Yoga For Beginners | Beginner Yoga At Home - Body By Yoga

BEGINNERS YOGA GUIDE:

Beginners Yoga For Those Who Don't Normally Do Yoga

Yoga can be intimidating and filled with misconceptions to newcomers. That’s where we come in. In this guide, we’ll dispel with yoga’s many myths to show you how anyone can get started with yoga today, even if you can’t touch your toes! Remember, yoga will help you get more flexible. You don’t need to already be flexible to start.

Dean Pohlman is an E-RYT 200 certified yoga instructor and has been featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Men’s Health, The Chicago Sun, New York Magazine, and many more major media outlets. Learn more about Dean and his signature style of yoga.

DID YOU KNOW?

Yoga is not about making you more flexibility…

Most people think of yoga and think flexibility, but the truth is that flexibility is just a byproduct of all the other physical benefits that come from doing yoga.

Boost muscle recovery

Less soreness to get back to your life sooner

Relieve daily aches and pains

Stretching & exercises to cure back and joint pain

Burn fat

Lose weight, shrink your waist, and get toned

Build muscle

Develop long, lean muscle

NEW TO YOGA?

Get started with these beginner tutorials and workouts!

Creating a fitness habit can be hard. That’s why we’re sharing these free beginner yoga workouts that are all less than 5 minutes long! Can you commit to doing yoga for seven days in a row if each routine is less than 5 minutes long?

Breathing technique to improve your yoga practice

Benefits of yoga before bed

1 8

Taking the next step to more challenging yoga

Screen Shot 2022 11 08 at 6.56.52 PM

Stretching and Strengthening your hips

Hatha vs Power yoga

Body 0350 edited

Building muscle through yoga

ABOUT US

Introducing Yoga the
Body By Yoga way

Created For The Inflexible.

Every class provides modifications for inflexible beginners. Great for those who are brand new to fitness as well as anyone who works out and has tight muscles.

Fitness Focused.

Mindfulness matters. It can help improve your focus, your game, and your inner calm. We just don’t add that to any of our classes. We focus on the physical benefits of yoga to help you move better, feel better, and perform better.

Straight To The Point Instruction.

Instead of phrases like “melt your heart,” or “root yourself to the earth,” we’ll share specific tips like which muscles to engage, where you should (and shouldn’t) be feeling each exercise, and anatomical benefits of every pose. You’ll never wonder if you’re doing a pose correctly, or why you’re doing it in the first place.

Targeted Routines For Every Goal

Instead of a one size fits all approach to yoga, we have different classes for specific goals. Need yoga for back pain? Check. Looking for a short morning workout? Check. Yoga for running? For weight loss? For recovering in between workouts? Yep, we have those too. Select the yoga class that matches your goals and level of fitness.

SLOW BURN POWER YOGA

Our unique style of yoga

We’ve created a unique style of yoga called Slow Burn Power Yoga. Typical yoga classes use fast moving flows to add a “cardio” element to yoga. With less time for cues in between poses, most yoga classes tend to focus almost exclusively on the breath, which is great for stress relief and improving breathing, but has little application to proper muscle engagement. Instead, we recognize that most of our students can get better cardio from walking, running, and sports.

That’s why our classes move a little slower and emphasize proper technique above all else in order to give you the time to open up your muscles, find the right modifications and adjustments, and work deeper into challenging poses.

The result is a low impact bodyweight training program that is going to push you. If you weren’t sure you could sweat from yoga then you better think again!

WHO IS BODY BY YOGA FOR?

BODY BY YOGA has classes and programs made specifically for beginners.

We have dozens of programs for every fitness level and goal. Which one of these best summarizes your goals?

YOGA’S BENEFITS

How does yoga benefit beginners?

GETTING STARTED

Which BODY BY YOGA program is right for you?

We have dozens of programs for every fitness level and goal. Start practicing with us today for free for 14 days and see how yoga can help you achieve your fitness goals.

NEW TO FITNESS?

New to fitness? Start here.

YOGA 101. YOGA FIX. GENTLE
YOGA FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS.

Yoga Fix is our program for absolute beginners. Think of it as low impact strength foundations for anyone who is starting (or re-starting!) their fitness journey.

This program is for anyone who is experiencing daily stiffness and muscle soreness, for anyone who wants to undo the effects of sitting all day, and for those who are limited by injury restrictions.

