Top 5 Yoga Poses for Beginners

Yoga is an ancient Indian concept that promotes personal development and wellness. Despite its philosophical system approach, yoga is not a religion but a complement to most spiritual paths. A yoga session will leave you feeling both rejuvenated and rested. You will engage your muscles and align your bones appropriately, breathe deeply to oxygenate your lungs and blood and feel intense relaxation. Yoga has undeniable health and wellness advantages. Now let’s look at some of the asanas, or positions, central to a yoga regime. We’ll give you a good basic beginning yoga workout to begin your journey!

1. Vriksha Asana

[Image Credit: iStockphoto]

 Vriksha Asana, also known as Tree Pose, has several benefits.

• Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine.

• Stretches groins, inner thighs, chest, and shoulders.

• Improves balance.

• Treat sciatica and flat feet.

If you have low blood pressure or insomnia, practice with caution. Keep your arms below your head if you have high blood pressure.

How to perform?

1. Stand with feet together and arms at your sides. Bend the right leg at the knee, raise the right thigh, and bring the sole of the right foot as far up the inside of the left thigh as feasible.
2. Balancing on the left foot, raise both arms over the head, keep the elbows straight, and bring the palms together. Maintain the position and breathe slowly through the nostrils for about 10 complete breaths.
3. Lower the arms and right leg, then return to tadasana, a standing position with feet together and arms at sides. Pause for a few moments before repeating with the opposing leg. Repeat two or three times per leg, or for as long as you feel comfortable.
    

2. Extended Triangle Position

[Image Credit: YogaJournal]

The following are some of the benefits: 

• Strengthens and stretches the thighs, knees, and ankles 

• Stimulates the abdominal organs 

• Reduces stress

• Enhances digestion 

• Helps relieve menopause symptoms 

• Reduces back pain, particularly during the second trimester of pregnancy 

• Treats anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis, and sciatica

If you have low blood pressure, heart difficulties, or neck issues, proceed with caution.

How to perform?

1. Place your feet together and your arms at your sides as you stand. Step the feet apart by a little more than shoulder width. Taking a breath, extend both arms straight from the shoulders, keeping them parallel to the ground and pointing their palms downward.
2. Breathe gently while bending at the waist, rotating your torso to the left, and bringing your right hand down to your left ankle. The right hand's palm is positioned on the outside of the left ankle. Raise your left arm to your shoulder. Elbows and knees should not be bent; instead, the arms and legs should remain erect.
3. Raise the head to the left and look up at the left hand's fingertips. Exhale and raise yourself to a standing position while extending your arms.  

3. Bridge Pose

[Image Credit: Yog4lyf]

Bridge Pose done vigorously helps to wake up fatigued legs and relax the brain.

The following are some of the benefits: 

• It stretches the neck, chest, and spine
• It improves digestion
• It stimulates the thyroid, lungs, and abdominal organs
• It eases menstrual discomfort when done under support
• It lowers anxiety, fatigue, headaches, and insomnia
• It treats sinusitis, high blood pressure, asthma, and fatigue. 
   

 How to perform?

1. Lie flat on the floor, and if required, place a densely folded blanket beneath your shoulders to protect your neck. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor, with the heels as close to the sitting bones as achievable.
2. Exhale and actively press your inner feet and arms into the floor. Push your tailbone upward into the abdomen, firming (but not hardening) the buttocks and lifting them off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp your hands below your pelvis and stretch your arms to help you stay on top of your shoulders.
3. Intensely press the inner groins into the pelvis. Breathe in and extend your front body forward, bending forward from the hips rather than your waist. Extend the tailbone away from the back of your pelvis. If feasible, grasp the sides of the feet with your hands, thumbs on the soles, and elbows fully extended; if this is not possible, loop a strap around the foot soles and hold it firmly. Make sure your elbows are straight and not bent.
4. Raise your chin slightly away from your sternum and press the top of the sternum in the direction of your chin while firmly pressing your shoulder blades into your back. Strive to elevate the gap between the outer arms at the base of the neck (where it rests on the blanket) into the body. Firm the outside arms. Broaden the shoulder blades.
5. Take a minute or thirty seconds to remain in the stance. Exhale to release, then gently roll your spine onto the ground.
    

4. Bound Angle Pose - Baddha Konasana

[Image Credit: Yoga Class]

Bound Angle Pose is a great way to open up your hips and groin. It's also known as Cobbler's Pose, named after the way Indian cobblers normally sit.

Benefits include:

• Stimulates the heart and enhances circulation 

• Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees

• Alleviates mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue 

• Reduces menstrual discomfort

• Assists in relieving menopausal symptoms 

• Treats flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility, and asthma

• Regular practice of this pose until late in pregnancy is reported to ease childbirth

How to perform?

1. If your hips or groins feel tight, elevate your pelvis on a blanket and sit with your legs straight out in front of you. Let out a breath, bend your knees, bring your heels in towards your pelvis, then lower your knees to the sides and firmly plant your soles against the floor.
2. As near to your pelvis as is comfortable, bring your heels in. Grip each foot's big toe with your thumb, first, and second fingers. The outside edges of the feet should always be firmly planted on the ground. If holding the toes is not possible, encircle the same-side shin or ankle with each hand.
3. As you sit, position your tailbone behind you and your pubis in front of you equally from the floor. At that point, the pelvis will be in a neutral posture and the perineum will be roughly parallel to the floor. Stretch the front torso through the top of the sternum and firmly press the sacrum and shoulder blades into the back.
4. Never bend your knees forcefully. Instead, let go of the thigh bone heads in the direction of the floor. The knees follow when this motion takes the lead. You can hold this position for one to five minutes. After that, take a breath, raise your knees off the ground, and extend your legs back to the starting position.
    

5. Upavistha Konasana's Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend

[Image Credit: Sarvyoga]

For most of the seated forward bends and twists and the wide-leg standing poses, Upavistha Konasana is an excellent preparatory pose.

Benefits include:

• Calms the brain; 

• Strengthens the spine; 

• Stimulates the abdominal organs; 

• Stretches the insides and backs of the legs.

• Releases the groins

Exercise cautionarily if you have a lower back injury.

How to perform?

1. Stretch your legs out in front of you while sitting down. Then, slightly lean your torso back on your hands and lift and open your legs to a 90-degree angle (the pubis should be at the apex of the leg, forming an approximate right angle). For an additional 10 to 20 degrees of leg spreading, press your hands against the floor and slide your buttocks forward. Place a folded blanket over your buttocks if you are unable to sit comfortably on the floor.
2. Pinch the outer thighs to the floor by rotating your thighs outward, ensuring that your kneecaps are pointing straight up toward the ceiling. Extend your soles through your heels and press through the balls of your feet.
3. The key to this and all other forward bends is to move from the hip joints while keeping the front torso long. As soon as you see yourself bending from the waist, pause, measure back how far your pubis is from your navel, and if you can, carry on.
4. With every breath, extend the forward bend until you reach a comfortable stretch in the backs of your legs. Hold the position for a minute or more. Then, a long front torso comes up during inhalation.
    

Yoga offers a great way to enhance your well-being and manage stress. As you explore its benefits, always consult with your doctor if you have any health issues before starting. You can also checkout 6 Yoga Poses To Create Your Ideal Morning Routine by TruePal. Yoga can be a rewarding practice, helping you feel more balanced and relaxed in daily life.