Yoga is mobility, strength, balance and breathing in one, and all you need to start at home is a mat, ten minutes and a handful of poses done right. Ten basic poses cover almost everything beginner classes are built on: mountain pose (posture), cat-cow (the spine), downward dog (posterior chain, shoulders), low lunge (hip flexors), warrior I and II (legs, hips, chest), triangle (sides, hamstrings), child's pose (rest, lower back), pigeon or supine figure four (outer hips), bridge (glutes, chest) and supine twist (lower back, winding down). The most important thing for a beginner is not to go deep but to breathe calmly through the nose, keep the knees soft, use blocks, books and the wall for support, and stop where it stretches, not where it hurts. Yoga suits almost everyone, but stiff hips, tight hamstrings and a locked upper back make the first weeks frustrating; five minutes of cupping of exactly those areas before the session makes the poses accessible straight away and is what we recommend as a warm-up. Here are the poses, two sessions, choosing a style, pilates or yoga, the mistakes and the cupping.
Before you start
- Equipment: a non-slip mat, two blocks (or thick books), a strap (or a towel), a wall. Soft clothes, bare feet.
- Time: 10 minutes daily beats 60 minutes once a week. Morning wakes you, evening winds you down; choose what you will actually do.
- Breathing: in and out through the nose, calmly, the whole session; if you hold your breath you have gone too far. Movements are made on the exhalation into the pose.
- Rules: never pain in joints (knees, wrists, lower back), only stretch in muscles; knees soft, never locked; neck in line with the spine; and modify rather than push.
- Abstain or modify with acute lumbago or a herniated disc with radiating pain (skip forward bends and twists), recent surgery, pregnancy (no deep twists, no lying on the front after the first trimester, no long periods on the back late on; see pregnancy), high blood pressure or glaucoma (no long poses with the head below the heart), hypermobility (stay in the mid-range, don't stretch into the end-range). Dizziness or chest pain during the session: stop and seek care.
The 10 basic poses with technique and modifications
| Pose | How | Modification |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mountain pose (Tadasana) | Stand with feet hip-width, weight evenly over the whole foot, knees soft, pelvis neutral, chest open, shoulders down and back, crown reaching up. Five breaths. The foundation for all standing poses | Back against a wall to feel the line |
| 2. Cat-cow (Marjaryasana–Bitilasana) | On all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Inhale: drop the belly, lift chest and gaze (cow). Exhale: round the back, chin to chest (cat). 8–10 slow rounds | Blanket under the knees; fists for sore wrists |
| 3. Downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) | From all fours: push the hips up toward the ceiling, hands shoulder-width with fingers spread, straight arms, long back, knees bent as much as needed to keep the back straight, heels reaching down without needing to touch the floor. 5 breaths | Hands on blocks or a chair with tight hamstrings or sore wrists; "walk" the feet alternately |
| 4. Low lunge (Anjaneyasana) | From dog: front foot between the hands, back knee on the floor, hips sink forward until it stretches in the back hip flexor, torso up, arms up or hands on the front thigh. 5 breaths per side | Blanket under the back knee; hands on blocks on the floor |
| 5. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) | Wide stance, front foot straight ahead, back foot angled, front knee bent directly over the ankle, back leg straight, arms at shoulder height, gaze over the front hand, hips open to the side. 5 breaths per side | Shorter stance and less bend; back against a wall |
| 6. Triangle (Trikonasana) | From warrior II with a straight front leg: push the hips back and extend the torso forward over the front leg, lower the hand to the shin or a block, other arm up, chest open. 5 breaths per side | Hand on a block or chair; soft front knee |
| 7. Child's pose (Balasana) | Sit on the heels, knees apart, fold forward and rest the forehead on the floor, arms forward or along the sides, breathe into the back. Rest here any time during the session | Cushion between buttocks and heels for sore knees; cushion under the forehead |
| 8. Pigeon or supine figure four | Supine figure four (easiest): on the back, one ankle over the opposite knee, draw the lower thigh toward you, 8 breaths per side. Pigeon: from dog, front shin across in front of the body, back leg straight back, hips level, fold forward. Outer hips and glutes | Stay with the supine figure four for the first weeks; cushion under the front hip in pigeon |
| 9. Bridge (Setu Bandhasana) | On the back, feet hip-width close to the buttocks, push the hips up, chest toward the chin, shoulders under you, glutes tight. 5 breaths, twice | Block under the sacrum for a resting variation |
| 10. Supine twist (Supta Matsyendrasana) | On the back, draw one knee to the chest and drop it across the body to the opposite side, arm extended the other way, gaze toward the hand, shoulders on the floor. 8 breaths per side | Cushion under the knee; both knees bent together for a milder twist |
Two sessions: morning 10 minutes, evening 15 minutes
| Morning yoga (10 min): wakes, opens, activates | Evening yoga (15 min): stretches, winds down |
|---|---|
| Mountain pose with three deep breaths and arms up and down (1 min) | Cat-cow, slowly (2 min) |
| Cat-cow (1 min) | Child's pose with a side stretch each way (2 min) |
| Downward dog with "walking" feet (1 min) | Low lunge, 1 min per side (2 min) |
| Low lunge, 30 s per side (1 min) | Downward dog with bent knees (1 min) |
| Warrior II, 30 s per side (1 min) | Seated forward fold with bent knees and a strap around the feet (2 min) |
| Triangle, 30 s per side (1 min) | Supine figure four, 1 min per side (2 min) |
| Bridge, two rounds (1 min) | Bridge on a block, resting (1 min) |
| Supine figure four, 30 s per side (1 min) | Supine twist, 1 min per side (2 min) |
| Supine twist, 30 s per side (1 min) | Lying on the back with legs up the wall or in Savasana, breathing 4 in and 6 out (1 min) |
| Mountain pose, three breaths, intention for the day (1 min) |
Do the morning session five days a week for four weeks before adding harder poses (flowing sun salutations, plank, cobra, tree). The evening session can be replaced by yin yoga on evenings you want longer, passive poses.
