Poses by Level

No matter where you are in your practice, these fundamental postures provide you with everything you need.

Because you shouldn't have to suffer through class.

A modification of Plank Pose, Forearm Plank strengthens and tones the core, thighs, and arms.

This pose provides a gentle massage to the spine and belly organs.

Bitilasana is an easy, gentle way to warm up the spine before a more vigorous practice.

The key to Parsva Bakasana is twisting enough to place the outer edge of one upper arm far around the outside of the opposite thigh.

Open wide into Prasarita Padottanasana to increase flexibility by leaps and bounds.

When you need to approach any situation—or, let's be honest, life—from a calmer place, this quiet practice is your solution.

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, a well-known backbend, will challenge you to lift and open your chest.

Plow Pose (Halasana) reduces backache and can help you get to sleep.

A compact arm balance, Crow Pose and Crane Pose tone the abs and the arms, strengthen in the core, and focus the mind.

Named for a legendary warrior, Virabhadrasana 2 strengthens your quads, shoulders, and core—not to mention your stamina and inner resolve.

It might look straightforward, but there's more to Dandasana than meets the eye.

Fold into Paschimottanasana to help your distracted mind—and your hamstrings—unwind.

Sometimes called the Sage's Pose, Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi III (Marichyasana III) is a wise addition to any practice.

There's a general consensus among modern yogis that Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall Pose may have the power to cure whatever ails you.

Parsvottanasana encourages balance, body awareness, and inspires confidence.

Sometimes you need to clear out what you no longer need to let in everything that you want.

The prop you never even knew you needed can transform how you (and your students) find alignment.

A standing posture centered around balance, Virabhadrasana III will strengthen your legs, ankles, and core.

Standing on your head in Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the whole body and calms the brain.

Don't let the name fool you. If you're used to sitting in chairs, Easy Pose (or Sukhasana) can be quite challenging.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana can be whatever you need—energizing, rejuvenating, or luxuriously restorative.

Utkatasana powerfully strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs, but it also stimulates the diaphragm and heart.

Uttanasana will wake up your hamstrings and soothe your mind.

Find length in your side body, from your heel to your fingertips with Extended Side Angle Pose.

Virabhadrasana 1 is a foundational yoga pose that balances flexibility and strength in true warrior fashion.

Want to get into yoga, but don’t know where to start? These foundational poses will set the stage for your evolving practice.

Take a break. Balasana is a restful pose that can be sequenced between more challenging asanas.

We've seen an explosion of memes about Child's Pose over the last year and a half. Coincidence? We think not.

Savasana is a pose of total relaxation—making it one of the most challenging.

The foundation of all standing poses, Mountain Pose makes a great a starting position, resting pose, or tool to improve posture.

Nurture your love-hate relationship with Plank Pose. A beginner's best friend, it's the perfect precursor to more challenging arm balances.

Each month, YJ editors and contributors share the pose that they've been working on.

Try this variation of Savasana to give your mind, body, and spirit a break from everyday stress and a view into contentment.

Warrior Pose I Virabhadra = a hero or warrior from the Mahabharata asana = pose

Try these alternatives to get all the same benefits without bearing weight on your hands and wrists.

After years of practice, does Triangle still stress you out? Or, can you hold Handstand but wobble in Warrior I? Here, 7 top teachers share the relatively easy poses that they’re still trying to master—plus tips to make them a little less frustrating.

Move into backbends more safely, knowing you can consciously engage the muscles needed to protect the lumbar spine.

Practice these four poses to heal an injury or strengthen your shoulders to prevent one.

The intensity of Virasana can feel as daunting as the hero’s journey in your favorite adventure story. Choose the variation on the pose, ranging from gentle to fiery, to fit the narrative of your personal story on the mat today.

Maintaining flexibility and stability in the hip joints is crucial for lower-back health and cultivating overall freedom and ease in our bodies.

Warm up your legs and spine in these prep poses from Tias Little for Parsva Bakasana.

Jason Crandell struggles to make time for his home practice just like the rest of us. Here, the poses he deems essential to feel balanced when he’s looking for shortcuts.

