Best Yoga Poses: Finding the Perfect Yoga Poses for You
Great for the body and the mind, yoga is becoming more and more popular. Yoga is a great way to stretch, relax your body, challenge yourself, and clear your mind (among other benefits). It all starts with knowing the right poses, and that is what this list of the best yoga poses will help you with.
In this list of the best yoga poses, we detail 25 yoga poses that will help you gain the most from yoga. And, with the yoga poses on this list ranging from beginner to advanced, there are sure to be several poses for you to try out, regardless of your level.
Even if you just take a few minutes every day to practice your yoga, you will be doing your mind and body a favor. So get off the couch, pull out your yoga mat, and start doing your yoga today. You could even do some different yoga poses while you enjoy your favorite TV show.
For even more yoga and fitness-related lists, check out our list of the best workout videos, best resistance band exercises, and list of the best fitness websites. Here’s to health and wellness!
Top 25 Yoga Poses:
1. Half Pigeon Pose
Alternate Name: Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Outer Hips and Groin
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: Great for athletes, the half pigeon is the perfect hip-opener pose. Benefits of the pose include increased mobility and a good stretch in the butt and hips. If you are continually feeling tightness in the hips, you should definitely practice this pose.
2. Corpse Pose
Alternate Name: Shavasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Whole Body Relaxation
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The corpse pose may be the easiest yoga pose out there, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with a lot of benefits. Best done at the end of your yoga routine, the corpse pose is going to allow you to reduce stress and let all of your tension fall away.
Recommended Yoga Mats and Accessories
If you don’t already have a yoga mat, here are a couple of mats that should be able to meet your needs. Rather than laying down on a hard surface, these mats will provide both comfort and support as you look to improve both physically and mentally with these different poses. Outside of a yoga mat, make sure to visit our list of the best home exercise equipment for all of your other home-fitness needs.
1. GoYoga All-Purpose Yoga Mat
Price: 34.98
About Yoga Mat: This yoga mat is perfect for those looking for a little extra comfort and padding. It comes with a half-inch of padding that will be durable and will stand the test of time. Along with being both comfortable and durable, it comes in multiple different colors.
2. TOPLUS Yoga Mat
Price: $27.99
About Yoga Mat: Having your yoga mat slip around as you are trying to do different poses can be pretty annoying. Well, with the TOPLUS Yoga Mat, you will get a mat that provides a non-slip surface. This will make sure that your yoga mat stays where it is supposed to, which will allow you to focus solely on executing the different yoga poses.
3. Ewedoos Yoga Mat
Price: $29.99
About Yoga Mat: Along with being both comfortable and non-slip, this yoga mat also comes with body alignment lines. These different lines on the mat will help you with proper foot, hand, and body placement as you execute the different poses. This will help to make sure that your form is at its best and that you are getting the most out of each pose.
4. Gaiam Essentials Yoga Block
Price: $16
About Yoga Block: Not a yoga mat, but still something that you might want to consider using as you execute some of these different poses. This yoga block will help with stability, balance, support, and being able to modify different yoga poses to get the most out of them.
3. Extended Triangle Pose
Alternate Name: Utthita Trikonasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Obliques, Groin, and Hamstrings
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: A foundational yoga pose, the extended triangle pose helps to relieve stress and fatigue. The pose is also a great full-body stretch, making it an ideal daily pose. This pose is going to provide a deep stretch in the hamstring, groin, and hip areas. Along with stretching, this pose is also going to strengthen these areas as well.
4. Downward Facing Dog Pose
Alternate Name: Adho Mukha Svanasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Calves, and Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The downward-facing dog pose is an excellent pose for all levels. It is going to be great for both stretching and strengthening. The pose stretches the spine, hamstrings, and butt, as well as strengthening the deltoids and triceps. Make this an everyday pose.
5. Eight Angle Pose
Alternate Name: Astavakrasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Upper Body
Difficulty Level: Advanced
About Yoga Pose: A beautiful pose, the eight-angle pose is an intermediate to advanced pose. Benefits of the pose include upper-body strengthening, as well as a great core workout. If you can’t get it the first time, keep practicing – you will get there!