Yoga Fix is a 20 minute per day, 5 day system. We recommend 4 weeks for best results. Try Day 1 absolutely free today to see if it’s right for you.

YOGA 101. YOGA FIX. GENTLE YOGA FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS.

NEW TO YOGA?

New to yoga, but not new to fitness?
Jump in here.

YOGA 102. YOGA BOOST. BEGINNER'S YOGA WORKOUTS.

YOGA 102. YOGA BOOST. BEGINNER'S YOGA WORKOUTS.

Yoga Boost 1.0 has been already helped 50,000+ students and we now we are sharing it with you for free.

This beginners yoga program focuses on sharpening the fundamentals. Slow moving, technique focused, and filled with modifications for the inflexible.You’ll be able to build muscle and lose weight in a safe, low impact way– no flexibility required.

Enjoy these free workouts. To try the full routines, check out the Free 14 Day Trial.

BEGINNER’S YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Want to sue yoga to lose weight?

YOGA BODY STRONG.
POWER YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS.

Want to burn fat and build lean muscle mass? Yoga Body Strong is smart fitness. Yoga is a great way to build strength in a safe, low impact way. This program comes with three different levels for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users and it’s included when you join today. Click on the video to learn more.

YOGA BODY STRONG. POWER YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS.

BEGINNERS YOGA FOR BACK PAIN

Need yoga for back pain?

BETTER BACK YOGA

BETTER BACK YOGA

Better Back Yoga is a two part beginners system to help prevent and alleviate back pain.

Check out the free 10 minute session for immediate back pain relief and be sure to check out the complete system for long-term results!

YOGA FOR ATHLETES

Play sports?

YOGA FOR SPORTS.
YOGA EDGE.

Yoga Edge is a supplement in workout form created to help you feel better, recover better, train better, and perform better.

Inside, you’ll get access to two easy to implement sessions perfect for rest-days and post-workouts that are just 25 min long. You’ll also get a special matrix that allows you to select the yoga exercises best suited to your sport.

Check out the first half of the workouts for free.

YOGA FOR SPORTS. YOGA EDGE.

BEGINNER FRIENDLY MORNING YOGA

Looking to build a morning habit?

MORNING YOGA. YOGA CHARGE.

MORNING YOGA.
YOGA CHARGE.

Take on your day with confidence with this complete morning system! Not a morning person yet? No worries! We’ve broken down this workout into three 10-15 minute workouts!

Check out the first one for free. We’ll help you build a morning habit to get you ready for the complete 45 minute workout!

This program also comes with energizing classes for lunch time, after work energy, and a recharging pre-bed routine.

GETTING STARTED

Get started with Body By Yoga by purchasing classes a la cart, or get unlimited access to all classes for one low price.

Most students see results have just one class. Get started today.

IT’S SIMPLE.

$8.25/month gets you everything.

Instant access to 15 structured programs so that you can eliminate the guess work out of which workout to do next.

Over 50+ individual workouts so that you always have a class for your specific goal, mood, and schedule means you’ll never waste time on a class you don’t need again.

14 day free trial with easy, one click cancellation means you can see if the workouts are right for you without any obligation.

Free iOS, Android, and Roku apps so that you can play your workouts on every device, even in places where you don’t have wifi!

Expert straight to the point, anatomy driven instruction so that you never wonder if you’re doing a pose correctly or why you’re doing it in the first place!

Modifications for the inflexible so that everyone can do yoga poses safely and without the risk of injury, even if you can’t touch your toes.

REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS

What people say about us

$8.25/month

12 Month Plan

$157

$99

Nothing due today. Free 14 Day Trial.

06 Month Plan

$78

$59

Nothing due today. Free 14 Day Trial.

03 Month Plan

Just

$39

Only $12.99/month! No Free Trial

Get Started Today

What You Will Need for Your First Yoga Class

You can get started with yoga without any equipment. In fact, you don’t even need a yoga mat to start practicing today! If you are practicing at home, find a place you can comfortably do a push up. If you don’t have a yoga mat, you can use a towel or a rug! If you’re headed to a studio for your first yoga class, you can always borrow or rent all of the equipment you need from the studio. Remember to wear comfortable, loose clothing, and be sure to arrive on an empty stomach!

