Yoga Foundational Poses For Beginners (Or A Refresh For Anyone)
/For this week’s blog, I wanted to get back to some basics. I understand that yoga can be daunting if you’re just starting out, or if it’s been a while since you’ve practiced and you’re jumping back in. There are a lot of poses, often referred to by Sanskrit names, depending on the type of class we may flow relatively quickly between them, and it can often seem like by the time you get into one pose, it’s onto the next. This can be even trickier when you’re starting out virtually, because you don’t have the in person demonstration of the instructor, other students around you as a guide, no opportunity for the instructor to do hands on adjusts or assists.
Sukhasana
And yet right now, I feel like yoga might be increasingly helpful, with the stress and the being pulled in numerous directions (I see you, work-from-home home-school-teaching parents) and so much time having to be spent bent over phones or sitting at computers to communicate and connect. So I thought it might be a good time to take a step back, and revisit some of what I consider to be foundational poses of a yoga asana practice, in case you’re thinking about yoga, just starting out, or jumping back in after a while, and would like some information on the basics.
Before I continue, a few things I should mention. First, when I say “basics”, I don’t mean easy. I mean that these poses, in my opinion, form the basis for a large number of other poses. It might be the positioning of the seat, the alignment of the lower or upper body, or a pose that we use to access other poses, for example. Secondly, these are poses that I have chosen as “foundationals” because of the above. You may have heard of something called the Primary Series, which is based in Ashtanga Yoga, but that’s not what I’m talking about (I’m not trained in Ashtanga so can’t speak to the primary series directly). These are simply poses that I believe can be a good foundation for those starting out, and for all practitioners to revisit from time to time.
Sukhasana
Sukhasana, or Easy Seat, is where we start and end many of our classes. It allows us the chance to settle into our practice, to begin to notice the breath and the body, to quiet the mind. It also is a grounding pose, with the “sits bones” evenly on the ground. That grounding nature of feeling the sits bones evenly on the ground is how we start a large number of our seated poses, so practicing this in Sukhasana, which doesn’t have many other “moving parts” (leg here, arm there, etc) can be a helpful way to get accustomed to this posture.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
To me, Tadasana is the foundational standing pose. It’s the place that we start and end nearly all of our standing flows. The alignment of the lower body is used as a basis for nearly all standing balances. It’s our pose for grounding, rooting down in the standing position, and it’s a great place to come back to to recenter, reconnect with the breath, and check in with alignment throughout practice. Some tips in Tadasana:
Feet are hip width apart (Note - that’s the bony part of the hips. Curves, flesh are wonderful and we honor those, but for alignment purposes, use the bones at the front of the hips for reference. It’s also about two fists width apart, if that helps).
Feel all four corners of the feet planted firmly on the ground.
Navel is in and up; low ribs in (but make sure you’re not holding your breath!)
Shoulder blades pull together on the spine
Spine is long, and the neck is an extension of the spine (chin isn’t tilted down or up)
Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hands Pose)
To be honest, if you’ve taken class with me, I rarely call this Urdvha Hastasana and I’ve never called it Upward Hands Pose (the latter just feels clumsy to me). But if we’re standing in Tadasana and you hear me (or any instructor) say “Inhale, arms overhead”, that “arms overhead Tadasana” is Urdhva Hastasana. This pose doesn’t always get a lot of individual attention, because it’s nearly always part of a flow. It seems almost a natural pass through between Tadasana and folding forward, or the reverse. But this pose, the upper body in particular, is the foundation of numerous standing poses. The lower body in this pose is Tadasana. Upper body cues:
You almost always enter into this pose on an inhale
Arms are reaching active, reaching toward the sky
Shoulder blades are pulled together on the back.
Shoulders shrug away from the ears. If you notice the shoulders creeping toward the ears, you can widen the arms a little.
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
The forward fold in general is a fundamental pose in yoga to me, and I like the standing forward fold as a starting point for several reasons. 1.) Gravity! It makes the standing forward fold a little less taxing (in my opinion at least) than others. 2.) Like Tadasna and Urdvha Hastasana, this is a pose we come back to time and again throughout our standing flows. Also, it’s an inversion, even if we don’t think of it as one, and inversions have all sorts of benefits (you can read about those in my Inversions for Beginners post here). Key tips for Uttansana:
Lower body is in Tadasana
Hinge forward from the hips. If you need, bend the knees to bring the belly onto the thighs.
Neck is long, crown of the head points down to the ground.
Tadasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Uttanasana
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Like Sukhasana, child’s pose is a great place to rest, to reconnect with the breath, to go if you need to take a moment of pause and recentering. It’s also great for stretching out the back, and wide-leg child’s pose is a nice way to ease into opening up the hips. Specific arm and leg cues depend on if you’re going into the open or closed legged version, but in both poses:
Seat sinks back toward the heels, creating a deep crease in the front of the hips
Forehead comes toward the ground
Wide leg child’s pose
Closed leg child’s pose
Table
I’m not sure that Table is technically a yoga pose. If it has a Sanskrit name, I do not know it. But I’m including it here, because it’s a pose that we use as a base in a lot of yoga warm ups, transitions, and also yoga flows. For instance, I have a lot of students who, for various reasons, use Table instead of Plank pose when flowing in class. Important cues in Table:
Wrists are directly underneath the shoulders.
Knees are directly underneath the hips (again, the bony part of the hips)
Back is flat. Neck is long.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Downward Facing Dog, or Down Dog is one of the most recognizable poses in yoga.
