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YogaPath

Beginner yoga poses

Learnable in a first class, with a version that works for most bodies.

Standing 15

Chair Pose Utkaṭāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds quadricepsglutes Equestrian Pose Aśva Sañcālanāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds hip flexorsquadriceps Extended Side Angle Pose Utthita Pārśvakoṇāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds quadricepsobliques Extended Triangle Pose Trikoṇāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds hamstringsobliques Five-Pointed Star Pose Utthita Tāḍāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds hip abductorsshoulders Gate Pose Parighāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds obliqueship adductors Goddess Pose Utkaṭa Koṇāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds quadricepsglutes Low Lunge Añjaneyāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds hip flexorsquadriceps Mountain Pose Tāḍāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds quadricepscalves Prayer Pose Prārthanāsana Beginner · standing · 3–5 breaths chestshoulders Reverse Warrior Viparīta Vīrabhadrāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds obliquesquadriceps Swaying Palm Tree Pose Tiryaka Tāḍāsana Beginner · standing · 5–8 slow rounds each side obliquesintercostals Upward Salute Ūrdhva Hastāsana Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds shouldersspinal erectors Warrior I Vīrabhadrāsana I Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds quadricepsglutes Warrior II Vīrabhadrāsana II Beginner · standing · 30–60 seconds quadricepsglutes

Seated 12

Auspicious Pose Svastikāsana Beginner · seated · 1–4 minutes hip adductorsspinal erectors Bound Angle Pose Baddha Koṇāsana Beginner · seated · 1–3 minutes hip adductorship flexors Easy Pose Sukhāsana Beginner · seated · 1–5 minutes hip adductorsspinal erectors Garland Pose Mālāsana Beginner · seated · 45–90 seconds hip adductorsglutes Gracious Pose Bhadrāsana Beginner · seated · 1–3 minutes hip adductorsankles Half Frog Pose Ardha Maṇḍūkāsana Beginner · seated · 20–40 seconds each side hip adductorsquadriceps Hero Pose Vīrāsana Beginner · seated · 1–4 minutes quadricepsankles Lion Pose Siṃhāsana Beginner · seated · 4–6 rounds neckquadriceps Seated Mountain Pose Parvatāsana Beginner · seated · 30–60 seconds shouldersspinal erectors Staff Pose Daṇḍāsana Beginner · seated · 30–60 seconds quadricepsspinal erectors Thunderbolt Pose Vajrāsana Beginner · seated · 1–5 minutes quadricepsankles Wide-Angle Seated Pose Upaviṣṭha Koṇāsana Beginner · seated · 1–2 minutes hip adductorshamstrings

Forward bends 9

Bound Angle Forward Fold Uttāna Baddha Koṇāsana Beginner · forward bends · 1–3 minutes hip adductorsspinal erectors Cross-Legged Forward Fold Adho Mukha Sukhāsana Beginner · forward bends · 1–2 minutes each side gluteship abductors Downward-Facing Hero Pose Adho Mukha Vīrāsana Beginner · forward bends · 1–3 minutes spinal erectorslatissimus dorsi Half Standing Forward Bend Ardha Uttānāsana Beginner · forward bends · 15–30 seconds spinal erectorshamstrings Head-to-Knee Pose Jānu Śīrṣāsana Beginner · forward bends · 1–2 minutes each side hamstringsspinal erectors Seated Forward Bend Paścimottānāsana Beginner · forward bends · 1–3 minutes hamstringsspinal erectors Standing Forward Bend Uttānāsana Beginner · forward bends · 45–90 seconds hamstringscalves Supported Seated Forward Bend Sālamba Paścimottānāsana Beginner · forward bends · 3–5 minutes hamstringsspinal erectors Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend Prasārita Pādottānāsana Beginner · forward bends · 45–90 seconds hamstringship adductors

Backbends 16

Bridge Pose Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana Beginner · backbends · 30–60 seconds, 2–3 rounds gluteshamstrings Cat Pose Mārjaryāsana Beginner · backbends · 8–12 rounds with Cow abdominalsspinal erectors Cobra Pose Bhujaṅgāsana Beginner · backbends · 15–30 seconds, 2–3 rounds spinal erectorsglutes Cow Pose Bitilāsana Beginner · backbends · 8–12 rounds with Cat spinal erectorschest Easy Bow Pose Sarala Dhanurāsana Beginner · backbends · 15–30 seconds, 2 rounds quadricepsspinal erectors Half Camel Pose Ardha Uṣṭrāsana Beginner · backbends · 20–40 seconds hip flexorschest Half Locust Pose Ardha Śalabhāsana Beginner · backbends · 10–15 seconds each side, 2–3 rounds glutesspinal erectors Locust Pose Śalabhāsana Beginner · backbends · 10–20 seconds, 3 rounds spinal erectorsglutes Melting Heart Pose Anāhatāsana Beginner · backbends · 1–2 minutes latissimus dorsichest Raised Arms Pose Hasta Uttānāsana Beginner · backbends · 2–3 breaths spinal erectorsshoulders Reverse Tabletop Pose Ardha Pūrvottānāsana Beginner · backbends · 20–30 seconds, 2 rounds gluteshamstrings Snake Pose Sarpāsana Beginner · backbends · 10–20 seconds, 3 rounds spinal erectorsrhomboids Sphinx Pose Sālamba Bhujaṅgāsana Beginner · backbends · 1–3 minutes spinal erectorschest Standing Backward Bend Ardha Cakrāsana Beginner · backbends · 2–4 breaths, 2 rounds spinal erectorschest Tiger Pose Vyāghrāsana Beginner · backbends · 6–10 rounds each side glutesspinal erectors Twisting Cobra Pose Tiryaka Bhujaṅgāsana Beginner · backbends · 5–8 slow rounds each side spinal erectorsobliques