Yoga Mat

While most studios have mats and props, having your own allows you to pick the ones that will best support you. Many studios buy bulk mats that are cheaper and have less support. Finding a good mat with the right amount of thickness will help you to have better balance and will also take some of the pressure out of your joints. Look for a mat with a good grip as well that is easy to clean to prevent germs from building up within it.

Yoga Blocks

Blocks can help you to deepen a pose without hurting yourself by raising the height of the ground. If you were doing a standing forward fold but could not reach your toes, you might use blocks to rest your hands on instead. You might also use a strap to place beneath your feet and hold in your hands. Both of these offer modifications, deepening your practice. Don’t have a set of blocks, feel free to use a set of textbooks, a couch, or even a coffee table.

KNOW IT ALL

Deciding Whether to Practice Yoga at Home VS In a Studio

The decision of where to practice can differ based on each individual person. You might feel more comfortable practicing in your own space on your own time, or you might prefer to have an instructor there to guide you and walk you through your practice. Let’s look at some pros and cons of each option

PRACTICING IN A LOCAL YOGA STUDIO, GYM, OR YMCA FOR BEGINNERS

PROS.

• Having an instructor there to guide you

• Longer practices

• Group classes can be motivating

• Adjustments

• Talking to teacher and asking questions

• Community

CONS.

• Not having a choice of practice length

• Not being in your own space

• Less choices of which class you want

PRACTICING AT HOME
FOR BEGINNERS

PROS.

• Being in your own space

• Finding a class specifically for beginners

• Practicing on your own time

• Picking length of class and pausing or rewinding if needed

• Having a quieter space

CONS.

• Not being able to ask questions

• Not having custom adjustments and modifications from teacher

CLASS FINDER

What To Look for in a Yoga Class as a Beginner?

As a beginner, your practice will be different from those who have been doing yoga for longer. Beginners need more modifications and adjustments as well as explanations of what they are doing and why they are doing it. You will want to find a class that is labeled as “beginners” or “level 1.” If you are practicing in person,

Modifications For The Inflexible.

you will want to make sure you are able to ask questions from your instructor before class starts. Do your research to learn about which class makes the most sense for you to be doing. If you want more movement, a vinyasa flow might be best. For a more gentle class on the mat, look into yin or restorative yoga. If you want something more repetitive, ashtanga might be the best bet.

Slow Flows

Whichever class you choose, just make sure it is more gentle and aimed for those just starting out so that you can keep up and learn while you practice.

NO FLEXIBILITY REQUIRED

What To Do If You Have No Flexibility

Did you know that you do not need to be flexible to practice yoga? The goal is to get more flexible. If you were already flexible then why would you practice?

The trick is to find a yoga studio or an online course that caters to the inflexible specifically.

Body By Yoga does that by providing modifications for every pose.

We believe that inflexible beginners can get the intended benefits out of every exercise by modifying it to fit their level of flexibility. Rather than trying to imitate the movements of someone who’s at a different level than you , which can be

KNOW IT ALL

The Types of Modifications You Can Do as an Inflexible Beginner

Props For Beginners: Yoga Blocks

Yoga blocks are useful for inflexible beginners by raising the height of the ground.

Checkout our Yoga for Absolute Beginners With Modifications Using a Chair Below.

Props For Beginners: Chair

Yoga blocks are useful for inflexible beginners by raising the height of the ground.

In a chair practice, you will do similar poses, but sitting down. For example, pigeon pose is usually done on the floor with one leg crossed in front of you and the other stretched out behind you. When practicing pigeon pose in a chair, you would simply have your leg crossed over the other thigh with your foot flexed. This allows similar benefits without as intense of a stretch.

Checkout our Yoga for Absolute Beginners With Modifications Using a Chair Below.

Props For Beginners: Yoga Straps

If you were using a strap, you might use it to help with reaching. For example, if you were doing Open Face Cow arms (where you have one arm reached up and over and bent down the back and the other arm reaching up and around to join the hands together) it might not be the easiest to touch the hands to one another. In this situation, having a strap can be helpful to hold onto to work the hands closer to each other without strain. Check out this modification below.

Want to learn more tips for modifications in yoga? Click here!

