Well being Author & Editor
By Kristine Thomason
Well being Author & Editor
Kristine is a author, editor, and editorial marketing consultant who lives in Lengthy Seaside, CA.
Picture by Andreas von Scheele
June 02, 2025
In case you’re brand-new to yoga, welcome! It is a good looking observe that mixes breathwork, meditation, and motion—which may do wonders on your well-being.
Whether or not you are drawn to yoga for the bodily, psychological, or religious advantages, having a fundamental understanding of widespread postures could make your observe circulation a lot smoother.
Whereas there are various sorts of yoga, you may see various related normal poses in every observe.
Beneath, we have compiled 17 fundamental yoga poses—with each their English and Sanskrit names—demonstrated by yoga instructors Phyllicia Bonnano and Juanina Kocher.
Circulate via these poses to familiarize your physique and thoughts with each, and so they’re positive to change into second nature very quickly.
1.
Mountain pose (tadasana)
- Rise up tall, and permit your shoulders to drop again.
- Really feel grounded as your crown stretches towards the sky.
- Take a deep breath in; attain your arms upward.
2.
Ahead fold (uttanasana)
- Rise up tall along with your arms reaching as much as the sky.
- As you exhale, hinge at your hips and fold your higher physique ahead, bending your knees if wanted.
- Inhale, and are available right into a half raise. Then exhale and decrease again down.
3.
Kid’s pose (balasana)
- From a tabletop place, sit again onto your heels.
- Peel your knees open. Attain and lengthen your fingertips ahead, permitting your chest to relaxation in your mat.
4.
Cat-cow (chakravakasana)
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- Place your fingers in your mat, coming right into a tabletop place.
- As you inhale, convey your stomach towards the bottom, bend your again, and permit your gaze to return up.
- Exhale as you curl and spherical your backbone, bringing your gaze towards your stomach button.
5.
Downward canine (adho mukha svanasana)
- Come right into a plank place in your mat.
- Inhale as you hinge at your hips, and raise them up excessive, coming right into a downward-dog place.
- Floor down via the soles of your ft and your fingers, permitting your hips to be the very best level. You too can pedal out your canine right here, lifting one heel, then the opposite.
6.
Plank (phalakasana)
- Place your fingers and ft on the mat, rising up so your shoulders are stacked over your wrists.
- Interact your core, and maintain for a few breaths.
7.
Chaturanga (chaturanga dandasana)
- Come into your plank pose, participating your core to stabilize your physique.
- Slowly bend your elbows, hug them in towards your ribs, and decrease right down to your mat.
8.
Chaturanga (chaturanga dandasana)
- Begin by mendacity in your abdomen.
- Inhale, press your fingers into the bottom, and your push chest ahead.
- Exhale as you slowly launch again to the mat.
9.
Cobra pose (bhujangasana)
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- Begin by mendacity in your abdomen.
- Carry your fingers beneath your shoulders. Pull your elbows in towards your physique.
- Retaining your elbows bent, raise your chest up. Slowly decrease again to the mat.
10.
Low lunge (anjaneyasana)
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- Plant one foot between your fingers on the mat. Carry your different knee right down to the bottom.
- Rise to an upright place, along with your fingers resting in your entrance thigh.
- Lengthen your arms, reaching them as much as the sky.
11.
Crescent lunge (ashta chandrasana)
- Carry one foot in between your fingers, protecting your different leg prolonged backward.
- Floor down via your entrance foot, and raise onto your again toes.
- Slowly stand up right into a excessive lunge, bringing your arms overhead and protecting the gaze in entrance of you.
12.
Warrior 1 (virabhadrasana I)
- From a excessive lunge, pivot your again foot down, and raise your torso up, coming right into a warrior 1.
- Bend your entrance knee, and raise your arms towards the sky.
13.
Warrior 2 (virabhadrasana II)
- From a excessive lunge, pivot your again heel down, and open your physique to the aspect. Your again foot ought to be turned in barely. Your entrance knee ought to be proper over your ankle.
- Energetically stretch your arms in reverse instructions, protecting a mushy gaze over your fingertips.
14.
Peaceable warrior (viparita virabhadrasana)
- From warrior 2 pose, flip your entrance palm, convey the left hand down behind you, and permit it to relaxation on the again of the left thigh.
- Retaining the best biceps by your ear, attain your arm backward. Gently bend your backbone, gazing towards your fingertips.
15.
Triangle pose (utthita trikonasana)
- From peaceable warrior, straighten your entrance leg.
- Carry your arms right into a “T” place, then shift your physique ahead and convey your proper hand to relaxation in your proper foot or shin.
- Raise your left arm up towards the sky.
16.
Tree pose (vrksansana)
- Begin in a standing place.
- Floor down via your left foot. Bend your proper knee, and convey your proper foot to your left ankle, decrease a part of your leg, or thigh (no matter you like).
- Stretch your arms as much as the sky, or convey your fingers to the guts middle.
17.
Pigeon pose (kapotasana)
- Begin in a downward-dog place, then attain your proper foot as much as the sky.
- Bend your knee and convey it in keeping with your proper arm. Carry your proper foot to the left aspect, and permit your shin to relaxation on the bottom.
- Carry your again leg right down to the mat, and raise your chest.
- Maintain for a breath, then slowly decrease your torso to the bottom so it folds over your proper leg.
- You might have the choice to convey your brow to the mat.
- Maintain for as many breaths as you need, then peel your physique again up. Come again right into a downward canine, then repeat on the other aspect.