6. Garland Pose
Alternate Name: Malasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Groin and Hip Flexors
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: An excellent squat pose, the Garland Pose has a ton of different variations. It is also going to be a great everyday position to use. The pose opens the hips and releases the lower back, making it a good pose for athletes and those who sit for long periods. Try this pose on your next office break.
7. Revolved Chair Pose
Alternate Name: Parivrtta Utkatasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, Lower Back, and Forearms
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: A good foundational pose that aids in other twist poses, the revolved chair pose is a good pose for all levels. Practicing this pose with the correct form is crucial if you want to get into more advanced poses. The better your form is, the more advanced poses you will be able to add on to it later.
8. Camel Pose
Alternate Name: Ustrasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Lower Back, Hip Flexors, and Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The camel pose comes with a lot of variations and provides a good all-around stretch. Make sure that you are focusing on proper alignment to keep your neck and back safe. As you get comfortable with this pose, add in some of the variations for a nice mix-up.
9. Dolphin Pose
Alternate Name: Ardha Pincha Mayurasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Calves, Hamstrings, and Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: This pose is similar to the downward-facing dog pose but more comfortable on the wrists. The dolphin pose is really going to help with reducing stress in your body. The pose also stretches the neck, shoulders, and spine, making it the ideal pose for those plagued with neck and back issues.
10. Low Lunge Pose
Alternate Name: Anjaneyasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Hip Flexors
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: One of the more common yoga poses, the low lunge pose, is going to stretch the hips, glutes, and quads. This pose is also going to help improve balance and core stability. For best practice, make sure that you are nice and balanced during this pose and really focusing in on great breathing techniques.
11. Warrior I Pose
Alternate Name: Virabhadrasana I
Primary Muscles Worked: Hip Flexors and Quads
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: Named after a mythological Hind warrior, the warrior I pose is one of the staples of yoga. It will help you improve your range of motion, flexibility, and strength. The primary areas that this pose is going to focus on are the thighs, ankles, and back.
12. Warrior II Pose
Alternate Name: Virabhadrasana II
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, Obliques, and Lower Back
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The second warrior pose on this list, the warrior II pose, is going to focus primarily on strength, stability, and concentration. The parts of the body that this pose will lock in on are the legs, groin, and chest. Holding this pose will also help to increase stamina. It has also been known to help relieve backaches and improve digestion as well.
13. Warrior III Pose
Alternate Name: Virabhadrasana III
Primary Muscles Worked: Hamstrings
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: A pose that builds power and grounds the legs, the warrior III pose is a great standing pose. The pose offers a number of variations, and consistent practice will build strength. Warrior III is a great pose for everyday practice.
14. Bridge Pose
Alternate Name: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings, and Lower Back
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: When doing the bridge pose, really lock in and focus on having a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Having the correct form will help to maximize the benefits of the pose. Some of these benefits include extending the thoracic spine, lengthening your hip flexors, and strengthening the legs. This pose is also one of our favorite bodyweight exercises and it can also be advanced by placing a Swiss ball under the feet as well, which makes it an excellent Swiss ball exercise as well.
15. Handstand Pose
Alternate Name: Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Shoulders and Upper Body
Difficulty Level: Advanced
About Yoga Pose: Who says that handstands are just for kids? The Adho Mukha Vrksasana or handstand pose is going to allow you to work on strengthening your shoulders, arms, and wrists. It is also going to help stretch your belly and improves your sense of balance. Don’t be afraid, though; you can start with a wall handstand to help you work your way towards a handstand all on your own.
16. Locust Pose
Alternate Name: Salabhasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Lower Back
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: Known as a pose that is going to “invigorate the entire body.” The locust pose was a natural choice for this list of the best yoga poses. Along with invigorating the entire body, this pose is going to specifically tone and strengthen your lower back, as well as a few different other muscle groups. Try out this pose next time you are in the mood for some yoga and experience the benefits of the locust pose.
