The Kriya Yogi logo — Om symbolThe Kriya Yogi

Yoga Poses for Beginners

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi

Most people do not need many postures to begin. They need a small number of well-understood shapes, practised often enough that the body stops treating them as unfamiliar. This page gives ten postures in an order that warms the spine, wakes the legs, and finishes with rest.

What a first practice is really training

A beginner practice is not trying to make you flexible in a week. It is training four unglamorous things: noticing where your weight is, keeping the breath even while something is difficult, moving a joint through its available range without bracing, and stopping at the right moment. Everything later in yoga is built on those four.

The classical texts are unusually calm about this. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, asana is described as a steady and comfortable seat — a condition, not a collection of positions. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika opens its posture chapter with a short list, mostly seated. The long posture repertoire people associate with yoga today grew much later. That matters for a beginner: your aim is the quality of the shape, not the quantity of shapes.

How long to hold each posture

For the standing and moving shapes below, five to eight slow breaths is enough at first. For the resting shapes, one to three minutes. For a seated finish, as long as the legs stay comfortable. If you find yourself holding your breath to stay in a pose, the pose is currently too much — reduce the range rather than the breath.

A realistic weekly rhythm

Three sessions of twenty minutes beats one session of ninety. Repetition is what changes tissue tolerance and coordination; a single long effort mostly produces soreness. Practise on a firm, non-slip surface where your hands and feet do not slide.

What to expect in the first month

Expect balance to improve noticeably, expect the shapes to feel more familiar, and expect flexibility to change slowly and unevenly. Most beginners feel calmer after practice; that effect is well reported in studies of yoga programmes, though the size of it varies a lot between people and styles. Work at the edge where breathing stays quiet and even. Sharp, shooting, radiating or electric sensation is a signal to come out of a shape, not to push further.

The sequence

  1. 01
    TadasanaMountain Pose

    Start standing. This is where you learn what neutral weight and quiet breathing feel like.

  2. 02
    BitilasanaCow Pose

    On hands and knees, move the spine gently in both directions before asking it to hold a shape.

  3. 03
    BalasanaChild's Pose

    The first rest. Learn to use it whenever anything feels like too much.

  4. 04
    Adho Mukha SvanasanaDownward-Facing Dog

    Lengthens the back of the legs and builds shoulder tolerance. Keep the knees bent at first.

  5. 05
    Ardha UttanasanaHalf Standing Forward Bend

    A half forward bend teaches a long spine before you attempt a full fold.

  6. 06
    AnjaneyasanaLow Lunge

    Opens the front of the hip — the area most affected by long hours of sitting.

  7. 07
    UtkatasanaChair Pose

    Simple leg strength, and a good place to practise breathing through effort.

  8. 08
    VrikshasanaTree Pose

    Balance on one leg. Use a wall; balance improves fastest when you are not afraid of falling.

  9. 09
    BhujangasanaCobra Pose

    A small backbend. Low and unforced is the whole skill here.

  10. 10
    ShavasanaCorpse Pose

    Finish lying still. This is part of the practice, not the end of it.

For seated or floor-based work, use a clean, stable surface. Our natural cork yoga mat offers a grounded 5 mm surface for regular practice.

Cautions

  • Recent surgery, acute injury, or pregnancy: get individual guidance before starting a sequence from a website.
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure, glaucoma or retinal problems: avoid inverted shapes and long head-below-heart holds.
  • Dizziness on standing up is common in forward bends — come up slowly.

What the evidence supports

Reviews of yoga programmes consistently report improvements in balance, mobility and self-reported wellbeing in previously inactive adults. Effects on pain, sleep and mood are reported but vary widely between trials and styles, and much of the research is small or unblinded. Yoga is a reasonable form of movement to begin with; it is not a treatment for a medical condition.

Questions about beginners

+ How many yoga poses does a beginner need?
Eight to twelve, practised regularly. A small familiar set trains coordination and breathing far better than a long unfamiliar list.
+ How long should a beginner hold a yoga pose?
Five to eight slow breaths for active shapes, one to three minutes for resting ones. Let the breath decide, not the clock.
+ Do I need to be flexible to start?
No. Flexibility is an outcome of practice, not a requirement for it. Bend the knees, use a wall, and reduce the range.
+ How often should a beginner practise?
Three short sessions a week is a realistic and effective starting point. Daily is fine if the sessions stay short.
+ Is it normal to shake in a pose?
Yes, in leg-strength and balance shapes. Shaking that comes with breath-holding or joint pain means come out.

Keep reading

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.