Yoga For Beginners Online
Though we offer classes in person, some people may feel more comfortable doing their yoga at home. We have a series of yoga videos for beginners.
We also have a lot of helpful content to help people new to yoga understand key yoga sequences. We also created pages showing images of poses for beginners to help you understand the yoga stretches before trying them out before, during or after the yoga videos.
Online Yoga Classes
Our Yoga for Beginners online videos is a great way to start yoga classes in the comfort of your home. YogaTonic UK have created a selection of options for your yoga practice at home:
- Many short tutorials teaching yoga breathing techniques, terminology and popular yoga poses for beginners
- Helpful yoga pose guide to help remember the best yoga stretches
- Unlimited access to all the classes included
- Classes vary from 5 minutes to 60 minutes
Our one-off course packages, on-demand memberships and class bookings are now on our new parent site:
My Life Tonic.
Sun Salutation A Video
Try us: Sun Salutation A video
12 minute video to walk you through step by step
If you would like to see the Sun Salutations video, this will piece it all together.
The first round is done silently, and the other rounds describe each pose, with key tips to give you a better experience. Also there is a round that focuses purely on the breathing. With repetition, it will become easier to remember.
We hope this helps!
Vinyasa flow yoga pose – Chaturanga
This short video provides some tips to think about when you are doing Chaturanga.
As part of the yoga for beginners videos we have provided a selection of short videos breaking key poses down, whilst also offering a collection of photo’s to outline key aspects of a wider number of yoga stretches.
Throughout our yoga for beginners videos we offer various modifications that maybe particularly helpful for you. For exmaple, in chaturanga , you may want to bend your knees, placing on the floor to reduce weight on your shoulders and upper body.
In other positions, we may offer modifications suggesting slight adjustments to the positioning of your left foot or to keep your leg straight.
The aim, throughout, is to offer insights into each pose, so you can feel confident that you are doing them correctly and safely.
Many people start yoga later in life because their physio recommended them to improve core strength and improve flexibility. But some may see those Instagram pics of beautiful bendy women and feel daunted.
In previous years, yoga teachers have been quite stringent on adjusting people into poses that might not be suitable for everyone’s body. There is no wrong way to do a yoga pose. Teachers should ensure that people move in and out of yoga stretches safely. Keeping pressure off the knees and lower back is paramount, as we don’t want anyone to get injured.
Yoga Classes for Beginners
Most yoga classes state they are “suitable for all levels” which means that beginners are free to join. This also means that the teacher should offer different “modification” to a yoga pose. For example, for yoga balance poses like Tree pose, there could be 3 modifications with the gentlest being to place foot near ankle, then foot below knee and hardest being foot on inner thigh.
In vinyasa flow yoga, poses are linked together in flowing sequences, the most popular being the Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) sequence. Even seeing names in Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language in which the poses are based on, can bamboozle someone new to yoga. Personally, I think Sanskrit is great for yoga teachers to understand because the naming is used all over the world. So, in essence, we could go on holiday and teach yoga anywhere without knowing the native language 🙂
Examples of sun salutation modifications would be to skip some of the harder parts and step directly into Downward Facing Dog pose, skipping 3 harder poses, such as plank, thereby adapting the sequence by providing yoga poses for beginners. Some classes can move quickly and knowing that there is an option to skip a few poses is beneficial.
I love trying new things but the first few times can feel quite uncomfortable, as I tend to feel like the ONLY new person. In our yoga classes, we often have new people join so we have been conscious to provide sequences that are appropriate for beginners. Some people may look experienced but only have come to a handful of classes. Yoga is great for seeing quick results. It only takes a few classes to feel progression.
Yoga pose modifications
Popular pose modifications
For some of the poses, mainly plank, low plank and upward dog, there are modifications that can help you feel more comfortable with the poses. These are poses that are done in many sequences, including Sun Salutations.
Plank (Plankasana) – modified on knees
Many people find plank to low plank (Caturanga) difficult. Sometimes people dip the bottom downwards and flop on the floor, which can potentially hurt the lower back.
Modifying the pose is better than risking your lower back health. Full plank to low plank can come later. Just be patient.
For plank, allow the knees to drop to the ground. Place the tops of the feet on the ground. Lengthen spine. Tighten abdomen. Try to keep the bottom lifted slightly.
Transition to Low Plank (Chaturanga) – on knees
For low plank, bring elbows inward to the body. This will help support you when you lower down.
Try to hover over the ground a little. If it feels difficult, just lower all the way to the ground gently.
Cobra (Bhujangasana)
Rather than Upward Dog, try Cobra instead. If you Google “Cobra pose”, it often looks like Upward Dog. But it doesn’t need to.
Cobra pose is actually better for building your lower back muscles. You will want to lift up to the point that your lower back feels engaged.
- Start off with the front of your body on the ground.
- Before lifting upward, try to extend the spine by reaching your head forward.
- You can still use the hands to support you, but it is not a push up. You will be using the lower back muscles to lift your chest.
If doing Cobra in a Sun Salutation, lift with your inhale.
If you are doing Cobra on it’s own, hold for 3-5 breaths. Inhale to lift, exhale to hold, lifting up a little bit more each time.