What Are the Easiest Yoga Poses to Get Started With?

Yoga poses (or asanas in Sanskrit) are positions you hold your body in. You can connect a yoga pose with others to create a sequence. When you practice yoga, you can do the same sequence on your daily yoga routine. You can also switch up a series of yoga poses to practice daily.

Beginning yoga can be intimidating – not every pose is created equal! Some open your chest, others build core muscles, some are complicated, and some are relatively simple, depending on your body, easy or difficult to get in and out of. Regardless, holding each pose while you breathe is the best way to go.

There’s a Yoga Pose for Every Body

There are varying difficulties of yoga poses. Some are easier, and others require more practice and skill. It isn’t only experience: Every body is beautiful in its uniqueness, and that specificity explains why a yoga pose feels easier, while another feels extremely challenging. 

Here are our top 10 yoga poses that complete beginners, and just about all bodies, can enjoy in your daily yoga routine.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

This may seem like simple standing, but it’s so much more. Mountain Pose is a great start to any yoga routine. It gets you rooted, grounded and gives you the space to check out how you are feeling before you get started!

Make sure to root your feet into the ground, broaden your collarbones, and actively reach your fingers towards the floor. You’re standing with the stability and majesty of a mountain.

2. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

Tree Pose improves balance and focus while strengthening your legs and back. Lift your right leg, rotate your knee out to the right, and place the sole of your foot on your left leg, either above or below your knee joint. Lift both arms alongside your head. Keep your gaze on a point towards the horizon, and breathe steadily.

Hold this pose as long as you like, at least several breaths, pause in tadasana before switching to the other leg. 

3. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This is perhaps one of the most commonly held yoga poses. Your hands and feet are on the ground and your hips are raised in the air. Your heels are moving towards the ground and you lengthen along your spine, relaxing the muscles at the back of your neck. If your lower back is rounding out of its natural curve, bend your knees.

Practice and increased flexibility may lead you towards being able to straighten your legs, but that’s not a requirement! Downward Facing Dog is great for opening your shoulders, hamstrings, calves and creating space along your spinal column.

4. Fierce Pose (Uttkatasana)

From Mountain Pose, lift both arms alongside your head, bend your knees and sit back, as if you’re dropping down into a chair. This yoga pose is a fantastic way to prepare for ski season! 

5. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Begin lying face down on your mat, your legs together and pressing the tops of your feet down into the mat. Take your hands to chest height, and lightly press into the mat, but use the muscles along your back and legs to lift your shoulders, neck and head away from the floor.

Keep your elbows bent, shoulder blades drawing down and towards each other. This yoga pose really opens your chest up.

6. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

A resting pose, often done in order to take a rest during your routine. This yoga pose is great at any time to help calm your nervous system and recollect yourself. From hands and knees, drop your seat back towards your heels and fold your torso over your legs.

You can either stretch your arms forward or let them relax alongside your legs. This yoga pose is also great to counter backbends.

7. Easy Pose (Sukhasna)

Although it’s called Easy Pose, it isn’t without its challenges. If your knees and hips are comfortable sitting criss-cross applesauce, this pose is great at the end of practice or to sit in for meditation. 

8. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

Stand with your feet wide and turn one foot towards the end of your mat. Lift your arms to shoulder height, deepen the hip crease of the same side, and lean towards that end of the mat.

Begin to lower that same hand towards the floor, resting it on your shin, the floor or a block, and and the other hand lifts towards the ceiling. Hold for several breaths before lifting back up and switching to the other side.

9. Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

Begin as you did in Triangle Pose, feet wide apart, and spin one foot towards the front of the mat. Now bend that knee, keeping it tracking in the same direction as the toes. Lift your arms to shoulder height, gaze out over the fingertips towards the horizon, and hold the pose for several breath cycles before switching sides.

10. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

This is absolutely the beginning and the end. One of the easiest poses to get into, but the most difficult to master, Corpse Pose is when you lay on your back, and let go. Lie faceup, arms out to the sides, palms facing up. The idea here is to relax, let go, and not fall asleep!

Can You Do Yoga at Home as a Beginner?

The only thing you need to bring to yoga is a mat and a positive mindset. Everybody can practice yoga, and deserves to experience the wonderful benefits yoga offers.

Each yoga pose provides an opportunity to strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility, and help train you to keep breathing during intense situations, which is great for life off of the mat! When you practice daily, you learn to connect with your body on a different level.

Discover the Wonders of Yoga at Home

If you’re looking to try yoga, The Soule Collective is your best option. Our amazing teachers conduct regular yoga classes that you can join in, live, or on demand. Check out al of our resources for every level of yoga.

Join our live classes – sign up for your to try us out with a 3-class pack for $18!