It is widely believed by strangers to the yoga community that one has to be very flexible or have incredible athletic ability to participate in a yoga class. This is simply not the case. While some advanced postures may require you to be strong or flexible, most are accessible to people of all levels of athletic ability and body type. Here are some yoga moves for beginners that you can practice at home to get you started. I have the English and Sanskrit names in italics so you can start familiarizing yourself with yoga terminology.
We will begin with Child's pose or Balasana. This is a great pose for resting the body or slowing the heart rate down. To get in to the pose, sit your hips back on your heels, and bring your forehead to the mat. Walk your hands out toward the front of the mat with the palms down, or release them back by your hips with the palms up. You can have your knees together or apart as you feel comfortable. Allow your arms to rest on the mat as gravity takes your body deeper into the pose.
From there you can transition to all fours for a set of Cat/ Cow pose or Marjarasana / Gavasana. This is an easy way of getting the body warmed up and prepared for movement. With your knees at hips distance apart, and your hands stacked directly under your shoulders with the fingers spread, you'll form a solid table top. As you inhale bring your tailbone towards the sky, arching your back, sending the chest forward while your shoulder blades peel back towards each other. On your exhale send your navel up towards your spine as you bring the tailbone down and allow your head to hang down heavy. Repeat this for 5-10 breaths. Each time, inhaling into an arched back sending your heart space forward, and exhaling as you round out the spine, bringing the tailbone down.
From here we can transition easily into one of the more popular poses, Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana. As you tuck your toes under, lift your knees off the floor, hips towards the sky, pressing your belly towards your thighs, heels toward the floor and allow your head to hang heavy. Do not worry about forming a perfect upside down V or actually being able to touch your heels to the floor your first time out. Bend your knees as necessary and spread your fingers wide to take the pressure off your wrists. Downward dog has many benefits such as decompressing the spinal column, strengthening the shoulders and arms, and bringing fresh oxygen to the central nervous system.
I love this next yoga pose because I work on my feet all day and I can do it whenever I have a free moment regardless of where I am and what I am wearing. Forward Fold or Uttanasana, is an excellent way to bring deep release to the spine and revitalize the central nervous system by oxygenating the brain and spinal column. To get into the pose you come to standing with your hips over your heels, and fold forward from the hip. Let gravity take the weight of the head and upper body to the floor. Feel free to soften the knees as much as is needed to bring that release into the spine. You can gently lengthen along the back of the legs as is comfortable for you without hyper extending your knees.
These are just a few of many yoga poses for beginners that you can do on your own regardless of skill level. Remember to always be safe and caring with your body in your yoga practice. It always helps to have experienced yoga instructors give you adjustments in your asana but its good to practice at home as well. Best of luck to you on your journey!
Roque L. Rodriguez III is a poet and yoga instructor in NYC. He will be taking the 300 hour yoga teacher training course at Ishta Yoga NYC starting this September.
Mariellen Brown is a New York City-based designer and writer. She is currently taking yoga teacher classes to receive her 200-hour yoga certification from ISHTA Yoga in NYC.
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