[Bhoomika Saini]

The more you practice yoga, the more you’re building awareness in your body, The biggest thing to do as a beginner is to start and then stay consistent with your practice, remember that practice makes progress.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

This pose teaches one to stand with majestic steadiness like a mountain. The word ‘Tada’ means a mountain, that’s where the name comes from .Mountain Pose is the base for all standing poses; It involves the major groups of muscles and improves focus and concentration. Mountain pose may seem like “simply standing,” but there is a lot going on.

How to do it

• Stand with your toes together and heels slightly apart hang your arms besides the torso.
• Spread your toes and place your weight evenly on your feet. Firm your thigh muscles while rotating them inwards Relax your shoulders and roll them back and down.
• As you inhale, elongate your torso and when you exhale release your shoulder blades away from your head. You may also put your hands in prayer position in front of your chest, or rest them by your sides.
• Take long, slow, deep breaths in

Beginner’s Tip

You can check your alignment by standing against the wall initially. You can even raise your hands and stretch them. Breathe easy.

2. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Tree is an awesome standing balance for beginners to work on to gain focus and clarity, and learn to breathe while standing and keeping the body balanced on one foot. . It replicates the steady stance of a tree.

How to do it

• Start with your feet together and place your right foot on your inner left upper thigh. Press your hands in prayer and find a spot in front of you that you can hold in a steady gaze.
• Hold and breathe for 8-10 breaths then change sides. Make sure you don’t lean in to the standing leg and keep your core engaged and shoulders relaxed.

Beginner’s Tip

You can stand with your back braced against a wall if you feel unsteady in this pose.

3. Triangle (Trikonasana)

Triangle is a wonderful standing posture to stretch the sides of the waist, open up the lungs, strengthen the legs and tone the entire body.Triangle Pose is the essential standing pose in many styles of yoga.

How to do it

• Stand with your feet wide apart. Stretch your right foot out (90 degrees) while keeping the leg closer to the torso. Keep your feet pressed against the ground and balance your weight equally on both feet.
• Inhale and as you exhale Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot, Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling.
• Turn your gaze up to the top hand and stay in this pose for 5-8 breaths. Inhale to come up and repeat on the opposite side.

Beginner’s Tip

Place your back heel or the back of your torso against a wall if you feel unsteady in the pose.

4. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Warrior pose is quintessential for building strength and stamina in a yoga practice. It give us confidence and stretch the hips and thighs while building strength in the entire lower body and core.

How to do it

• Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). With an exhale, step or lightly jump your feet apart. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor (and parallel to each other)
• Turn your left foot in 45 to 60 degrees to the right and your right foot out 90 degrees to the right. Align the right heel with the left heel. Exhale and rotate your torso to the right.
• With your left heel firmly on the floor, exhale and bend your right knee over the right ankle so the shin is perpendicular to the floor.
• To come up, inhale, press the back heel firmly into the floor and reach up through the arms, straightening the right knee. Turn the feet forward and release the arms with an exhalation. Take a few breaths, then turn the feet to the left and repeat for the same length.

Beginner’s Tip

When your are bending the front knee As a beginner you have a tendency to tilt the pelvis forward.You must lift the pubis up toward the navel and lengthen the tail toward the floor.

5. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Downward Dog is used in most yoga practices and yoga classes and it stretches and strengthens the entire body. It may be the first pose you learn as you begin a yoga practice. It acts as a transitional pose and can be a resting position.

How to do it

• Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. With your hands slightly forward of your shoulders and knees below your hips. Spread your hands wide and press your index finger and thumb into your mat.
• Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor lift the butt toward the ceiling. Straighten your legs as much as you can and press your heels gently toward the floor.
• Your head should be between your arms, facing your knees, and your backs should be flat.
• Hold for 5-10 breaths.

Beginner’s Tip

If you have difficulty releasing and opening your shoulders in this pose, raise your hands off the floor on a pair of blocks or the seat of a metal folding chair.