Health & Wellbeing

3 Easy Yoga Poses For Beginners

Whilst it’s probably best to attend a yoga class as a beginner to make sure your technique is right, you can familiarise yourself with the stretches (or asanas) that you’ll expect to do regularly within yoga practice below.

As well as promoting wellbeing and inner-calm, the physical benefits of a yoga session will really benefit anyone in training. The postures are a brilliant low-impact way to stretch your muscles and improve your flexibility and core strength.

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1. DOWNWARD FACING DOG (ADHO MUKHO SVANASANA)

One of the best known yoga poses, this asana strengthens the upper body, helps release tension in the spine, and provides an all over stretch.

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HOW TO DO IT

Get onto your hands and knees, knees directly spreading your fingers wide so that weight is evenly distributed across your hands. Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor, raising your tailbone and lifting your sitting bones towards the ceiling. Straighten the legs with heels down – beginners may prefer to keep the knees slightly bent. Hold for 1-3 minutes before returning to the starting position.

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2. WARRIOR 2 (VIRANHADRASANA 2)

The foundation to many poses, Warrior 2 helps strengthen the legs, glutes, core, chest and arms while opening the chest, lungs and hips.

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HOW TO DO IT

Stand with legs 3-4 feet apart with the right foot turned to the side of the room and the left foot turned slightly inwards. Relax the shoulders and lift arms sideways with the palms facing downwards. Bend the right knee, making sure that the knee does not extend past the toes, and turn head to the right. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Return to starting position and switch sides.

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3. CAT-COW (MAJRASANA-BIDALASANA)

This move loosens up and provides a gentle massage for the spine and shoulders.

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HOW TO DO IT

From a table top position with the wrists below shoulders and knees directly beneath, inhale and arch the back, allowing your stomach to sink towards the floor. Exhale and round the back, curling the tailbone in, allowing the chin to drop to the chest. Inhale, returning to starting position.

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