6 Basic Yoga Poses That Are Easy To Do & Strengthen Your Body

Yoga is one of the most enjoyable and beneficial exercises you can do. It's also one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy.

If you're new to yoga or have been away from it for a while, here are a few easy poses that anyone can do at home — no matter where you live or how much time you have:

Easy Yoga Poses To Strengthen Your Body

Here's a look at six such poses:

#1 Mountain Pose

The mountain pose is the foundation of all yoga poses. It's called tadasana in Sanskrit, which translates to mountain or steady pose. As a beginner, it's important to learn this pose first, as it teaches you how to balance your posture and align your body.

To get into mountain pose:

Start by standing up in a standing position with feet joined, arms at your sides with palms facing forward.
Look straight ahead of yourself instead of down at the ground. That will help keep the spine long and prevent excessive curves in the lower back area during rest between sets of exercises or throughout an entire workout session if done often enough.

#2 Downward Facing Dog

The downward facing dog is one of the most basic yoga poses, and it's a great place to start your yoga practice.

To do it:

Start in a tabletop position, with your knees on the floor and shins parallel to the floor.
Lift your hips up off the ground, keeping your arms extended straight above you with palms flat against each other.
Bend at the elbows so that they're next to each other, and spread them outward as far as they can go while still keeping them parallel to each other.
Press firmly into both hands while lifting both legs toward the ceiling so that they're perpendicular to the floor (or higher).
Lift your head up and back looking at the ceiling. That will help open up space in between vertebrae where there's often compression from sitting hunched over desktops or computers for hours at a time.

#3 Cat Cow Pose

The cat cow pose is a classic yoga pose that can be beneficial for beginners and experts alike.

It stretches the spine and strengthens the core muscles. In addition to being a great way to warm up the body before practicing other poses, the cat cow is also helpful for relieving back pain and improving posture.

To do the exercise:

Come onto hands and knees with wrists directly beneath shoulders, hips directly beneath knees, and toes tucked under.
Begin by pressing into your hands as you lift your torso up as high as possible while stretching your back — imagine that you are reaching toward the ceiling with your tailbone pointing toward the floor.
Once you've reached a comfortable height in this position, take several deep breaths, and lower yourself down slowly till your back is arched.
Repeat eight times or more at a moderate pace making sure not to hold onto any tension in your neck or jaw.
Focus on breathing deeply from within so that each inhalation brings energy through your body while each exhalation releases stress from it.

#4 Happy Baby Pose

Happy Baby Pose is a great way to open up the hips, which can help relieve lower back pain. It's also good for stretching out the hamstrings and calves.

How to do the pose:

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart. Raise your legs, and bring them above your chest.
Reach behind you with both arms, and hold onto each other at chest level, creating what looks like a 'V' shape in front of you.
Hold it for 20 seconds or as long as it feels comfortable, and switch sides by rolling over onto the opposite side of your hips before repeating once more.

You should do the pose whenever it's possible. This isn't just a great stretch, but it also helps improve flexibility while reducing stress levels by releasing tension from muscles throughout the body and promoting feelings of relaxation and well-being.

#5 Child's Pose

Also known as thebBalasana, which means child's pose in Sanskrit, it's a gentle pose that can be performed by beginners and advanced practitioners alike.

This is a resting position that calms the mind and relaxes the body. It's also known as Balasana. This pose is one of the most accessible poses in yoga. Here's how it's done:

The starting position is on your knees under your hips and hands by your side.
Curl your toes under; tuck your pelvis slightly forward (but not tucked); lower your belly toward the mat, and lengthen your tailbone toward heels.
Relax your head into your chest, and rest your forehead/chin on the floor between hands or arms if you need to modify this pose due to injury or other limitations, such as tight hamstrings.

#6 Plank Pose

The plank pose is one of the most challenging poses in yoga, but it's also one of the most effective.

When you're doing a plank pose, your entire body should be straight and in an elevated position on your hands. Your palms should be flat on the floor with your fingers spread out as wide as possible. The tops of your feet should be off the ground while they rest on their sides. You will feel this stretch most in your glutes, hamstrings, arms, and core muscles (abs).

Holding this pose for just 20 seconds can strengthen these areas significantly —and holding for longer will allow you to build up even more strength. It's recommended that beginners hold a plank for 60 seconds before increasing it further.

However, how long you hold will depend on your level of fitness: If you haven't exercised much before, it may take some time before reaching this goal length of time.

Takeaway

If you’re looking for a way to improve your physical and mental health, yoga is an excellent choice.

You don’t have to be flexible or athletic to do it; in fact, many people who practice yoga are doing it for the first time. Yoga poses can help you improve your balance and coordination, reduce stress levels and anxiety, boost energy levels and motivation — and much more.