Try these four poses to lengthen and stretch your side when the urge hits you.

King Pigeon Pose is about balancing stability and fluidity, in both your body and mind. Grab a strap, folding chair, and blanket and let’s get started!

Your yoga mat is the perfect place to explore and reconcile the core dilemma your Enneagram number has revealed. Start here.

If you're on Instagram, you've probably seen some of the innovative takes on traditional asana. These 10 creative practitioners tested their limits this year turning asana into an art form.

If you’ve mastered Bakasana and are ready to take your arm balance practice to the next level, try incorporating these Bakasana toe-taps into your routine.

Warm up for Eagle Pose with these three prep poses that will open your shoulders and hips.

We look at three of the riskiest poses commonly practiced in yoga and how to modify them for your and your students’ safety.

These two sequences are designed to empower you to set an intention for your day, and then to let go at the end so you can relax deeply before bedtime.

Let’s face it, a lot of what we do with our bodies on the mat looks a bit ridiculous. It’s healthy to take a step back from time to time, lighten the mood, and note the absurdity of it all.

Alignment is essential for the health of the knees. Unfortunately, practicing Triangle Pose too often without its counterpose can create an imbalance in the joint. Lean how to stay safe.

Strengthen your lower back, free yourself from back pain in seated poses, and skillfully deepen your forward bends.

One poetic translation of Camatkarasana means "the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart."

This side-reclining pose stretches the backs of the legs, the sides of the torso, and tones the belly.

When you practice Standing Splits focus on the stretch in your quad and hamstring, not how high you can lift your leg.

This arm balance relies more on precise positioning than on strength, making it more accessible for students beginning an arm balancing practice.

This pose gently brings a greater awareness to the hip joints.

According to Hindu lore, the Peacock symbolizes immortality, love, and patience. Peacock Pose, called Mayurasana in Sanskrit, works to lovingly strengthen the core while stretching the palm side of the wrists.

Low Lunge, or Anjaneyasana in Sanskrit, stretches the thighs and groins and opens the chest. It provides recovery post-workout, and boosts energy while consciously working to improve posture.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II allows you to stretch the entire front body and deep into the hip flexors to strengthen your back and improve posture.

This variation of High Lunge, sometimes called Crescent Pose, is a great preparation for the full version of Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose).

Find length in front body before forward folding in Ardha Uttanasana.

Counteract the effects of Modern-Day Sitting Syndrome by lengthening your hip flexors in High Lunge.

Ujjayi is the beginner-friendly springboard for all other formal pranayama.

The Fire Log Pose stretches the outer hips intensely, particularly the piriformis, which is often the main culprit of sciatic pain.

A cross between Child's Pose and Downward-Facing Dog, Extended Puppy Pose lengthens the spine and calms the mind.

Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya II tones the belly and spine, strengthens the arms and wrists, and gives your self-confidence a big boost.

Eka Pada Koundinyasana I or Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya I has a lot going on—the twist, the legs going their separate ways, oh, and the arm balance. Master it.

An excellent facilitator of good pelvic floor health, Garland Pose, called Malasana in Sanskrit, stretches the ankles, groins, and back while stimulating proper digestion. No worries if your heels don't reach the floor—simply rest them on a folded blanket.

In Extended Hand-to-big-toe Pose, maintaining solid grounding through the standing foot helps keep you steady.

Can you practice Wheel with straight arms and Headstand without strain? Then, you're ready.

Kapotasana invigorates your body and gives your spirits a lift. This extremely deep backbend is appropriate for advanced practitioners only.

Sphinx Pose is the infant of backbends. It can be practiced with either an active or passive approach.

This pose gently lengthens and strengthens even stubbornly tight hamstrings.

You may know Pincha Mayurasana or Feathered Peacock Pose by one of its common aliases: Forearm or Elbow Balance.

Blow off some steam, wake up your face, and lighten up your practice in silly Simhasana.

Heron Pose is an intense hamstring stretch. You may need to give Krounchasana some time.