It’s time to roll out your yoga mat and discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that for thousands of years have hooked yoga practitioners around the globe. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to be a yogi or yogini to reap the benefits. Whether you are young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. Don’t be intimidated by yoga terminology, fancy yoga studios, and complicated poses. Yoga is for everyone.

 

These 10 poses are a complete yoga workout. Move slowly through each pose, remembering to breathe as you move. Pause after any pose you find challenging, especially if you are short of breath, and start again when your breathing returns to normal. The idea is to hold each pose for a few, slow breaths before moving on to the next one.

Child’s Pose

This calming pose is a good default pause position. You can use the child’s pose to rest and refocus before continuing to your next pose. It gently stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, knees, and ankles and relaxes your spine, shoulders, and neck.

Do it: When you want to get a nice gentle stretch through your neck spine and hips.
Skip it: If you have knee injuries or ankle problems. Avoid also if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
Modify: You can rest your head on a cushion or block. You can place a rolled towel under your ankles if they are uncomfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on relaxing the muscles of the spine and lower back as you breathe.

Child’s Pose

This should be your go-to pose whenever you need to rest for a moment during a yoga workout.

Downward-Facing Dog

Downward-facing dog strengthens the arms, shoulders, and back while stretching the hamstrings, calves, and arches of your feet. It can also help relieve back pain.

Do it: To help relieve back pain.
Skip it: This pose is not recommended if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other wrist problems, have high blood pressure, or are in the late stages of pregnancy.
Modify: You can do the pose with your elbows on the ground, which takes the weight off your wrists. You can also use blocks under your hands, which may feel more comfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on distributing the weight evenly through your palms and lifting your hips up and back, away from your shoulders.

Downward-Facing Dog

This is one of the most common yoga poses.

Plank Pose

A commonly seen exercise, plank helps build strength in the core, shoulders, arms, and legs.

Do it: The plank pose is good if you are looking to tone your abs and build strength in your upper body.
Skip it: Avoid plank pose if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be hard on your wrists. You might also skip it or modify it if you have low back pain.
Modify: You can modify it by placing your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: As you do a plank, imagine the back of your neck and spine lengthening.

Plank

This common pose can build strength in the core, shoulders, arms, and legs.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose

This push-up variation follows plank pose in a common yoga sequence known as the sun salutation. It is a good pose to learn if you want to eventually work on more advanced poses, such as arm balances or inversions.

Do it: Like plank, this pose strengthens arms and wrists and tones the abdomen.
Skip it: If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, a shoulder injury, or are pregnant.
Modify: It’s a good idea for beginners to modify the pose by keeping their knees on the floor.
Be mindful: Press your palms evenly into the floor and lift your shoulders away from the floor as you hold this pose.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose

This pose builds strength in the arms, shoulders, wrists, and back and helps tone the abdomen.

Cobra Pose

This back-bending pose can help strengthen the back muscles, increase spinal flexibility, and stretches the chest, shoulders, and abdomen.

Do it: This post is great for strengthening the back.
Skip it: If you have arthritis in your spine or neck, a low-back injury, or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Modify: Just lift up a few inches, and don’t try to straighten your arms.
Be mindful: Try to keep your navel drawing up away from the floor as you hold this pose.

Cobra Pose

One of the simpler back-bending poses.

Tree Pose

Beyond helping improve your balance, it can also strengthen your core, ankles, calves, thighs, and spine.

Do it: Great for working on your balance and posture.
Skip it: You may want to skip this pose if you have low blood pressure or any medical conditions that affect your balance.
Modify: Place one of your hands on a wall for support.
Be mindful: Focus on your breath in and out as you hold this pose.

Tree Pose

This balancing pose is one of the most recognized poses in modern yoga.

Triangle Pose

The Triangle, which is a part of many yoga sequences helps build strength in the legs and stretches the hips, spine, chest, shoulders, groins, hamstrings, and calves. It can also help increase mobility in the hips and neck.

Do it: This pose is great for building strength and endurance.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a headache or low blood pressure.
Modify: If you have high blood pressure, turn your head to gaze downward in the final pose. If you have neck problems, don’t turn your head to look upward; look straight ahead and keep both sides of the neck long.
Be mindful: Keep lifting your raised arm toward the ceiling. It helps keep the pose buoyant.

Triangle Pose

This pose can be found in many yoga sequences.