Whether you own a yoga studio, or just own yoga pants, mastering basic yoga poses is essential to developing the strength, balance, and flexibility needed in performing more complex poses later on:
Tree Pose
Tree pose involves maintaining a steady balance on one leg. This will help strengthen the stabilizers in your feet, and increase stamina in your legs, back, and core muscles. Maintain this pose for at least 30 to 60 seconds before switching sides:
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Standing straight up, shift your weight slightly onto your left foot, and bend your right knee. Your left instep and ball should be firmly pressed to the floor.
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Clasp your right ankle with your right hand, and gradually draw the sole of your right foot up against your inner left thigh. Your right heel should be above the left knee, with your toes pointed downward.
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Rest both hands on the rim of your pelvis. At this point, the center of your pelvis should be directly over your left foot.
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Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor, and press your right foot firmly against your left thigh. Slowly raise your hands high over your head, and raise your chin.
Child’s Pose
This pose is meant to relax the body by lengthening the spine and stretching the back and shoulders. Because this is a resting pose, you can maintain this position for up to a few minutes before getting back up.
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Kneel on the floor with your feet close together so that your big toes are touching.
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Sit on your heels, and spread your knees until they are as wide as your hips.
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Exhaling, lay your torso down between your thighs and point your chin to your collarbone.
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Lay your hands face-up alongside your torso, and let your shoulders relax towards the floor.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
This pose improves flexibility in the hamstrings, as well as strength in the shoulders, core, and arms. As this pose requires more endurance, try to hold it for at least one to three minutes.
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Begin on your hands and knees, with your hands in front of your shoulders, and your knees directly under your hips. Pull your toes back so that they are resting on the ground.
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Exhaling, lift your knees from the floor, pointing your tailbone directly upward, and pulling the hips backward.
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Straighten, but don’t lock, your knees and press your heels to the floor. Straighten your back.
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Extend your arms and fingers so that your shoulder blades are contracting inward. Keep your head between your upper arms without letting it hang.
Cobra Pose
As strong core muscles are crucial to effective yoga, it’s important that they receive plenty of rest and stretching. Cobra pose provides such a stretch, and only needs to be held for around 30 seconds or so.
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Lying face-down on the floor, stretch your legs back with the tops of your feet to the floor.
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Rest your palms on the floor just beneath your shoulders, elbows against your body.
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Inhaling, begin to straighten your arms until your chest is off the floor. Press your hips against the ground, and gently contract your glutes.
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Pull your shoulders back and your shoulder blades inward while puffing out your chest.
Warrior Pose
If you spend much of your day sitting, you may find your hip flexors becoming tight. Warrior pose provides a full stretch of your hip flexors and defends against lower back pain. You should hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds before switching sides.
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Spread your feet until they’re about three to four feet apart, and raise your arms straight up, fingers pointed upward.
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Turn your left foot slightly inward, and point your right foot 90 degrees outward, then slowly rotate your torso to the right (shoulders should be parallel with the edge of your mat).
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Plant your left heel, and slowly bend your right knee until you feel a pull in your left hip flexor.
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Lift the ribcage from the pelvis and reach up with your hands. Complete the stretch by raising your chin towards your hands.
Sage’s Pose
This is basic pose is designed to stretch the back, glutes, and hamstrings. It also helps bring alignment to the spine. About 30 to 60 seconds on each side is sufficient.
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Sit on the floor with your legs extended, ankles together, and heels on the ground. Then bend your right knee until your right heel meets your right glute.
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Pull your left toes back toward you and push the ball of your left foot forward to straighten your leg. Press your right heel into the floor.
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Exhaling, rotate your torso to the right and hold your right thigh with your left arm. Relax your right hip, and rest your right hand on the floor just behind your pelvis.
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Lengthen the spine with each breath and bring your right thigh closer to your chest until you feel a pull along your right glute.
While there are many more important poses to add to your yoga repertoire, mastering these basic poses is a great place to start. When performing basic yoga poses, remember it is not a race against the clock. Just take your time, and remember to breathe deeply.