Yoga for Beginners: 8 Poses to Learn First

New to yoga? Start with these eight foundational poses. Learn how to do each one, what it does and the most common beginner mistakes.

Starting yoga can feel confusing. There are hundreds of poses, many with Sanskrit names, and every class seems to move faster than you can follow. The good news is that most yoga classes are built from a small set of foundational poses. Learn these eight well and you'll recognise the building blocks of almost any beginner or all-levels class.

You don't need to be flexible to start. Flexibility is something yoga builds, not something you need beforehand.

What you need

• A non-slip mat, or a carpet if you are just trying it out.
• Comfortable clothes that let you move.
• Optional: two firm cushions or yoga blocks, and a belt or strap.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

It looks like simply standing, but Mountain Pose teaches the alignment you'll use in every standing pose. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, weight spread evenly through your heels and the balls of your feet. Lightly engage your thighs, lengthen your tailbone down, lift your chest and relax your shoulders. Breathe here for five to ten breaths.

Common mistake: locking the knees. Keep a tiny softness in them.

2. Child's Pose (Balasana)

Kneel, bring your big toes together and sit back toward your heels. Fold forward and rest your forehead on the mat, arms stretched forward or resting beside you. This is your resting pose. You can come back to it any time during a class.

Tip: if your hips don't reach your heels, place a cushion between them.

3. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)

On hands and knees, with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips, breathe in as you drop your belly and lift your chest (cow). Breathe out as you round your back and tuck your chin (cat). Move with your breath for eight to ten rounds. It is a gentle way to warm up the spine.

4. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

From hands and knees, tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back so your body makes an upside-down V. Press the floor away with your hands and let your head hang between your arms.

Common mistake: forcing the heels to the floor and rounding the back. Bend your knees as much as you need to keep your spine long. Read our full guide on doing Downward Dog correctly.

5. Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

From Downward Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands and lower your left knee to the mat. Keep your front knee above your ankle, lift your chest and, if you feel steady, raise your arms. You'll feel a stretch in the front of the back hip. Hold for five breaths and switch sides.

6. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Step your feet about a leg's length apart. Turn your right foot out and your left foot slightly in. Bend your right knee so it tracks over your ankle, and stretch your arms out at shoulder height. Look over your right fingertips. Hold for five breaths and switch.

Common mistake: letting the front knee fall inward. Aim it toward your middle toes.

7. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Shift your weight to your left foot and place your right foot on your inner left ankle, calf or thigh, but never directly on the knee. Bring your hands to your chest or overhead and fix your gaze on a still point in front of you. Balance poses improve quickly with practice. See our guide to improving your balance in Tree Pose.

8. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart. Press into your feet and lift your hips. Keep your knees pointing forward rather than letting them splay out. Hold for five breaths and lower slowly. Bridge strengthens the glutes and back and gently opens the front of the hips.

A simple 15-minute beginner routine

1. Child's Pose: 5 breaths
2. Cat-Cow: 8 rounds
3. Downward Dog: 5 breaths
4. Low Lunge: 5 breaths each side
5. Mountain Pose: 5 breaths
6. Warrior II: 5 breaths each side
7. Tree Pose: 5 breaths each side
8. Bridge Pose: 3 rounds of 5 breaths
9. Rest on your back with your eyes closed for 2 minutes

How often should beginners practise?

Two or three short sessions a week is a great start. Consistency matters more than length. Fifteen minutes three times a week will teach you more than one long session a month.

Check your form

It's hard to see your own alignment. Take a photo of yourself in any of these poses and upload it to our AI yoga pose rater. You'll get a score for alignment, balance and technique, plus tips on what to adjust. As always, stop if anything hurts, and talk to a doctor before starting if you have an injury or health condition.