The 15 most popular Yoga poses, for each level

Jun 23, 2020

Yoga can be practiced by anyone who can breathe.

This quotation of the yogi Krishnamacharya aptly describes the philosophy of yoga. For it is neither competitive sport nor religion. Yoga is a kind of worldview.

Conscious breathing is simply part of yoga. And that's exactly what you might stop when you see what some yogis can do after years of training: exercises like the scorpion performed in handstands are good examples.

But this should not intimidate you, because yoga is not only a physical practice, but also a mental practice. 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 different exercises (asanas) can be individually adapted to your physical abilities. Sure, there are also such movements that look super acrobatic and seem to be 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 are just starting out, the simplest possible exercises are best. Demanding stretches can be made easier with tools like a yoga block.

In the following you will learn how beginners 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 is rather about the experience you have gained in the individual exercises - and that you do them correctly. Especially at the beginning of your yoga practice you will only be able to do many asanas in the gentle version - which is perfectly fine.

Yoga teaches you to listen into your body. As your practice progresses, you will become more and more flexible. At some point you will be able to perform exercises that you cannot do in the beginning in their completed form.

For example, the dog looking down with knees straightened, shoulders stretched and both heels on the ground, you will succeed as if by magic. We will introduce this exercise to you in more detail below - even 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 students perform stronger stretches during the exercises or design the transitions, for example with dynamic jumps.

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 for you, you can keep your knees slightly bent. In the video you can watch the exercise for beginners step-by-step.

Here the sequence of the sun salutation:

1. recovery

2. half a bend

3. all the prevention

For beginners: Bend forward only as far as you can. Possible goal: Articulate professionals manage to look like a jackknife during this exercise.

4th sprinter

5. push-up

6. the plank

7. the cobra

For beginners: In the beginner's variation, the cobra replaces the exercise of the dog looking up. You lay your body on the floor and then stretch your upper body upwards. In the even gentler version, you can also lay your elbows on the floor.

8th looking up dog.

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.

Ninth Downward Dog.

For beginners and advanced: Especially at the beginning you can keep your knees slightly bent during this exercise. In the advanced version, the heels are firmly on the ground and the arms and legs are fully extended. From the side, yoga pros look like a pointed triangle.

Other well-known Yoga exercises - also for beginners

10. the tree is a balance exercise, which you can also do wonderfully 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, be careful not to place it at the height of the knee to protect it.

This asana has a positive effect on your balance and concentration and also strengthens all your muscles. It also stands for rootedness and connection with the earth.

11th fish: Here you stretch backwards as far as you can and open 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 more successful you will be in stretching your chest.

12th lotus position: The lotus position ensures a stable and grounded posture - both physically and mentally. Admittedly, hardly anyone can achieve full lotus position at the first attempt. In the beginner's version, simply place one leg on the other.

The more flexible you become, the sooner you can try the full lotus position. Be sure to listen to your body. If it hurts, finish the exercise. Because the lotus position is not a must - even for advanced students.

13th Warrior. The warrior is a challenging exercise in standing position, but it is also suitable for beginners. One leg is at a 90 degree angle, while the other is stretched far back. In Warrior 1 you simultaneously stretch your arms far up over the sides.

This asana stretches the upper body, strengthens the leg muscles and improves balance.

Fourteenth child. In the child's position, you bend forward from the heel seat so that your forehead touches the ground in front of your knees. This exercise is very relaxing - at the same time you stretch your back, neck and shoulders. It is also ideal for beginners.

15th crow. Okay, finally a yoga exercise that is a bit more challenging for beginners: The crow requires balance and strength in the arms. Just 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, even beginners can do it.

How do you best get from beginner to advanced level?

Basically, you should practice yoga under the guidance of a teacher who will correct your explanations. This way you learn the exercises from the bottom up without making mistakes. However, when doing yoga, always listen inside yourself and recognise the limits of your body. Advanced students can be recognized by the fact that they train in harmony with their breath.

Tip for beginners: Hold the individual poses for about five to ten breaths. You can read more about breathing techniques in Yoga in our article: Deep in and out: 3 breathing techniques for more puff in everyday life.

Concentrate on practicing the individual poses as carefully and precisely as possible. If you enjoy strong stretches and difficult asanas, feel your way slowly and let a professional show you the poses beforehand.

In the course of your yoga practice, you deepen the learned poses more and more and work on the correct execution. Thus you will gradually become a yoga professional. Under professional guidance you will learn new things about yourself and the individual exercises even after years.

How to recognize when you are advanced

When you are advanced is also related to your goals: If you see yoga as a physical challenge, you may strive to learn new exercises regularly and will eventually master even the most difficult ones.

By the way, even as an advanced yogi, you do not necessarily have to be over-articulated.

However, if you are more concerned with the spiritual component and the balance between body and mind, you will focus on the regular, mindful execution of simpler poses.

Whether beginner or advanced: that's what counts

Yoga is more than just a sport. Therefore the classification between beginners and advanced students is based on different criteria than in competitive sports:

Yoga is a physical and spiritual practice in which the correct execution of the poses is at least as important as controlled breathing
The more advanced you become, the more you listen to your body and benefit from the individual asanas
There is no objective gradation between beginners and advanced students in yoga. Whether you are particularly agile or have mastered difficult exercises is not an indicator of this. More important is the daily or regular practice - preferably under guidance.
The sun salutation is one of the most famous yoga exercises. It is a great warm-up exercise because it trains the whole body.
Always listen into your body during the individual yoga poses. Stop when it hurts and use aids when stretching strongly - because yoga is not a competition.
Think of Yogi Krishnamacharya's quote (Remember: Yoga can be practiced by anyone who can breathe.) and make sure to breathe calmly and evenly during the individual asanas.

Yoga is primarily about the mindful execution of the individual exercises and conscious breathing - and less about mastering the most complicated exercises that make your breath stop.

Because the breath - in Yoga also called prana - should always flow during the asanas. No matter whether you do gentle beginners' exercises or, as time goes on, dare to perform more and more demanding asanas, 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.