. Release your head to the floor, but do not force your chin to touch the chest. With an inhale come back to neutral. For a slow vinyasa, combine Cat and Cow pose for five cycles, letting the breath guide you through the movement.

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4. Phalakasana –Plank Pose

Plank is a popular strengthening exercise, and there’s a good reason for that. When assumed correctly, Plank Pose will make your core and shoulders burn. After  Cat-Cow, stay on the balls of your feet and lift your knees off the floor,  straightening the legs and keeping the whole body in one line. Do not collapse between your shoulder blades, rather push through them. Imagine as if someone is going to sit on your back – you want to push the floor down, engaging the abdomen. This asana will help you reduce belly fat and tone the legs. When practiced daily, it can improve overall stamina and relieve stress. 

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5. Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward Facing Dog

Downward Dog is a famous pose that strengthens and stretches your whole body. Since it’s also a mild inversion, it will energize and rejuvenate and can help with headaches, insomnia, and depression. If practiced regularly, it can relieve your back pain and digestion. To assume Downward Facing Dog, begin in tabletop position, spread your fingers apart, and press through your palms. As you exhale, tuck your toes and lift your knees, reaching your pelvis to the sky. Imagine your whole body taking the shape of the letter „A.“ If you can, straighten your legs, but do not lock out the knees. If this is too much, keep your knees bent, and focus on extending the spine. Hold the pose for at least five breaths.

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6. Balasana – Child’s Pose

Balasana is probably everyone’s favorite resting pose. Just like in tadasana, it’s important that you don’t rush it. Give yourself time. For this pose, you can keep your knees together or wider apart, toes touching. If you can, place your forehead on the ground, or use a cushion to rest your head. Arms can be in front of the body or by your side. Relax the shoulders and feel your body melting. Stay here as long as you need. This asana will reduce stress and tension in your chest, shoulders, and back.

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7. Dandasana – Staff Pose

Staff Pose often seems as a deceivingly simple asana, that proves to be very demanding. It’s a great preparatory pose for all seated asanas. Dandasana plays a big role in strengthening the core and improving posture. To enter this pose, sit with your legs extended and feet flexed. Depending on the strength of your legs, your heels may lift. Draw your shoulder blades together and elongate the spine. With your palms on the floor, lift the heart center, grounding through your sitting bones. If your hands are long and cause your shoulders to lift to your ears, avoid this by gently bending the elbows. Breathe deeply and hold the asana for as long your breath isn’t disturbed. For beginners with tight hamstrings, this pose can be extremely challenging. To make it easier, you can sit on a pillow, maintaining the natural curve in your lumbar region.

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8 Baddha Konasana – Bound Angle Pose

If you are starting yoga, chances are your hips are tight. Baddha Konasana is an amazing asana that can help open the hips. Sit on a pillow or blanket, bend both knees and place the souls of your feet together. If the vertebrae in your lower back are sticking out, your spine is in flexion. In this case, place another blanket under your sitting bones, or use your arms to help you sit straight. Hold your feet with your hands and try pulling them apart as if they were covers of a book. This gentle movement will help open your hips, allowing the legs to release to the sides. Keep your breath calm and deep, maintaining the posture for 5-10 deep inhales.

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9. Navasana – Boat Pose

Abdominal strength is vital for many yoga poses, and Navasana is the way to get there. If you have a sedentary lifestyle like so many people today, your hip flexors are probably lazy, and Boat pose will cure that too. From a seated position, bend your knees with your feet on the floor. Keep your neck in line with the spine, hands in front of the body in line with the shoulders, as you lift your feet off the ground. Your torso will fall back, but make sure your spine stays straight and doesn’t bend. To begin, keep your knees bent and shin parallel to the floor. If you feel strong, you can straighten the legs, but do not bend your spine. Don’t worry if your knees stay bent or your legs shake. Navasana is challenging but well worth it. Stay in the pose for five breathes and repeat 3-5 times.

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10. Savasana – Corps Pose

 Savasana looks like a nice pose to take a nap, but it’s not about that. Some would argue that it’s the hardest pose of all since it requires the same amount of awareness as any other yoga asana. During your rest in Savasana, keep your eyes closed, your breath deep and calm, and once again – do not rush through it. To feel the benefit of this posture, you should stay in it for a minimum of 10 minutes. Practiced daily, Savasana can relieve mild depression, fatigue, insomnia, and even high blood pressure. Even a few minutes in Savasana will bring you to a state of deep rest both for the mind and body.

To begin with Savasana, lay on your mat, with your legs as wide as the corners of the mat, with your feet falling to the sides. Keep your arms by the sides of your body; palms turned upwards. Relax your jaw, tucking your chin slightly towards your chest. Once you are fully relaxed, you can begin to scan the entire body, from your toes to the top of your head. Maintain alertness, and try not to doze off. Savasana is a pose of total relaxation which can easily make it very challenging. Dedicate enough time to this asana, and watch as your life changes.

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