Yoga gives us a great opportunity to overcome the physical and mental health problems widespread today, but it is important to practice regularly to get the most out of it. It is totally different from any other activity, and the breathing and positions that are performed make this a unique discipline.
It is perfectly normal that as a beginner you feel slightly disoriented. We don’t know how to breathe, what positions to do, let alone how to practice at home. But do not worry, we all have to pass this stage. You just have to understand that it is only the beginning of a long and wonderful journey.
In this article you will find numerous tips and some positions that I think are fundamental to practicing yoga effectively. Let’s get started!
Here are 5 positions that all beginners should learn before trying more advanced poses.
1. Tadasana, Mountain Pose
Tadasana or Mountain Pose is a special posture perfect for beginners, and it is usually the first pose you learn when you start to do yoga. It is the most performed asanas (physical postures) in yoga classes, and regardless of the style you practice it is important to know how to do it properly.
Many people do not pay attention to how they stand or walk, so there are many incorrect behaviors that can lead to the onset of very common problems such as back pain.
Thanks to this exercise you can understand how to stand up properly and consequently can improve your posture. Plus, this pose is fundamental to your yoga practice as almost every pose leads into or starts with the mountain pose.
2. Uttanasana, Forward fold
How many times in a day do you bend forward to pick something up? Are you sure you do it correctly? This exercise is so important for both beginners and more experienced because it is the basis of all the forward bends. Thanks to this pose you can understand how we should lean forward, not only while doing yoga but in everyday life.
Learning how to properly perform Uttanasana is also important to help perfect the most difficult positions such as Paschimottanasana or other forward-bending movements.
3. Bhujangasana, Cobra pose
Bhujangasana is the opposite as it’s the basis of bending backwards, and is part of the most common vinyasas.
Thanks to this position you learn how to open the chest and position the shoulders correctly, which helps perfect numerous other asana. If this alignment is not maintained when you perform other difficult positions, such as downward facing dog, it is likely to create tension in the cervical area and the torticollis and could be painful.
In addition, as more of us spend more time in front of a computer, it’s important to keep the chest open, shoulders relaxed and your neck in the correct position. It extremely important in everyday life, not just when you practice yoga.
4. Trikonasana, the extended triangle pose
I bet many times a day you when you bend forward you almost do side bends. We all have small imbalances between the two sides of the body and, if we are working constantly trying to fix them in the long run this may lead to back pain. Yoga with its lateral bending allows you to balance the two sides of the body, which has many benefits.
The triangle pose is the basis of this category of positions and knowing how to do properly can acquire the right alignments, enabling you to make other more advanced lateral bending. It is therefore important to practice it constantly from the first time you climb on the mat.
5. Sukhasana, Easy Pose
Sukhasana is easier than most other asanas, but to stay in that position for a long time needs a lot of practice. This is one of the most important yoga positions for beginners because it allows you to learn how to sit correctly while keeping your back straight.
This pose is perfect if you are into meditation too so learn how to sit tall and proud and focus on your breathing.
6. Savasana, Corpse Pose
This precious posture is fundamental during a yoga session and it usually marks the end of the practice. To realize this posture you just need to relax on your mat and try to really feel your body and all the energy you created during the yoga session.
Spending at least 5 minutes in this posture can bring benefits to both your body and mind. This is a beginner’s posture you really need to learn. Don’t skip this – you won’t regret it!
One of the most important things in yoga is patience. It is advisable to either practice an hour a day every day, or you can do it for two hours two or three times a week. Regular practice allows the body to adapt better to the new positions. You will become more flexible in less time and many common problems such as stress will disappear altogether.
Featured photo by Javi Indy
