Basic yoga asanas to get your yoga game right!

People who have been doing yoga will abide by the fact that it is more than just exercise. With thousands of years of tradition linked to it, yoga heals the body, mind, and soul. These basic yoga asanas are perfect for beginners!

As someone who has always leaned favourably towards fast-paced and power-packed sports like Zumba (who doesn’t love to dance?) and swimming, yoga was not something I would have voluntarily taken up, but the benefits of laughter yoga came in handy. However, with the kind of life I lead and the pace at which I function in the city – especially my extra snooze time on some mornings, or late dinners – I feel guilty about all those Zumba classes I’ve missed. Here are some basic yoga asanas that I attempted, as a yoga padawan (read: trying painfully hard) to have all the advantages of yoga. Of course, I ensured that I don’t injure or cause harm to my untrained body while doing these basic yoga asanas. Go ahead and give them a shot!

1. Mountain Pose

When you practice yoga for beginners, it doesn’t get any easier than this! But be warned, it’s much more than just standing in one place, as there’s quite a bit going on inside your body.

The process:

Stand, placing your feet together and spread open your toes as you press down on them.
Use your quadriceps (front and side thigh muscles) to lift your kneecaps, through the inner thighs.
Press the tops of your shoulder down and feel them come towards each other, but maintain your position and keep your palms facing inwards.
Imagine an invisible string pulling the crown of your head upwards. Breathe in deeply, and hold for 5-7 breaths.

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2. Plank Pose

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The granddaddy of core strength, planking is the most effective method to get the blood flowing there, giving you those fantastic arms and abs! So don’t run away from the plank, embrace it!

The process:

Position your body, like you would do for a push-up, with your wrists directly under your shoulders.
Draw your shoulders down and ensure you move your heels far back until you can feel your back being straight.
Hold this position for 30 seconds or longer, for it to be really effective.

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3. Tree Pose

Balance is the answer to all the difficult questions in life, for real. With immense focus and balance, comes immense calm and peace of mind, and you definitely don’t need to be the Po to a Master Shifu to attain that kind of inner peace or these basic yoga asanas!

The process:

Begin with placing your feet together on the ground.
Take the base of your right foot, and press it to the left inner thigh
Place your palms together, in prayer, and find a spot ahead of you that you can focus on
Relax your shoulders and take 5-7 deep breaths
Switch legs after every few breaths, and make sure you stand upright at all times

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4. Downward Facing Dog

4 yoga for beginners - downward facing dog pose

Now that we got the easy ones down to pat, perhaps it is time to bring in variations each day, so that you’re motivated every day and you can mix it up a little, to avoid monotony with the same poses. Let’s stretch with these basic yoga asanas!

The process:

Get down on all fours, ensuring your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips
Lift your hips up the floor, as you steady your feet and your toes.
Walk your hands forwards, to give yourself more space between your limbs.
Keep your knees slightly bent at first, but aim for straight legs as you keep your hips back, eventually.
Distribute your weight evenly as you hold yourself up with your palms and rotate your inner elbows towards each other.
Use your muscles to make sure that your torso moves back towards the thighs.
Hold for 5-7 breaths, and drop to rest on your knees and hands

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5. Warrior Pose

You know you’re already empowered AF, just by looking at the posture and listening to its name! These basic yoga asanas help you channel the inner goddess and discover the strength your body wants you to be proud of!

The process:

Stand with your legs apart
Turn the toes of your right foot outwards at 90 degrees and the toes of your left foot at 45 degrees
Bend the right knee until it is positioned precisely over your right ankle
Keep your torso even between your hips; it’s important that you don’t strain yourself!
Stretch out both your arms on each side, and fix your gaze straight ahead above your right arm.
Take 5-7 breaths and repeat the same with your left knee.

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6. Child Pose

Yes, you deserve much-needed rest after that bout of stretching and bending. This one’s not just for basic yoga asanas practitioners, but for anyone who wants to take a breather from straining muscles. Particularly effective before bed, as you’re winding down for a good night’s sleep.

The process: