Yoga exercises for beginners at home

1. Mountain (Tadasana)

The Berghouding is good for your stability and firmness. Stand upright with your palms together for your chest and your feet at hip width. Bring your arms down and then in a swinging motion sideways along your body. Put your palms together again above your head and point up with outstretched arms. ‘Extend’ your back, open your chest and breathe in and out consciously several times. Stay in this position and continue with exercise two.

2. Upright pliers (Uttanasana)

The standing tongs are good for supple hamstrings and a smooth back . Breathe out and bend forward from your hips, with your navel pointing towards your thighs. Keep your legs strong and if possible stretched. Make your back long. Your hands hang calmly next to your knees (or if you are very flexible: next to your feet). Breathe in and out again. Stay in this position and continue with exercise three.

3. Shelf (Phalakasana)

The Plank posture is good for strong arm, leg and buttock muscles. Put your hands on the floor, lean forward and step back as far as possible. Inhale, hold your breath, and bring your body in a straight line above the ground (as solid as a plank). Do not let your hips fall down. See for yourself how long you like this posture. Finally exhale, bend the knees and put them on the floor. Then, slowly lower yourself by your arms. You are now lying flat on your stomach. Stay in this position and continue with exercise four.

4. Cobra (Bhujangasana)

The cobra posture opens the chest and strengthens your back muscles. Put your hands flat on the floor, at the height of your shoulders. Make your upper body long and keep the neck vertebrae in line with your back. Create a backward curve in your lower back and push your chest up, as it were, between the arms. The pelvis stays on the ground. Keep on breathing well. Stay in this position and continue with exercise five. 

5. Downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

For the extension of your calf muscles, your hamstrings muscles and a smooth back. Place your toes ‘in’ the mat. Breathe out and lift your hips (you push yourself with your arms backwards and your buttocks rise). Keep your head between your arms and extend your spine, so that you are in an inverted letter V. The heels do not have to hit the ground, only if it goes automatically. If possible, keep five breaths.

Do you want to do the series of exercises again? Then go back to position two in the first position (allow your hands and feet to tap into the standing tongs from position five) and then start again with exercise one.