Yoga for beginners

5 Best Yoga Poses For
Beginners by Benefit

Hip Flexibility

Wide Legged Forward Fold

One of the best hip openers is a seated wide-leg forward fold. This is also great for the lower back and the glutes. To do this pose, you can sit with your legs out to the sides and the feet flexed to protect the hamstrings. If this is too uncomfortable, bring the legs closer in towards one another. From here, on an inhale, bring your arms up, and as you exhale, keep your spine long and begin to fold forwards between the legs.

Do not round your back and never force yourself to go further than you are capable of. If you cannot comfortably reach forward, feel free to use a block (or blocks) here to bring your hands to. You can also use a bolster here to lay over. If you want to use straps, you can wrap one around each foot and hold them in your hands to gently pull yourself forwards.

Posture

Cat-Cow

One of the best poses for posture is cat/cow. This is done by starting on the hands and knees and on the inhale, arching the back and looking up to the sky. On the exhale, round your back, tucking the chin to the chest. Continue at your own pace, working with the breath. If this is too difficult, you can do the same movements sitting in a chair.

If your knees are uncomfortable or sore, you can place a pad beneath them or roll the edge of your mat up under them to support you here. Repeat the movement for about ten breaths and then come back to center.

Strength

Chair Pose

Chair Pose is one of the best for building strength and endurance is chair pose. This pose is done by standing with the feet hip-width distance apart and sitting back as if you are sitting in a chair. From here, you can bring your arms up at a diagonal, reaching to where the wall and ceiling meet.

Chair Pose is one of the best for building strength and endurance is chair pose. This pose is done by standing with the feet hip-width distance apart and sitting back as if you are sitting in a chair. From here, you can bring your arms up at a diagonal, reaching to where the wall and ceiling meet.

Relaxation

Childs Pose

One of the best poses for relaxation would be child’s pose. This is done by starting on the hands and knees and pressing the hips back towards the heels as you fold forwards and reach the arms out in front of you. You also have the option to bring the arms down by the sides, and the knees can be beneath you or you can bring them outward to frame the belly.

You can always use a pad under the knees or roll the edge of your mat beneath them. If you can’t reach your forehead onto the ground, you can fold your hands beneath it or use a block. It is recommended to stay here for at least a minute or two to gain the full relaxation benefits.

Balance

Tree Pose

Tree pose is great for balance and can be done by all levels, and there are also many ways to modify this pose if need be. This pose is done by shifting the weight into one foot and carefully beginning to bring the other foot up to your thigh. If this is not doable, you can also bring your foot to your shin or your heel to your ankle.

Your hands can be at heart-center, up above you, or out to the sides for balance. If you cannot easily do this pose, you can use a chair or the wall to hold onto for balance. Hold for a few breaths and then exhale to come back down.

KNOW IT ALL

5 Yoga Poses That Can Be Hard for Beginners
and How to Modify Them

The poses below tend to be more difficult for beginners. If you choose to

try these out, please be careful and use modifications. These are best to

do with an instructor present if you have never tried them before.

01 – Warrior

This tough balancing pose is usually done by stepping one foot into the center and beginning to lean forwards to bring the other leg back behind you. From here, you would bring your arms out in front of you for the full pose, keeping the spine long and your back foot flexed. If this pose was not easily doable, you could use a chair to hold onto for balance.

Another option would be to bring one or two blocks to the ground in front of you and start by holding onto them as you gently bring the back leg up. You would then be able to stay here or carefully work your way all the way up into the pose.

02 – Side Plank

Side plank is a great pose for strengthening the core, but for some, balancing in this pose can be difficult. To do this pose, you would usually start out in a plank and begin to shift to the side, balancing on one hand and your bottom foot. You would then bring your other foot up and reach the opposite hand to the sky.

If this is too difficult, you could bring the lower knee to the ground to help balance here. Make sure to keep the core engaged no matter what version of this pose you choose to do.

03 – Plow Pose

This pose is one that you have to be very careful with. It can put pressure on the neck so make sure to do this pose slowly and carefully. This pose is usually done by laying on the back and bringing the feet into the air with the hands beneath the hips and the elbows and upper arms on the ground for support. Make sure there is no pressure in the neck. This is a shoulder stand.

From here, you would carefully begin to bring your feet all the way up and overhead, reaching them back behind you. This is a very intense pose, and if it was too difficult, you could simply stay a in shoulder stand or you could modify it by bringing two blocks behind you to rest your toes on, preventing you from coming all the way back. If this is still too difficult, it is recommended to just stay in a shoulder stand and work your way up to it overtime.

