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Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned vet at yoga, effects on your mind, body, and spirit are immediate. If you’ve ever thought about getting into the flow of things — but were concerned you just wouldn’t be able to keep up — we’ve got some tips for you! Our Ellie contributor, Anabelle Roche, is a yoga teacher with some easy ideas for a yogi-in-training. Our guess is you’ll be seeing more and more of your mat from now on!
Anabelle is wearing our February look, Tilt the Scale.
My 3 Favorite Yoga Poses For Beginners
Starting a yoga practice may not only be beneficial to your physical health, but also your emotional and mental health. Yoga has many benefits and can help in areas such as sleeping, breathing, thinking, resting, and even getting stronger. However, starting yoga may seem daunting and overwhelming with all the information that is out there. The good news is that you can practice yoga almost anywhere — at home, at a local gym, or at a yoga studio. It is a practice that you can take anywhere. If you choose to start, you can easily incorporate yoga throughout your day, in the morning before you get your day going, during your lunch break, or even before bed. Some of the asanas also require very little, and some may even be done on your bed or on your couch.
Below are three of my favorite yoga poses that I believe will help beginners get going on a strong foundation. The poses offered provide a combination of strength, mobility, and rest, and the best part is that you can begin incorporating these poses at any time and even before or after a workout.
Down Dog
Down dog helps with strength and flexibility, and targets the entire body from your hamstrings and hips to your shoulders.
How to: Get on all fours. Extend the legs and shoulders, pressing firmly into your mat. Push the ground away as you tilt the tailbone up. You may modify by putting a slight bend in your knees.
Common Mistake: Focusing only on the hamstrings. Bend the knees if you have to, this is more about opening up the shoulders, and feeling the stretch there too.
Plank
Plank improves your overall balance, strengthens the core, wrists, shoulders, and really helps with improving your balance. This is a great pose that if done consistently will bring on results. It’s great for beginners who want to start building strength and overall for all levels, as this pose allows you to easily adjust the difficulty. Maybe start holding plank pose for 10 seconds, and slowly work your way up to one minute.
How to: From a down dog pose, shift the body over until you are on a straight line. Shoulders and wrists should be stacked. Engage the core and push the ground away.
Common Mistake: Sinking into the shoulders instead of pushing the ground away. Hips should be tilted up and not lowered into your mat.
Child’s Pose
Child’s pose is a relaxing stretch, especially for the hips and thighs. This pose can also be used to rest in between your yoga practice, while simultaneously providing benefits to the body (yay)! It’s also great for lower back pain and calming the body.
How to: Get on all fours, and from all fours, spread the knees as wide as your mat. Bring your belly close to the mat and rest your forehead on your mat. You may keep the toes touching or spread both feet away from each other. This is a resting pose, so the key is to feel at rest and comfortable — listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
LIGHTNING ROUND Q&A:
Matcha or Coffee
Yoga or Pilates
Fall or Summer
World Traveler or Backyard Explorer
Gilmore Girls or Friends
Early Bird or Night Owl
Tacos & Guac or Burgers & Fries
This beginner’s yoga routine was contributed exclusively to Ellie by mom, wife, yoga teacher, and educator Anabelle Roche. Her passion is teaching and serving others. When she’s not teaching, you can find her little family of three on their mats — breathing, moving, and laughing. Her infertility journey led her to dive deeper into her health. Yoga has helped, tremendously, in strengthening not only her faith, but her physical and mental health. Instagram: @brownyogigirl