Hands are shoulder-width apart, with either middle or pointer finger pointing toward the top of the mat (I’ve heard it both ways, I think it depends on which feels best to you).
Feet are hips width apart
Press down evenly into both hands and feet
Hips (“sits bones”) lifting toward the ceiling
Navel in and up, low ribs in (but make sure you’re not holding your breath!)
Gaze is either between the knees or toward the navel
Baby Cobra (Bhujangasana)
I chose Bhujangasna, or baby cobra, for several reasons. It’s frequently used in flows/vinyasasas, and as in transition from prone (belly down) on the ground back up to a table or a down dog. Additionally, the alignment in Baby Cobra forms the basis for poses such as Cobra and Upward Facing Dog, and the movement is good preparation for other belly back bends that you might find throughout practice. Tips for Bhujangasana:
Hands are by the low ribs; elbows hug in toward the body
Press into the hand, lifting the chest off the ground.
Pull the shoulder blades together on the spine
Hip points, tops of the legs, tops of the feet are pressing down into the ground
Table
Downward Facing Dog
Bhunjangasana (Baby Cobra)
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
I’m including both Warrior I and II on this list because so many of our other standing poses start with Warrior I or II alignment, and we often come back to them time and again throughout class. They ground us, and at the same time prep us for an array of other poses. Warrior I tips:
Back foot is at about a 45 degree angle. Front knee is bent, front foot pointing toward the top of the mat.
Press out through the outer edges of both feet to ground in the pose.
Even though they’re going in different directions, feel the thighs pulling toward each other (towards the midline of the body - inner thighs are engaged).
Hips are square to the top of the mat - think of them as headlines that you want to shine on the front of your mat.
Upper body is Urdhva Hastasana, as described above.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
There are lots of cues for Warrior II, so bear with me - getting alignment solid in Warrior II will set you up for proper alignment in many other standing poses.
Back foot points toward the long side of the mat (parallel with the front/back of the mat).
Front knee is bent, front foot pointing toward the top of the mat; make sure you can see your front big toe - if not, gently move the front knee more towards the pinky toe.
Hips are square to the long side of the mat
Arms are active, reaching out from the shoulders; shoulder blades pull together on the spine.
Navel in and up, low ribs in.
Make sure the torso is centered right over the hips; it’s easy for the ribs/belly to lean toward that front leg.
Gaze is out over the front middle finger
Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
Virabhadrasana II
Dandasana (Staff Pose)
Dandasana may not be a pose you think you see in class often (it may not even look pose), but if you’ve taken class, you do it more than you think. I chose this as a foundational pose because, as Tadasana is to standing poses, Dandasana is to seated poses. While I might not announce it as a pose in class, I start almost every seated forward fold, and many seated twists, in Dandasana. It’s one of those poses that doesn’t have a lot of moving parts, but getting the alignment right in Dandasana is key, because you then take that alignment into so many other poses.
Feel the sits bones evenly on the ground.
Legs straight out in front of you, “zipped together”, feet flexed.
Knees and toes are pointed toward the ceiling (i.e. not rolling in or out)
Spine is long; neck is an extension of the spine
Shoulder blades are pulled together on the back; hands on the ground by the hips.
Navel in and up; low ribs pulled in.
Savasana
Savasana is the only pose that’s required in a vinyasa yoga class. That in itself makes it a fundamental pose to me. But also, Savasana is the pose that ties everything together. It’s the pose that lets you let go of everything that’s happened in practice, any movement, any specific breath work you may have been doing in class, and lets you just be. If you’re practicing in a studio, Savasana lets you just be both as an individual, and as part of the collective - you can just be along with everyone else just being. Savasana is where we find our stillness. Traditionally Savasana is practiced lying on the back legs extended out to the outer edges of the mat, arms out by the sides with the palms up, eyes closed. However, this isn’t comfortable for everyone, especially in an open class (it can feel extremely vulnerable to be on your back with your eyes closed surrounded by others). So here are some other options:
You can sit up and do Savasana more like you would a meditation
You can do Savasana “Legs Up the Wall” style (or if you’re at home and don’t have an open wall, legs up the couch, or any other supportive basically solid surface).
If you’re ok being on your back but arms and legs out wide feels uncomfortable, you can bend the knees and put the feet flat on the ground. You can also bring hands to the belly, heart, or one on each.
If being on your back is physically uncomfortable (from a joint/pain standpoint), you can put a rolled up blanket/towel or a bolster/cushion underneath the knees. You can also always pad behind the shoulders neck and head, or can put a blanket across the tops of hips which can feel grounding.
If you find your mind racing or suddenly filled with thoughts in Savasana (I often do), there are few things you can do. One is to focus on the breath, as you would in a meditation. You can also silently repeat a mantra or phrase, or do a visualization (maybe imagining waves on a beach, or walking through a forest or field, something peaceful). These both help to keep the mind focused on something specific and soothing, which can help if the mind really doesn’t want to be still. If practicing at home, you can also use some soft instrumental music during Savasana. If you need suggestions, I have a Spotify playlist of Savasana and meditation music that I’m happy to share, and I’m sure there are plenty of other playlists as well.
Savasana seems like it should be an “easy” pose (you’re “just lying there” right?) but for many of us, it’s not easy, mentally or physically or emotionally, to just lie, in a position that can feel open and exposed, and still our minds. So be gentle on yourself if Savasana doesn’t feel as calm and easy and relaxing as you think it “should”, especially at first. It might not be a physically complex pose, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy, and just like every other pose, we can make adjustments as needed to make it work best for ourselves in that moment.
Dandasana
Savasana