04 – Crow Pose

This is a pose that involves balancing on your hands. You would start in a squat pose, with your feet out to the sides and the knees bent and the hands together at heart center. From here, you would bring the hands flat to the ground beneath the shoulders and rest your knees on top of your upper arms. Having a slight bend in the elbows helps here. You would then slowly begin to lean forward, trying to lift the feet from the ground.

If this is not doable, you could always bring a block in front of you to rest your head on, however if you try this, make sure not to put the pressure in your neck at all. Another option would be to bring two blocks behind you to gently rest your feet on. Be very careful here and take your time. If it takes you extra time to work your way up to the pose, that is okay too. You want to use strength to pull you up here as momentum will not keep you up and balanced.

05 – Dancer’s Pose

This challenging balancing pose is usually done by stepping one foot into the center and reaching your other foot up and back behind you, bending the knee as you lift the hand of the same side back to grab onto your foot or ankle. You would then bring the opposite arm out in front of you. If this was too difficult, you would have the option to use a strap here, wrapping the strap around the back foot, and holding it in your hand for balance.

You could also use the wall or a chair in front of you for support here. If you choose to hold onto something, you are still free to use a strap here as well for the back foot.

KNOW IT ALL

How Often Should a
Beginner Practice
Yoga?

KNOW IT ALL

How Quickly Can You
See Results With Yoga?

The amount you should be practicing will differ person to person. Practicing at least one to two times a week can be useful for beginners, but if you want to do more, you absolutely can. You might choose a more intense practice one day and a more gentle one another day.

Switching off between yoga and other exercises is a great way to ensure that you have rest days. You might do yoga once a week just for pain relief and posture correction. The amount that you should practice depends on what you are looking for and what your goals are.

>> Click here to learn more about how often you should practice yoga.

The speed of the results you will see from your yoga practice will depend on how often you are practicing, what type of practice you are doing, where you are starting from, etc. If you are starting out at a heavier weight, then weight loss might be seen faster. If you are looking to become more flexible, after a few classes, you might begin to notice a difference.

When it comes to pain relief, results will often be seen much faster as you begin to ease the strain in your muscles and break down scar tissue. There really is no one answer to this question, but the results will depend on you and how you are practicing. Where you start out should also be taken into consideration. Either way, the more you practice, the faster you will see results.

Frequently Asked Questions

PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

Try a Free 30 Day Yoga Challenge
On Our Youtube Channel

Do you want to try a practice with us? Did you know that we offer a 30 day free yoga challenge on our youtube channel? We created a challenge that only involves five minutes (or less) of your time each day.

You can check out this challenge here!

Read More, Or Have More Questions
About Starting A Practice?

Breathing technique to improve your yoga practice

maxresdefault 3

Restorative Yoga Stretches

Benefits of yoga before bed

Hatha vs Power yoga

Screen Shot 2022 11 02 at 2.47.33 PM

Develop glute strength without weights

Body 0350 edited

Building muscle through yoga

The History Of Yoga

200220 8 limbs white 2v2

What Are The Eight Limbs Of Yoga

WHY WEDO NOTUSE HINDUSANSKRIT 6

What the heck is Yoga?

history of yoga

History Of Yoga

10 Tips For Beginners Before Taking Your First Class

tipsforbeginners

10 Yoga Tips For Beginners

From The Blog

Breathing technique to improve your yoga practice

maxresdefault 3

Restorative Yoga Stretches

Benefits of yoga before bed

Screen Shot 2022 11 23 at 1.59.00 PM 1

Good Stretch For Lower Back And Hamstrings

Screen Shot 2022 11 16 at 1.49.41 PM

Power Yoga For Weight Loss Mini Sequence

1 8

Taking the next step to more challenging yoga

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Dean Pohlman

Dean Pohlman is an E-RYT 200 certified yoga instructor who created this unique style of yoga in order to better address the unique needs of athletes and inflexible beginners. He has worked with physical therapists to create yoga programs for back health and spinal recovery and his programs, which have been used by professional and collegiate athletes, athletic trainers, and personal trainers, have been recommended by physical therapists, doctors, chiropractors, and other medical professionals.

Dean is widely considered to be an authority on Yoga For Men and has been featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine, Men’s Health, The Chicago Sun, New York Magazine, and many more major news media outlets.