Yoga is a holistic form of movement that offers physical and mental benefits. Regular practitioners can look forward to increasing flexibility, strength and balance while reducing stress and improving sleep quality.
Though it’s not a cure-all, the NHS has recognized the mental health benefits of yoga for relieving tension, depression and anxiety. Even better, it doesn’t take long to see the benefits — just 20 to 30 minutes several times a week can have a significant impact.
Yoga can be practiced in many settings, including at home, with little equipment or specialized clothing. If you’re ready to roll out a yoga mat and get started, here’s our helpful guide to the best yoga mats around.
Three essential yoga poses for any practice
As someone who’s practiced yoga for over 20 years and taught for the last 13, I include a few key postures in any sequence, whether it’s for self-practice or class planning. Incorporating these three poses into your routine will help you stretch, strengthen and improve coordination.
A balanced yoga sequence includes five types of spine movement: forward folding, backbends, right and left side stretching and twisting. Adding one that improves balance makes for a well-rounded session.
While it’s nearly impossible to get all of this from just three postures, the powerhouse poses I’ve selected combine directional movement to tick (nearly) every box — plus they each have scaling options from beginner-friendly to more advanced.
Below are some tips for getting started with good form in these postures. Take your time moving in and out of the postures, and don’t forget to breathe — an essential part of any yoga practice.
1. Cat/cow (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)
Cat/cow is a gentle pose that stretches the front, back and neck muscles and strengthens the core muscles. It's a great way to bring energy into the body while gently stimulating the spine and internal organs.
- Begin on all fours in a tabletop position with wrists under shoulders, fingertips pointing forward, and knees in line with your hips.
- Spread your fingers wide and press your hands into the ground as if trying to push the ground away
- Find an even balance of weight from front to back and right to left
- As you exhale, start turning your tailbone down towards the ground, drawing your belly button upwards and rounding the spine, allowing your chin to move gently towards your chest
- As you inhale, move the tailbone upwards, allowing the belly to drop. Broaden through the chest as you take your gaze forward, allowing your eyes to continue looking upwards
- Repeat this sequence 8-10 times, with the breath moving slowly and steadily.
If this is too strong for your wrists, try making fists, resting from knuckles to first finger joints on the ground. You can also use additional padding under your hands and knees.
For a progression, after cat/cow, return to the tabletop and move your tailbone right and left as if wagging an imaginary tail. As the spine warms up, you can turn to look over your shoulder as if trying to see your tail.
Another option is to perform a barrel roll. From the tabletop, start circling your spine as if your torso were trying to clean the inside of a barrel. As the spine warms up, allow your head and arms to join in, fluidly moving the entire top half of your body.
2. Tree pose (Vrksasana)
Tree pose is a balancing posture that stretches and strengthens most of the lower body, including the feet and toes, which is crucial for avoiding falls.
- Start in mountain pose: Stand with feet hip-distance apart, spreading toes out wide and firming up legs. Look straight ahead at a single fixed point
- Place your left foot inside the right ankle, shin, or thigh
- Rotate your knee outward to connect the sole of the left foot to the right leg
- Bring your palms together and place your hands in front of your heart center or extend them overhead, like tree branches growing tall
- Hold here for several breaths before returning to mountain pose.
If you struggle to balance, stand a few inches from a wall on your standing leg side. Knowing it’s there will help build confidence. For a progression, try closing your eyes once you’ve found your steady stance.
3. Supine spine twist (Supta Matsyendrasana II)
A stretching posture that relaxes the shoulders, back and spine. Twists can help with back pain and may also aid digestion.
- Lie on your back, knees bent, arms extended out in a T-shape and palms facing up or down
- Lift your legs to a tabletop position, knees over hips, shins parallel to the ground
- Keep your legs together, then slowly drop them down to the right and stack the legs on top of each other
- Keep the left shoulder blade on the ground, and turn to look over your left shoulder
- Hold for 3-5 breaths
- As you inhale, return your legs to the center, then as you exhale, slowly lower both legs to the other side and repeat.
Support your legs with bolsters, pillows, or blocks, if you prefer. To make the twist more challenging, start with your feet on the ground and cross the right leg over the left (including a toe tuck if that’s comfortable). Next, drop the legs to the left. Hold, then return to the center and repeat on the other side with the left leg over the right.
Benefits of a regular yoga practice
Once you’ve mastered these three postures, you can string them together into a longer routine, like with this 15-minute gentle yoga routine for flexibility and stress or this 30-minute full-body yoga routine.
As you embark on your yoga journey, keep in mind that it’s better to practice 10 to 15 minutes three times a week over just one 30 to 45-minute session weekly. Not only will you start to see incremental increases in strength and flexibility with consistency, but you might also notice better sleep, energy and a more positive outlook.
More from Tom’s Guide
- Is walking backward good for you? We asked an expert
- I just did a puppy yoga class for the first time — here’s what happened
- I did yoga every day for a month for the first time in 10 years — here's what happened to my body
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
