Basic Yoga Poses

Practicing yoga is a great way of relaxing oneself. It helps in easing the tension buildup in the muscles and joints without overexertion or without experiencing fatigue. Basic yoga poses also helps to attain inner peace and radiant health. Yoga poses are known as asana, which is defined as posture and the literal meaning of which is 'seat'. There are seven primary types of movements which the body can make using the yoga poses. They are flexion, extension, hyperextension, abduction, adduction and circumduction. A combination of these movements helps a person to become stronger, more flexible and have a balanced body. Using these poses, you can chalk out a basic yoga routine for yourself.

Yoga Poses for Beginners

The yoga poses mentioned below are fundamental yoga postures. The postures can be performed in any order. When you become comfortable with the postures, these postures can easily be integrated into vinyasas (yoga flows) or a basic yoga workout.

Cat and Dog Pose
This basic yoga pose is also known as cat and cow pose. It helps in increasing the flexibility of the spine and it is also helpful in treating stress and strain related back pains. Cat and dog pose are actually two poses, where one flows into another.

Method: Get down on your fours and place your hands in front of you, so that your shoulders rest on top of your hands. There should be hip-width distance between your legs. Slowly begin to inhale and tilt the tailbone and pelvis up towards the sky and let the spine curve downward, so that your stomach drops low. Your head should be lifted up. Now slowly start to exhale and move into the cat pose by reversing the spinal bend, tilt the pelvis down and draw up the spine, as you pull the chest and stomach in. Repeat this pose several times, as you flow smoothly from dog into cat and vice-versa.

Forward Bend
Our spine goes through a lot of stress and strain all through the day. This yoga exercise will stretch the legs and spine, rest the heart and back, and relax the mind as well as the body.

Method: Stand straight, inhale as you raise your arms up above your head. Exhale as your bend at the hips and bring your arms forward and towards the floor. If possible touch your hands to the floor. Alternatively, you can grasp your ankles, but continue to breathe in either way. When you are coming out of the pose, curl upwards, as though you are stacking each of your vertebrae one on top of another, but leave your head hanging down till you have straightened your spine.

The Triangle Pose
Another yoga pose, which stretches the spine, opens the torso, improves balance as well as concentration.

Method: Stand with your feet spread 3 to 4 feet apart, but parallel to one another. Turn your left foot 90 degrees towards the left and turn the right foot 45 degrees inwards. Inhale, as you raise both your hands up, till they are parallel to the floor. Ensure, your left knee is aligned with your left ankle. Now take a deep breath and stretch outward towards the left, as you tilt your hip down and right hip up. Once you have stretched yourself as far as you could, let your left hand reach down and rest against the inside of your calf. Your right arm should point straight up towards the sky. Breathe a few times, exhale, lower your arms and come back to the starting position.

Head to Knee
This yoga pose stretches and opens the back muscles, hamstrings and aids in flexibility.

Method: Sit on the floor and extend both your legs in front of you. Bend one leg at the knee and bring the heel of the bent leg as close as you can to the groin. Ensure your sits bones are firmly grounded on the floor and your spine straight. Turn your torso towards the extended leg, inhale as you raise your arms over your head. Exhale and begin to bend forwards as much as you can, lower your arms and grasp your foot or leg. On your next exhalation, gently push yourself a little forward. Then slowly straighten up and repeat on the other side.

The Corpse Pose
This is the simplest, yet the most difficult of the poses for beginners. It relaxes and refreshes the body and mind, relieves stress and anxiety.

Method: Lie on the floor, face up and place your arms on either sides. Close your eyes and take several slow deep breaths. Allow your body to sink into the ground, as your focus on each part of the body and relax it. The goal of this yoga pose is conscious relaxation, which is difficult, as most of the people drift off to sleep while doing this pose.

For better results from these yoga poses, you should practice them regularly. After learning these poses, gradually include other poses as well. If possible you can also learn sun salutations, which are said to be the most perfect exercise. Once you have mastered the sun salutations, you can include these yoga poses into the salutations as well. Eventually, you can graduate towards the advanced yoga poses, which can also be mastered in time.