12 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners: Step-by-Step Guide to Start Your Yoga Journey
12 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners
Did you know that over 300 million people worldwide are set to practise yoga in 2026? It’s time for you to join them. If you want to ease stress, build strength fast, and find a little peace in this chaotic world, you have come to the right place.
At Unika Yoga & Therapy in Singapore, we believe you don’t need to be flexible or have a gym membership to start. The benefits—better flexibility, a calmer mind, and a stronger body—are accessible right from your living room. In this post, we will break down 12 basic yoga poses for beginners with simple steps, tips, and proof that they work for newbies.
Action Step: Grab your mat. You can start this routine in just 5 minutes!
Why Beginners Love These Yoga Poses
Starting a new fitness journey can be intimidating, but these 12 basic yoga poses for beginners are designed to be accessible. In fact, even students in an Advanced yoga teacher training often return to these exact fundamentals to ground themselves and refine their alignment.
Top Health Wins
Science backs it up. A 2024 NIH study found that a consistent yoga practice cuts anxiety by 30% after just 8 weeks. Furthermore, data from the Sleep Foundation shows that yoga boosts sleep quality for 78% of starters.
Here are the bullet benefits you can expect:
- Stronger core and stability.
- Less back pain from sitting all day (a primary focus in any Yoga therapy course).
- More energy and improved focus.
Actionable Takeaways
To get the most out of these top 12 yoga poses starters:
- Track your mood pre and post-practice to see the mental shift.
- Aim for 3 sessions weekly to build a habit.
- Note progress in a journal; write down which poses feel easier over time.
Set Up for Safe, Easy Practice
Before we jump into the 12 basic yoga poses for beginners, let’s set the stage. You don’t need an expensive studio to see results, though practising in a supportive community like Unika Yoga & Therapy in Singapore certainly helps!
Basic Gear List
- Yoga mat: Look for non-slip options (there are great $20 budget picks available).
- Blocks or a towel: Essential for support if you can’t reach the floor yet.
- Extras: Keep a water bottle and a timer app handy.
Pick Your Spot
Find a quiet 6×6 foot area with a clear floor. Dim the lights and play soft music if it helps you relax.
Quick Safety Check
Breathe deep and remember: there should be no pain when pushing. If you have specific injuries, consider consulting a specialist or looking into a Yoga therapy course for tailored guidance on healing movement.
Standing Poses: Build Base Strength (Poses 1-4)
The first section of our 12 basic yoga poses for beginners focuses on grounding and stability. These are the foundational movements taught in every Yoga instructor course because they establish the roots of your practice.
1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
This may look like standing, but it is active work.
- Step-by-Step: Stand with feet together, arms at your sides. Engage your core and glutes, and reach your arms up.
- Hold: 30 seconds.
- Benefit: Firms posture and aligns the spine.
2. Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
- Step-by-Step: Exhale and bend from your hips (not your waist). Relax your head toward the floor. Keep knees soft if your hamstrings are tight.
- Benefit: Deeply stretches hamstrings and relieves spinal tension.
3. Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
This is a classic warrior one easy steps guide:
- Step-by-Step: Lunge your right foot forward and keep your back left foot flat at a 45-degree angle. Reach arms high. Front knee bent, stack knee over ankle, back knee is straight.
- Hold: 20 seconds per side.
4. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
- Step-by-Step: Widen your stance. Open hips to the side. Extend arms parallel to the floor and gaze over your front hand.
- Tip: Engage your legs firmly. This is a real fix for “runner’s tight hips.”
Practice Sequence: Create a 12 minute beginner yoga flow by moving from Mountain to Fold, then stepping back into Warriors. Repeat for 5 rounds.
Common Fix: Keep your knees soft, never locked!
Balance & Core Poses: Steady Your Flow (Poses 5-8)
As we move through the 12 basic yoga poses for beginners, we transition to balance. These poses are essential stepping stones if you ever decide to join a Yoga teacher training later in your journey.
5. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Mastering tree pose balance beginners takes patience.
- How to: Place one foot up on your opposite ankle, calfm or inner thigh (avoid the knee). Bring palms together at your heart centre.
- Hold: 15 seconds per side.
6. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Here are your downward dog for beginners tips:
- How to: Start from Tabletop pose. Lift your hips high to form an inverted “V.” Pedal your heels to stretch the calves.
- Benefit: Builds arm strength and full-body flexibility.
7. Plank Pose
- How to: From Downward Facing Dog, shift forward so your body is straight like a board. Forearms or hands can be on the floor.
- Hold: 20 seconds.
8. Boat Pose (Navasana)
- How to: Sit with knees bent. Lift up your legs, one at a time. Those with flexible hamstrings can straighten your legs up into a “V” shape. Extend arms forward.
- Stat: According to ACE Fitness, this pose helps boost core strength by 25% in 4 weeks.
“Balance grows with breath.” — Tim Rao, Yoga Expert.
Drill for Stability:
- Fix your gaze, and ensure slow steady breathing.
- Use wall support first if you are wobbly.
- Try a daily 2-minute hold challenge with the Plank.
Rest & Restore Poses: Wind Down Right (Poses 9-12)
The final phase of the 12 basic yoga poses for beginners is about cooling down.
9. Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
For cat-cow pose newbies, this is the best spine massage.
- How to: In Tabletop pose, exhale to round your spine (Cat) and tuck your chin towards chest. Then inhale to arch your back (Cow) and look up.
- Reps: 10 slow breaths.
10. Child Pose (Balasana)
- How to: Kneel with toes flatten, sit back on your heels, and fold forward, forehead down. Keep arms by your side, fingers pointing back for Child Pose or Extend arms for Hare Pose.
- Rest: Relax here for 1 minute.
- Tip: This is the ultimate child pose beginner tips advice—if your hips are tight, widen your knees!
11. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
A cobra pose simple guide:
- How to: Lie prone (on your stomach). Place hands beside your chest, press palms and gently lift your chest and belly. Keep thighs on mat. Shoulder, elbow and wrist in a straight line.
- Benefit: A gentle backbend that counters slouching.
12. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
- How to: Lie on your back with knees bent, stack knee over ankle. Press feet, lift your hips toward the ceiling. Palms on mat, or interlace fingers.
- Hold: 5 breaths.
- Bonus: Finish with Corpse Pose (Shavasana)—lie flat, eyes shut, for a full 5-minute rest.
Cool-Down Routine: Link these poses in a sequence. Focus on bullet breaths: Breathe in and out only through your nose.
Conclusion
You now have a complete toolkit: the 12 basic yoga poses for beginners.
Let’s recap: mastering these 12 basic yoga poses for beginners will give you quick wins in strength, calm, and flexibility. You can use them as a daily 12 yoga poses starters routine or mix and match them to suit your needs.
According to the 2025 Yoga Journal, 80% of beginners stick with yoga past month one when they start with simple routines like this.
Call to Action: Are you ready to feel the change? Practise today. Whether you want to fix back pain, simply relax, or eventually enroll in a Yoga teacher training course to share your passion, it all starts with these basics.
Share your experience with your first session in the comments below. Visit Unika Yoga & Therapy in Singapore for more resources or to inquire about our upcoming Yoga instructor course options. Start small, and you will feel big changes!