Beginners poses are easily accessible and can be modified tohelp you increase flexibilityand improve mental health and overall fitness.

This will create space in your hips, allowing you to sit more comfortably.

you’ve got the option to use a block or a couple of books to modify this pose.

Tips for Starting a New Yoga Practice, an older woman practicing on a yoga mat

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Cat/Cow (Viralasana)

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To do cat/cow:

4.

To intensify the stretch, lift your hands toward the sky.

In that case, stay in seated staff until yourflexibilityimproves.

A woman in Easy Pose practicing yoga

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Reclined Pigeon (Supta Kapotasana)

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To do reclined pigeon:

15.

Basic Yoga Instructions and Equipment

Starting yoga doesnt need to be complicated.

The most important thing to remember is that yoga is a personal practice.

Seated Twist yoga pose

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If the shapes you make with your body do not look exactly like the photos above, thats OK.

The point is to move and breathe in a way that makes sense for you and your body.

In yoga, you never want to cause or exacerbate pain.

Woman performing Cat Cow Yoga pose

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One of the benefits of yoga practice is that you become more in tune with your body.

If something is causing pain, you learn to back away from it.

Hatha yoga focuses on combining breath with movement.

Woman doing yoga child’s pose

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Many studios or gyms will list beginner yoga classes.

Iyengar yoga is another great style for beginners.

Summary

Beginners can do many poses to achieve the benefits of yoga.

Woman doing down dog yoga pose

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These poses include easy pose, chair pose, down dog, savasana and more.

Beginning a yoga practice doesnt need to be complicated; you only need space to move.

Props like blocks, bolsters, and straps can help with pose modifications, making them more accessible.

Woman doing low lunge yoga pose

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Yoga follows the principle of ahimsa, which means “do no harm.”

This principle can help people living with pain adapt poses to their limitations.

Beginning yoga classes in the Hatha style and Iyengar classes are all great classes for beginners.

Woman practicing yoga and doing mountain pose

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Physiological efects of Hatha yoga among healthy novice women.Front Public Health.

2021;9:702793. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.702793

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Yoga: What you better know.

International World Yoga Alliance.13 types of yoga.

Woman practicing yoga extended mountain pose

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woman doing standing forward pose as a part of a yoga practice

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Man doing half standing forward fold pose

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Woman doing chair pose as a part of a yoga practice

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Woman doing seated staff pose as a part of a yoga practice

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Woman doing seated forward fold yoga pose

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Woman practicing reclined pigeon pose at home

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A group of woman doing corpse pose

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Amy Kwan, PT