The 15 most popular Yoga poses, for each level
Jun 23, 2020
Yoga can be practiced by anyone who can breathe.
This quote from the yogi Krishnamacharya aptly describes the philosophy of yoga. For it is neither a competitive sport nor a religion. Yoga is a kind of worldview.
Conscious breathing is simply part of yoga. And it may be precisely this that makes you falter when you see what some yogis are capable of after years of training: exercises such as the scorpion performed in a handstand are good examples of this.
But that shouldn't intimidate you, because yoga is not only a physical practice, but also a mental one. You will already benefit from many exercises in your first yoga class - no matter what physical condition you are in. The main thing is that you breathe freely and unhindered.
The various exercises (asanas) can be individually adapted to your physical abilities. Of course, there are also movements that look super acrobatic and seem unattainable for beginners. But yoga is not about extreme poses. Strength and flexibility can of course be goals for you - but the heart of yoga is to perform the exercises with the right attention and breathing.
If you're just starting out, the simplest exercises are best. Challenging stretches can be made easier with tools like a yoga block.
Below, you'll learn how beginner and advanced yoga differ and which are the most popular yoga exercises for each level.
How do the levels differ in yoga?
There is no black belt for yogis. It's more about the experience you've gained with the individual exercises - and that you perform them correctly. Especially at the beginning of your yoga practice, you will only manage many asanas in the gentle version - which is perfectly fine.
Yoga teaches you to listen to your body. As your practice progresses, you will become more and more flexible. Eventually you will be able to perform exercises that you can't do at the beginning in their full form.
Then, for example, you'll be able to do the downward dog with your knees stretched out, your shoulders extended and both heels on the floor as if by magic. This exercise is presented in more detail below - also in the beginner's version.
The 15 most famous yoga poses
Yoga offers countless poses. The best known is certainly the sun salutation. It consists of a sequence of eight individual exercises, some of which are repeated.
The sun salutation is a great warm-up exercise for every level. Advanced practitioners perform stronger stretches during the exercises or design the transitions with dynamic jumps, for example.
In the beginning, however, you should approach the sun salutation calmly and pay attention to the correct execution of its individual parts. Whenever the stretching becomes too strong, you can keep your knees slightly bent. In the video you can watch the exercise for beginners step by step.
Here is the sequence of the sun salutation:
For beginners: Bend forward only as far as you can. Possible goal: Articulated pros manage to look like a jackknife during this exercise.
4. sprinter
5. push-up
7. the cobra
For beginners: The cobra replaces the looking up dog exercise in the beginner variation. You place your body on the floor and then stretch your upper body upwards. In the even gentler version you can also rest your elbows on the floor.
Eight. Dog looking up.
Note: In this exercise you do not lay your body down after the push-up, but keep it in the air and stretch your upper body far back.
9. dog looking down.
For beginners and advanced: Especially at the beginning of this exercise you can keep your knees slightly bent. In the advanced version, the heels are firmly on the floor and the arms and legs are fully extended. From the side, yoga professionals look like a pointed triangle.
Other well-known yoga exercises - also for beginners
The tree is a balance exercise that you can also do as a beginner. In the gentle version you place your foot on the ankle of the other leg or on your calf.
Professionals place the foot on the inside of the thigh. However, make sure that you do not place it at the level of the knee in order to protect it.
This asana has a positive effect on your balance and concentration and also strengthens your entire musculature. It also stands for rootedness and connection with the earth.
Pisces 11 : Here you stretch backwards as far as you can while opening your chest. This exercise opens the heart area and is especially beneficial for the respiratory tract.
Absolute yoga professionals sometimes perform this exercise while their legs are crossed in the lotus position. The more advanced you become, the better you will get at stretching the chest.
The lotus position ensures a stable and grounded posture - both physically and mentally. Admittedly, hardly anyone can do the full lotus position right away. For the beginner's version, simply place one leg on top of the other.
The more limber you become, the sooner you can try the full lotus position. Be sure to listen to your body. If it hurts, stop the exercise. Because the lotus position is not a must - not even for advanced practitioners.
13th Warrior. The warrior is a challenging standing exercise that is also suitable for beginners. Here, one leg stands at a 90 degree angle while the other is extended far back. In Warrior 1 you simultaneously stretch the arms over the sides far upwards.
This asana stretches the upper body, strengthens the leg muscles and improves balance.
Fourteenth Child. In the child's pose bend forward from the heel position so that your forehead touches the floor in front of your knees. This exercise is very relaxing - at the same time you stretch the back, neck and shoulders. It is also ideal for beginners.
15 Crow. Okay, finally, a yoga exercise that is already a little more challenging for beginners: the crow requires balance and strength in the arms. Just try and see if you can do it. If not, try again another time. With this asana you strengthen the arms and strengthen your inner and outer balance.
Professionals balance in the air as a matter of course. But with a little practice you can do it even as a beginner.
What's the best way to get from beginner to advanced level?
Basically, you should practice yoga under the guidance of a teacher who corrects your performance. This way you learn the exercises from scratch, without mistakes creeping in. However, when practicing yoga, always listen to yourself and recognize the limits of your body. Advanced practitioners can be recognised by the fact that they train in harmony with their breath.
Tip for beginners: Hold each pose for about five to ten breaths. Learn more about breathing techniques in yoga in our article: Deep in and out: 3 breathing techniques for more puff in everyday life.
Focus on practicing each pose as mindfully and precisely as possible. If you enjoy strong stretches and difficult asanas, approach them slowly and have a professional show you the poses beforehand.
In the course of your yoga practice you will deepen the learned poses and work on the correct execution. In this way, you will gradually become a yoga professional. Under professional guidance, you will always learn something new about yourself and the individual exercises, even after years.
How to tell when you're advanced
When you become advanced also depends on your goals: If you see yoga as a physical challenge, you may strive to learn new exercises regularly and eventually master even the most difficult ones.
By the way: Even as an advanced yogi you don't necessarily have to be overly limber.
However, if you are more concerned with the spiritual component and the balance between mind and body, place your focus on the regular, mindful performance of simpler poses.
Whether beginner or advanced: it depends
Yoga is more than just a sport. Therefore, the classification between beginners and advanced is based on different criteria than in competitive sports:
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Yoga is a physical and spiritual practice in which the correct execution of the poses is at least as important as the controlled breath.
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The more advanced you become, the more closely you listen to your body and the more you benefit from the individual asanas.
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There is no objective gradation between beginners and advanced practitioners in yoga. Whether you are particularly supple or have mastered difficult exercises is not a yardstick. More important is the daily or regular practice - preferably under guidance.
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The sun salutation is one of the most famous yoga exercises. It is a great warm-up exercise because it trains the whole body.
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Always listen to your body during the individual yoga poses. Stop when it hurts and feel free to use aids for strong stretches - because yoga is not a competition.
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Remember Yogi Krishnamacharya's quote (Remember: Yoga can be practiced by anyone who can breathe.) and be sure to breathe calmly and evenly during each asana.
Yoga is primarily about mindful execution of the individual exercises and conscious breathing - and less about mastering the most complicated exercises that leave you breathless.
Because the breath - also called prana in yoga - should always flow during the asanas. No matter whether you do gentle beginner exercises or dare to do more and more demanding asanas over time, your breath is synonymous with your life energy.
Through regular practice, yoga becomes a part of your life. Simply adapt your yoga poses to your physical condition, recognize your limits and breathe consciously - you will soon feel the benefits of your yoga practice.