17. Wheel Pose
Alternate Name: Urdvha Dhanurasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Hip Flexors and Core
Difficulty Level: Advanced
About Yoga Pose: This pose is known by a few different names; wheel pose, upward bow pose, and Urdvha Dhanurasana. Regardless of what you call this pose, though, it is really going to allow for you to be able to open up your chest and shoulders muscles and stretch your core. These are just a few of the muscles, though, that this pose stretches and strengthens. So make sure that you give this pose a try sometime soon.
18. Cow Face Pose
Alternate Name: Gomukhasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Triceps and Hips
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: Not the easiest of poses, but definitely still worth learning. The cow face pose is going to open up your arms, shoulders, chest, hips, and glutes. This pose may not come easy for everyone, but it is going to be a great pose to you should start working towards.
19. Single-Leg Downward Dog Pose
Alternate Name: Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Calves, Hamstrings, and Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
About Yoga Pose: This pose is a variation of the downward dog pose. The single-leg downward dog pose, though, is going to crank up the difficulty a little bit and force you to balance on one foot rather than two. This pose is going to allow you to strengthen your arms, stretch your hamstrings and hip flexors, and will help to develop your balance.
20. Chair Pose
Alternate Name: Utkatasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, Shoulders, and Back
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: More of a beginner pose, the chair pose is still a must when it comes to doing yoga. This pose is going to allow you to strengthen the lower back while simultaneously stretching the upper back. The chair position will also help to strengthen and tone your legs as well.
21. Crescent Lunge Twist Pose
Alternate Name: Parivrtta Anjaneyasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Lower Back, Quads, and Forearms
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The crescent lunge twist pose is going to strengthen, lengthen, and stretch your body. It will help to strengthen your thighs, upper back, shoulders, and arms. The lengthening is going to happen in your spine and chest muscles. Lastly, it will really help stretch and open your hip flexors and quads.
22. Cat Pose
Alternate Name: Marjaryasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Lower Back
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: One of the essential yoga poses, the cat pose, is going to allow you to stretch your back and help you to maintain a healthy spine. As you round out your back, you will be able to really lengthen your spine. This motion will help to increase the flexibility of your back. You can also do this pose seated in a chair. So if you are feeling tightness at work or somewhere else that you are prone to sitting a lot, give the seated cat pose a try.
23. Cow Pose
Alternate Name: Chakravakasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Core
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The counterpart to the cat pose, the cow pose, is going to also work on lengthening your back and spine. You can even do these two poses in an alternating fashion by lowering and raising your midsection. By itself or in combination with the cat pose, this is one pose that definitely needs to be added to your yoga routine, though.
24. Cobra Pose
Alternate Name: Bhujangasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Abdominals
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: The cobra pose is really going to allow you to be able to stretch and loosen up your chest and lungs, shoulders, and midsection. It will also help to strengthen your spine and tighten your glute muscles. Another great thing about this pose as well is that you are able to control how much you push up with your hands. This means that you are easily able to control the difficulty of the pose.
25. Superman Pose
Alternate Name: Viparita Shalabhasana
Primary Muscles Worked: Lower Back
Difficulty Level: Beginner
About Yoga Pose: It’s a bird! It’s a plan! No, its the superman pose… Sorry that was terrible, but this pose is worthy of the recognition. This pose is going to target the lower back muscles and really help to develop strength in the lower back and also help to improve posture. The Superman pose is also going to help stretch and strengthen the chest, shoulders, arms, legs, and abdomen.
Best Yoga Poses Conclusion
One of the great things about yoga is that it can be done pretty much anywhere that you have a flat hard surface. So pull this list up on your smartphone (if you aren’t doing that already) and try out some of these different poses. Start developing your body and mind.
Are you looking for some nutrition after your workout? Check out our list of the best fitness supplements and best protein powders. And if you want to look your best while performing these different poses, make sure to visit our list of the best activewear brands.
We would love to hear your feedback about these yoga poses in the comments below.
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