15 Easy Yoga Poses To Get You Started!

Yoga reached the West in the late 1800s and surged in popularity during the 1960s, but it only became a mainstream fitness pursuit in the 1990s. These days, people roll out their mats almost everywhere. Even so, plenty of newcomers still hesitate to give it a try. This guide introduces approachable, beginner-friendly poses that help you discover more about yourself while unlocking the many rewards of a regular practice. Curious about another everyday topic? Take a look at our article on whether honey is good for you.

What Exactly Is Yoga?

Yoga began centuries ago as a spiritual discipline. Today it is recognised around the world for its therapeutic effects on both mind and body. A steady practice can improve posture and flexibility, ease hypertension symptoms and lower your heart rate. It helps you manage stress and find deep relaxation. The poses sharpen coordination and concentration, tone the body, build self-confidence and even improve sleep quality. Yoga may also relieve back pain, ward off anxiety and depression, and support healthier digestion.

Fifteen Easy Yoga Poses

Now that you know how much yoga can offer, it is time to start with the basics. Here are fifteen simple poses to try. Grab your mat and follow along.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

The foundation of every standing pose, Mountain helps you root your toes and feel the ground solidly beneath you. Stand with your feet in line, press all your toes down as you spread them, engage your quadriceps to support your knees and lift through the inner thighs. Draw your abdominal muscles in and up, lift your chest and roll your upper shoulders down.

2. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

Inspired by the stance of a tree, this foundational balance pose works best with your eyes open so your body can steady itself. Stand tall and place your right foot against your inner upper-left thigh. Bring both palms together in a prayer position and fix your gaze on a single point. A wall nearby can help you hold the position.

3. Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukho Svansana)

A staple of most yoga sessions, Downward Dog stretches the entire body. Come onto your hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Tuck your feet and slowly lift your hips off the floor, pressing them up and back over your feet.

4. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

Unlike some of the poses above, Triangle keeps your eyes open to maintain balance. Step your feet wide apart and extend your arms out at shoulder height. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and your left foot in 45 degrees.

5. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Chair builds discipline while energising body and mind. Stand firmly with feet slightly apart and reach your arms up without bending the elbows. Inhale and bend your knees as though lowering into a chair, keeping your palms aligned toward the floor and easing your back down.

6. Boat Pose (Naukasana)

As the name suggests, the body forms the shape of a boat, and done correctly it sharpens your stability. Lie flat on your mat with feet together and arms at your sides. Keeping that position, reach your fingers toward your toes, lift your chest and feet off the mat and extend your arms toward your toes. Balance your weight on your buttocks and relax.

7. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Famous for improving spinal flexibility, Cobra starts with you lying on your stomach, toes together and flattened. Press your fingers down beneath your shoulders, lift your waist and raise your head as you breathe. Draw your torso up with the help of your palms, keep your elbows in and maintain a little tension in your hands.

8. Seated Forward Bend Pose (Paschimottanasana)

This pose strengthens the hip muscles and lengthens the spine. Sit with a straight back and feet pointing out. Inhale and reach your fingers overhead, then exhale and bring your arms down toward your legs, resting them wherever they reach. Hold the position without forcing your body beyond its limits.

9. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

Ideal for breathing exercises and meditation, Easy Pose has you sit comfortably cross-legged on the mat. Keep your back straight, rest your hands on your legs, relax and breathe.

10. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

A restful pose that restores physical, mental and emotional energy, Child’s Pose fits nicely between more demanding asanas. With eyes closed, focus on your breath. Kneel with knees extended and sit on your heels, fold your upper body onto the mat and stretch your fingers forward. Gently press your thighs against your chest and breathe.

11. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

Happy Baby gently stretches the lower back and hip muscles. Lie on your mat, bend your knees and draw them toward your stomach, bringing your feet close. Flex your ankles and heels, then breathe as you hold your ankles just above your knees, pressing your feet against your fingers.

12. Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana)

Cat-Cow engages your core, opens the chest and boosts spinal flexibility. Come onto hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Draw your abs in, exhale and arch your spine toward the ceiling, tucking your head toward your chest, and hold for ten seconds. Inhale and let your spine drop back down, bringing your belly toward the floor as your head lifts, and hold for another ten seconds.

13. Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)

Warrior I strengthens the legs and hips while building core stability. Stand tall with arms at your sides, lunge forward with your left foot while keeping your right leg vertical, then turn your right foot out 45 degrees. Reach your arms overhead, draw your shoulder blades down and lift your gaze toward your fingertips.

14. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

Bridge strengthens the posterior chain, the backside of the body. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Rest your arms at your sides with palms down. Breathe in and out, then lift your feet and hips toward the ceiling.

15. Garland Pose (Malasana)

Our final easy pose opens the hips, thighs and ankles. Squat down and reach your feet as far as you can, pointing your toes outward and letting your torso settle between your thighs. Rest your elbows against your knees, keep your tailbone grounded and lift your chest against the resistance of your knees.

Bonus Tips for Beginners

Learning these simple poses makes stepping into a yoga class, online or in person, far less intimidating. Round out your outfit and your confidence with these extra tips before you walk in.

Try Hatha flow & Vinyasa yoga

Hatha flow has an unfair reputation for being slow, but its real focus is internal. Rather than pushing your heart rate up in an intense flow, Hatha gives you room to explore each pose vividly and feel it before moving on. If you cannot find a Hatha class, try a Vinyasa flow instead. This style varies based on the instructor and the session.

Skip hot yoga while you are still new to the practice.
Stay hydrated before, during and after your session.
Remember that it is perfectly fine if yoga turns out not to be for you.

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