In this article, we’ll explore the basic yoga poses beginners should learn first to develop a strong at-home yoga practice. I also share the best yoga memberships and online studios for learning yoga at home.
If you want to learn yoga at home, this is a great place to start!
Learn yoga online as a beginner
You can learn yoga at home online as a beginner, but you’ll want to take proper precautions and ease into it, just as you would ease into weight training. While you won’t learn the eight limbs of yoga on an online yoga platform, you can learn the physical aspect of yoga – the yoga asanas.
There are various yoga styles to choose from, such as Hatha, Vinyasa, and Restorative. You can find classes at local studios, follow videos online, or practice with a yoga app.
Start slow, listen to your body, and make adjustments as needed. Practice regularly and be patient with yourself as you develop your practice. As a beginner, you should build upon your practice slowly and get to know each pose before learning a new one.
In an ideal scenario, you complete an entire beginner series where you learn the foundational poses first, and then each class builds upon the previous class by adding your newly learned yoga poses into the sequences. You should start taking online yoga classes for beginners before moving on to any Vinyasa flow classes.
How to Practice Yoga
To begin a yoga practice, you’re going to need a few basics, such as:
A yoga mat
Props for modifications and comfort (these may include a blanket, two yoga blocks, pillows, and a yoga strap)
A quiet space that allows for free movement and relaxation
Clothes that allow you to move comfortably
Experts agree that having the right teacher is one of the best investments for a yoga beginner. Gamboa recommends finding a teacher who encourages you to grow and explore your practice while motivating you and others.
10 yoga poses a beginner should learn first at home
While there are hundreds of yoga pose variations, there are certain asanas (postures) that you will perform in almost every single yoga class. I recommend that you become very familiar with these poses first.
These specific yoga postures should become like second nature to you, and you’ll want to be able to recall them quickly from memory. Here are ten poses you should familiarize yourself with first when you start learning yoga at home:
- Cat cow
- Child’s pose
- Downward-facing dog
- Upward-facing dog
- Plank pose
- Cobra pose
- Warrior 1
- Warrior 2
- Chair pose
- Low lunge