Yoga is an ancient practice that focuses on breathing, poses and meditation. But it’s also more than that. It’s a full mind-body workout that can leave you feeling calm, strong, and refreshed. While it may initially seem intimidating and overwhelming, yoga is very beginner-friendly.

Regular yoga is wonderfully soothing for both the physical and mental health. The good news is that you don’t need advanced poses or expensive gear to reap these rewards – just your body and breath! That’s why, in this blog, we share how yoga for beginners in Dublin is easier with these poses.

8 Yoga Poses for Beginners

These simple moves are perfect for those just dipping their toes into yoga. They’ll help you gain balance, flexibility, and strength without putting too much stress on your body.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Tree pose improves balance and stability, which are essential for daily activities like walking and playing with kids.

How to Get into The Pose

Stand on your left leg and bend your right knee to bring the sole of your right foot to your left inner thigh or calf. Find your gaze straight ahead or up towards the “branches” by extending your arms overhead and joining your palms

Tips for Balance

• Activate the leg you are standing on by pressing your heel down
• Gaze at a fixed point ahead to steady swaying
• Start with just lifting your foot off the ground before pressing it to your leg
• Hold onto a wall for extra support if you lose balance

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

The downward dog elongates its spine while strengthening its arms and legs. It is a basic yoga for beginners pose that puts the body in a head-below-hearts position to improve circulation.

How to Get into The Pose

Come onto hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Tuck your toes under and press your hips up and back to form an inverted V shape. Pedal your feet one at a time to stretch your hamstrings

Tips to Keep Arms and Legs Engaged

• Press strongly through your hands while lifting your hips up and back
• Activate your legs by spreading your toes and pressing your heels toward the floor
• Keep your neck relaxed by looking back between your legs

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)  

This gentle yoga for beginners’ mountain pose improves posture, balance, and core stability.

How to Get into The Pose

Stand with feet together (or hip-width apart), and engage your leg muscles. Roll shoulders down and back, lengthen through the crown of your head. With your thighs and glutes lifted and broadened across your collarbones. Keep core engaged and tailbone tucked under to balance over your feet

Tips for Square Hips and Shoulders

• Visualize a line running through your heels to the top of your head
• Open your chest fully by pressing your shoulder blades down your back
• Suck in your lower belly to feel tall yet grounded
• Find a Drishti point straight ahead to steady your gaze

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

Warrior I is the best yoga for beginner poses as it strengthens legs and hips.

How to Get into The Pose

Step one leg back about 3-4 feet from the mountain pose in a high lunge. Bend into a front knee to 90 degrees over the ankle with a straight back leg. Raise arms overhead and look up or straight ahead for balance.

How to Get into The Pose

• Press evenly between both feet to feel grounded
• Resist sinking into hips by lifting thighs and engaging the core
• Keep front shin perpendicular to the floor and torso upright
• Flex the front foot for extra stability and comfort in the knee

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

Warrior II opens hips and challenges core stability.

How to Get into The Pose

Step one leg back from the mountain and turn the front foot out 90 degrees. Square hips forward and bend into the front knee to form a right angle. Extend arms out parallel to the floor and look over front-hand

Tips to Keep Torso and Arms Straight

• Firm shoulder blades down your back to extend through the spine
• Press into the back heel to fully extend the rear leg
• Draw navel in to stabilise low back as hips square forward
• Keep both arms and legs fully extended for balance

Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

The triangle pose gently stretches hips and hamstrings. This 10-minute yoga for beginners helps a long way.

How to Get into The Pose

Stand with feet 3-4 feet apart, toes of the front foot pointed out at a 45-degree angle. Turn your right foot out and bend your right elbow to rest atop your right shin or ankle. Reach the left arm up and bring the torso parallel to the right leg.

Tips to Keep Torso Extended Over Front Leg

• Gaze softly down at your bottom hand for alignment
• Square hips forward towards your front foot
• Engage your leg muscles down to prevent sinking into your hips
• Rotate the inner thighs to lift the lower belly and extend the trunk alongside the leg

Plank Pose (Uttihita Chaturanga Dandasana)

Plank strengthens is the perfect stretching yoga for beginners’ arms and core.

How to Get into The Pose

Come onto the balls of your feet and toes with your forearms flat on the mat. Press through your palms and toes to lift the body into a straight line. Draw your belly in to lift through the lower back, and press your shoulder blades down.

Tips to Engage Shoulders and Keep Spine Straight

• Draw elbows in towards the body and press evenly through the hands
• Gaze softly down between hands to keep the neck in line with the spine
• Engage thighs by pushing feet back and straightening legs
• Find stillness through your breath rather than straining muscles

Child’s Pose (Balasana) 

This gentle pose stretches the spine and shoulders and is the perfect yoga pose for beginners in Dublin with back problems.

How to Get into The Pose

Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and knees apart. Lower your torso between your thighs and reach your arms in front of you. Rest your forehead on the floor or a block and relax for 5 breaths.

Conclusion

Remember to always listen to your body as you hold each pose. Go at your own pace, and don’t push too hard, especially when you’re just starting out. Aim to practice these poses 2-3 times weekly for 15-20 minutes. As you continue your yoga journey, you’ll feel yourself getting stronger and more confident in your practice. Be patient and gentle with yourself.

Many yoga studios like Hemp Higher Yoga in Dublin offer friendly yoga for beginners in Dublin foundational classes to help them build their skills. These classes with the yoga teacher Laura will improve flexibility, increase strength and stamina, relieve stress, and provide better sleep and focus. Don’t forget to listen to your body and always practice with care.