Yoga for Beginners

The history of yoga

So far there is no record or history regarding the first inventor of yoga, but all we know is that it is a practice that originated in India and spread to all parts of the world after that. Male yoga practitioners are called Yogis, and female practitioners are called Yoginis.

Yoga teachers were known for their discipline and commitment. Over the five thousand years following its inception, schools of her own were established. When looking at the historical records about Yoga, we find that the earliest record of it was the texts of the Indian philosopher “Patanjali” and their age is close to about 2000 years. These texts serve as a guideline for practicing yoga.

In modern times yoga has evolved from the original one that originated in India. The most prominent of these developments is the new physical postures, which were not mentioned in ancient Indian texts that used yoga to improve the mind and control emotions, as fitness was not a primary goal in the original yoga.

Now we bring you the top ten essential positions to start with your yoga practice. To know that mastering them helps to strengthen and stretch muscles, increase the flexibility of the body, improve the psychological and physical state, and avoid injuries during training, we recommend some yoga poses for beginners.

Top Ten Exercises: Yoga for Beginners

The first exercise: Mountain Pose

Mountain Pose

In Sanskrit (ancient Hindi) it is called “Tadasana” and it is a pose in which it mimics mountains by standing straight and stationary. This is the main position you should start with, and it is one of the easiest yoga exercises for beginners.

How do you do it?

1. Stand straight and relax your shoulders, distribute your weight evenly on your feet, leaving your hands relaxed beside you.
2. Take a deep breath and raise your hands straight up, palms facing each other.
3. Raise the fingers of the hand as high as possible.

The second exercise: The downward dog pose

The downward dog pose

The low dog pose or “adho mukha svanasana” is one of the most popular yoga poses.

How do you do it?

1. Bend your body forward and rest with your hands on the ground.
2. Move your hands forward so that they leave an appropriate distance between them and your feet – as shown in the picture – then spread your fingers apart, and press them firmly on the ground.
3. Join your toes, then raise the buttocks area to the top to make the body shape at the end in the form of an inverted “v”. Shoulder width apart from your ear.
4. Your feet should be slightly open and your knees should be slightly folded.
5. Maintain this position for three full breaths – inhalation and exhalation.

The third exercise: The butterfly pose

The butterfly pose

This position is known as the “butterfly pose” because the movement of the legs while sitting is similar to a butterfly when it flaps its wings, and it is also called “Badha konasana” which means “the shoemaker pose” because shoemakers in India sit like that session during work.

Both feet should be folded near the pelvis, and the hands should be intertwined tightly across the feet as if they were bound together.

Fourth exercise: The Warrior pose

The Warrior pose

The warrior primal pose, or “Virabhadrasana,” is the strength and focus pose, and it aims to energize the body.

How do you do it?

1. Stand on your feet, about 3 feet apart (foot 30 cm), rotate your right foot 90 degrees and your left foot slightly.
2. Relax your shoulders, then extend your right hand in front of you and your left hand behind you with the palm down.
3. Bend your right knee 90 degrees while maintaining its position directly above the calf muscle, look towards the extension of your right hand, and stay in this position for one minute.

Repeat the above, switching sides.

Exercise five: Bridge Pose 

Bridge Pose

The “Setu Bandhasana” bridge pose is a simple posture aimed at relaxing the chest and hips and energizing the body.

How do you do it?

1. Lie with your back on the floor and bend your knees directly over the heels to rise as shown in the picture.
2. Place your hands beside you with your palms facing down. Press your feet firmly on the ground while lifting the buttocks area.
3. Clasp your hands under your back, and press your arms down to bring the body up and the thighs are parallel to the ground (depends on the degree of flexibility of the body).
4. Move your chest toward the cannula, then hold this position for one minute.
5. To make it easier, place a set of pillows under your back.

Sixth exercise: Triangle Pose

Triangle Pose

The “Trikonasana” position is a position that aims to stretch the torso and chest, giving greater freedom to the breathing process.

How do you do it?

1. Adjust your arms evenly on both sides
2. About 3 feet apart, then rotate your left foot by 90 degrees, and the right foot at 45 degrees.
3. Touch the ground with your right hand or lean on your right foot above or below the knee, and extend the toes of your left hand firmly upward.
4. Look towards the ceiling and hold that position for five breaths (inhale and exhale).
5. Repeat the above, switching sides.

The seventh exercise: The Seated Twist Pose

The Seated Twist Pose

 This pose expands the hips, shoulders, and back and facilitates blood circulation. It also works to harmonize the abdominal area and tighten the external obliques muscle, which is one of the abdominal muscles.

How do you do it?

1. Sit on the floor and extend your feet well.
2. Place your right foot on the left of your left thigh, then bend the right knee firmly.
3. Place your left elbow on the far right of your right knee, then place your right hand on the ground behind you with your fingertips extended.
4. Turn to the right as much as you can, making the center of the abdomen rotate. Keep your buttocks on the ground and remain in this position for a minute or two.
5. Repeat the above, switching sides.
6. To make it easier, keep your lower foot straight / Place both hands on your upper knee / Sit on a folded blanket (for example).

Exercise eight: Cobra pose

Cobra pose

The cobra or “bhujangasana” position is a bending back that relaxes the front muscles of the torso and straightens the arms and shoulders. The cobra pose also warms the torso area. This pose is an exercise from a group of “sun salutation” exercises, but we start with it as one of its basics.

How do you do it?

1. Lie on the ground on your stomach, then place your hands under the shoulders and extend your feet completely on the floor.
2. Press down well with your shoulders and away from the ears.
3. Press your hands to the ground to raise your chest, tightening the pelvis well. Hold this position for a while.

Relax, then come back.

The ninth exercise: The Pigeon Pose

The Pigeon Pose

The pigeon pose or “Eka Pada Rajakapotasana” is a pose that energizes the body and works to treat infertility. Start with the mountain pose to stretch and give the body the needed flexibility.

How do you do it?

1. Bend your right foot in front of you as shown in the figure, with the right heel placed next to the left hip as much as possible.
2. Straighten your arms in front of you with fingertips resting on the ground, then straighten your left foot behind you.
3. Fold your toes and lift your chest looking down.
4. Pull your stomach in hard and tighten the pelvic muscles well.

Repeat the above, switching sides.

The tenth exercise: Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose

Baby pose, or “balasana,” is a pose of leaning forward, creating a feeling of comfort and freshness. You can do this exercise to gain flexibility in the lower back, or to take a break while doing other exercises.

How do you do it?

1. Sit on the floor with your feet flat in front of your chest and your heels on the floor.
2. Move your body in a forward rotation until your forehead hits the ground.
3. Lower your chest so that it touches your knees as close as possible, then extend your arms forward.
4. Hold this position and breathe calmly.

These exercises are the most basic poses in which you can get started in the world of yoga. And it is the easiest yoga exercise for beginners too. Start yoga with these simple exercises to give your body the flexibility required for the other poses.