Which yoga style suits you, and yoga or pilates?
| Style | Suits when |
|---|---|
| Hatha | You are a beginner and want to learn the poses calmly, one at a time, with a focus on technique and breath. Start here |
| Vinyasa / flow | You want more pace, conditioning and sweat; the poses are linked in flows with the breath. After a few weeks of hatha |
| Yin | You are stiff, stressed or want deep, passive stretching for 3–5 minutes per pose; connective tissue and winding down. See yin yoga at home |
| Restorative | You are exhausted, ill, pregnant or recovering; fully supported poses with cushions, 10 minutes per pose, pure rest |
| Pilates | You want trunk strength, control and posture rather than mobility and breath focus; good for low back problems, after childbirth, with hypermobility and for runners. Many combine: pilates for strength, yoga for mobility and calm. The exercises overlap with core exercises at home |
If you have a specific problem: lower back (back exercises), hips (hip stretches), neck and shoulders (neck exercises), or general stiffness (stiff body), there are targeted sessions that complement.
Common beginner mistakes
- Locked knees in standing poses and forward bends: loads the knee joint and lower back; keep them soft.
- Held breath: the most common sign that you are pushing; back off until you can breathe calmly.
- A rounded lower back in forward bends: bend the knees and hinge from the hips with a flat back; the goal is the hamstrings, not reaching the toes.
- Weight in the wrists: spread the fingers, press down the fingertips, bend the knees in dog; use fists or blocks with sore wrists (wrist pain).
- Front knee inside the foot in warrior and lunges: knee directly over the ankle, in line with the second toe.
- Too deep too soon: pigeon, wheel, headstand and deep twists are not beginner poses; they cause injuries in hips, wrists and neck in those who haven't built strength first.
- Comparing yourself with the app: mobility is largely anatomy and takes months to change; measure progress in how you feel afterwards, not in centimetres.
Cupping before yoga: five minutes that make the poses accessible
What stops beginners is almost always three areas: stiff hip flexors and outer hips (lunges, warrior, pigeon), tight hamstrings and calves (dog, forward bends) and a locked upper back (twists, chest openers). Five minutes of dynamic cupping of them before the session increases blood flow and releases the fascia so you get further into the poses with calmer breathing, and it is also a good way to warm up in the morning when the body is at its stiffest. After the session no cupping is needed; then stillness and breathing are better.
- Hip flexors and front thigh: the dynamic cup with oil, medium suction, long strokes from just above the knee up toward the hip crease, 1 minute per side.
- Outer hips and glutes: strokes from the outside of the thigh up over the hip and circles over the buttock, 1 minute per side; what makes pigeon and the supine figure four possible.
- Hamstrings and calves: from the back of the knee up toward the buttock and from the heel up toward the back of the knee, 30 seconds per path; makes the dog straight in the back.
- Upper back and between the shoulder blades: if you have help, strokes along the erector spinae and over the shoulder blades; alone: static cups between the shoulder blades for 3 minutes while you sit in mountain pose and breathe. Frees the twists.
- Straight into the session while the tissue is warm; start with cat-cow. Programme: the cupping programme for yogis, and more on the combination in massage cups for training, yoga and recovery.
Don't cup over joints, varicose veins or damaged skin, not with a fever, and in pregnancy only upper back and shoulders; more situations in when to avoid cupping.
Frequently asked questions
How do you start yoga at home as a beginner?
With a mat, two blocks, ten minutes and ten basic poses: mountain pose, cat-cow, downward dog, low lunge, warrior II, triangle, child's pose, supine figure four, bridge and supine twist. Breathe through the nose, keep the knees soft, use support and stop where it stretches. Five morning sessions a week for four weeks before adding harder poses.
Which yoga is best for beginners?
Hatha, where the poses are learned calmly one at a time with a focus on technique and breath. Yin suits stiff and stressed people who want passive stretching, restorative those who are exhausted or pregnant, and vinyasa those who want pace and sweat after a few weeks of basics. Pilates suits better when the goal is trunk strength and control rather than mobility.
Yoga or pilates, what is the difference?
Yoga emphasises mobility, balance, breath and winding down with poses that are held; pilates emphasises trunk strength, control and posture with small, precise movements and many repetitions. Pilates is often better for low back problems, after childbirth and with hypermobility; yoga for stiffness and stress. Many do both.
How often should a beginner do yoga?
Ten minutes daily or five days a week gives more than one long session a week; mobility and balance respond to regularity. After four weeks you can extend to 20–30 minutes two to three times a week and keep a short session on the other days. Mobility changes slowly; expect months, not weeks.
Does cupping help before yoga?
Yes, five minutes of dynamic cupping of hip flexors, outer hips, hamstrings and upper back before the session increases blood flow and releases the fascia, so lunges, pigeon, dog and twists become accessible with calmer breathing, especially in the morning. After the session no cupping is needed; not over joints, varicose veins or, in pregnancy, on more than the upper back.
Related guides
- The diaphragm – tight diaphragm, belly breathing and cupping
- Pilates for beginners at home – the basics, 10 exercises and a session
Written by Curam. Last updated 17 October 2026. This is general self-care information and does not replace medical care. For sudden, severe or unusual symptoms, contact your doctor. Talk to your doctor before cupping if you are pregnant, take blood thinners or have a condition affecting skin, blood vessels or blood.