Twists 7

Bharadvaja's Twist I Bharadvājāsana I Beginner · twists · 30–60 seconds each side obliquesspinal erectors Easy Seated Twist Parivṛtta Sukhāsana Beginner · twists · 5–8 breaths each side obliquesspinal erectors Revolved Staff Pose Parivṛtta Daṇḍāsana Beginner · twists · 5–8 breaths each side obliquesspinal erectors Simple Seated Twist Vakrāsana Beginner · twists · 30–60 seconds each side obliquesspinal erectors Standing Spinal Twist Kaṭicakrāsana Beginner · twists · 6–10 rounds each side obliquesspinal erectors Supine Spinal Twist Supta Matsyendrāsana Beginner · twists · 60–120 seconds each side obliquesspinal erectors Thread the Needle Pose Parivṛtta Bālāsana Beginner · twists · 60–90 seconds each side obliquesrhomboids

Inversions 3

Downward-Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Śvānāsana Beginner · inversions · 45–90 seconds hamstringsshoulders Extended Puppy Pose Uttāna Śiśosana Beginner · inversions · 60–120 seconds latissimus dorsishoulders Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose Viparīta Karaṇī Beginner · inversions · 5–10 minutes hamstrings

Balance 5

Dolphin Plank Pose Makara Adho Mukha Śvānāsana Beginner · balance · 20–45 seconds abdominalsshoulders Eight-Limbed Pose Aṣṭāṅga Namaskāra Beginner · balance · 1 breath in a flow, or 3–5 breaths held tricepschest Half Side Plank Ardha Vasiṣṭhāsana Beginner · balance · 30–60 seconds each side obliquesshoulders Plank Pose Phalakāsana Beginner · balance · 20–45 seconds abdominalsshoulders Tree Pose Vṛkṣāsana Beginner · balance · 20–45 seconds each side gluteus mediuscalves

Restorative 21

Child's Pose Bālāsana Beginner · restorative · 2–5 minutes lower backglutes Constructive Rest Supta Tāḍāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–15 minutes lower backhip flexors Corpse Pose Śavāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–15 minutes none — full release Crocodile Pose Makarāsana Beginner · restorative · 3–8 minutes lower backneck Flapping Fish Pose Matsya Krīḍāsana Beginner · restorative · 3–6 minutes each side lower backhip flexors Happy Baby Pose Ānanda Bālāsana Beginner · restorative · 1–3 minutes hip adductorsglutes Hare Pose Śaśāṅkāsana Beginner · restorative · 2–5 minutes lower backglutes Kneeling Rest Pose Praṇāmāsana Beginner · restorative · 2–5 minutes spinal erectorsquadriceps Knees-to-Chest Pose Pavanamuktāsana Beginner · restorative · 1–3 minutes lower backglutes Motionless Reclining Pose Niḥspanda Bhāva Beginner · restorative · 10–20 minutes none — full release Reclining Bound Angle Pose Supta Baddha Koṇāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–10 minutes hip adductorship flexors Reclining Easy Pose Supta Sukhāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–10 minutes hip adductorslower back Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana Beginner · restorative · 1–3 minutes each side hamstringscalves Relaxed Staff Pose Śithila Daṇḍāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–15 minutes hamstringscalves Reversed Corpse Pose Advāsana Beginner · restorative · 3–8 minutes none — full release Stick Pose Yaṣṭikāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–8 rounds of stretch and release latissimus dorsiabdominals Supine Abdominal Stretch Supta Udarākarṣaṇāsana Beginner · restorative · 2–4 minutes each side obliqueslower back Supported Bridge Pose Sālamba Setubandhāsana Beginner · restorative · 3–8 minutes chesthip flexors Supported Child's Pose Sālamba Bālāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–10 minutes lower backglutes Supported Fish Pose Sālamba Matsyāsana Beginner · restorative · 5–10 minutes chestshoulders Womb Pose Garbhāsana Beginner · restorative · 3–8 minutes each side lower backglutes

Questions

What counts as a beginner yoga pose?

Learnable in a first class, with a version that works for most bodies. On YogaPath 88 of 209 poses carry this rating, spread across 8 families.

How long before I move up a level?

There is no timetable and anyone who gives you one is guessing. A useful signal is that you can hold the poses at your current level for their full stated time, breathing normally, without needing to check the instructions. That usually takes months rather than weeks, and it is not a race — the injuries in yoga cluster almost entirely around people going up a level early.

Are beginner poses safe?

Difficulty and safety are different things. A beginner pose can still be wrong for a specific neck, knee or pregnancy, and an advanced pose is not dangerous for someone who has practised it for a decade. Every page here lists its own cautions — read those rather than relying on the level badge.

The other levels

Intermediate 60Advanced 61 A first practice

Asana names are traditional. Every step, benefit and caution on this page is written for YogaPath rather than reproduced from any book, studio or other library — see how this site is written. Energy figures derive from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.

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