5 easy yoga poses for beginners
What's the story
Yoga works wonders to improve muscle strength and flexibility, especially for newbies.
It provides a gentle yet effective way to improve your fitness levels without having to rely on heavy equipment.
By simply adding a few yoga poses to your regimen, you can slowly start to build muscle tone and improve overall body balance.
Here are five easy yoga poses to help newbies strengthen their muscles effectively.
Foundation
Mountain Pose basics
Mountain Pose is one of the most basic yoga poses that can be done to improve posture and balance.
Standing tall with your feet together, arms at your sides, and weight evenly distributed across both feet activates your core muscles.
This pose will strengthen your thighs, knees, and ankles, while mindful awareness of body alignment will get you in the right position.
Strengthening
Warrior I benefits
Warrior I is an amazing pose to build strength in your legs and shoulders.
Start by stepping one foot forward in a deep lunge, with your front knee directly above your ankle.
At the same time, raise your arms up overhead, palms facing each other or touching.
This fierce stance not only opens your chest and lungs but also strengthens your legs, back, and arms, promoting better posture and physical endurance.
Flexibility
Downward Dog
Downward Dog is another versatile pose that improves flexibility in your hamstrings and calves, while also strengthening your arms and shoulders.
Start on all fours, and then lift your hips towards the ceiling to create an inverted V-shape with your body.
This pose also helps in relieving tension in the spine.
Balance
Tree Pose stability
Tree Pose ensures better balance by working your core muscles efficiently.
For this, stand on a single leg with the other foot on the inner thigh or calf of the standing leg for stability.
Your hands can either join in a prayer position at the chest or stretch above to make it more challenging.
This posture improves balance and strengthens your legs and core by demanding focus and steady breathing.
Core engagement
Bridge Pose strengthening core
The Bridge Pose focuses on core muscles along with glutes and lower back strength.
Lie down on your back with knees bent; lift your hips towards the ceiling while keeping feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart.
This pose also opens up the chest area, enhancing respiratory function.