YOGA POSES FOR BEGINNERS W
atching some of the social media yogis bend it like Beckham all over the world can be a bit intimidating for someone wanting to begin a practice of yoga. Afterall, inversions and backbends do look pretty cool! But the reality of it all is we have to start with the basic poses and work our way up to the more advanced ones. Any good yoga instructor advises to focus on the practice and not the pose. Besides the obvious benefits of increasing strength and flexibility and improving your posture, yoga has been credited with stress reduction via mental clarity and calmness. Although yoga can aid in weight reduction, there is no one size fits all yogi. Yogis come in all sizes and shapes, and in recent years, Black women have emerged as some the most influential yogis on social media. Here are a few yoga poses you can do to begin your practice today:
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
This pose can serve as a position of rest and helps with slowing your breath. It’s also a hip stretcher that can be used to prepare for class.
This pose strengthens your spine, thighs, and calves.
This pose stretches your spine, hamstrings, and calves.
Squat downward toward your heels, while bending your knees and keeping your thighs parallel. Lean your body over your thighs, ever so slightly. Maintain firm shoulders. Reach up to the sky our bring your hands to your heart’s center.
Go down on your hands and knees, ensuring your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Point your fingers to the top of your mat.
Go down on your knees and spread them in the shape of a “V”, while making your big toes touch behind your back. Rest your bottom on your heels. Stretch your arms forward, lengthening your spine. Hold this pose while extending your arms or if you want a challenge, put both arms around your back.
44 | Noire Women’s Wellness
September/October 2022
