10 Yoga Poses You Should Do Every Day
There are SO many yoga asanas out there that it can be difficult how to figure out which yoga poses you should do every day. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered!
And when we say every day, you don’t HAVE to do a full-blown, intensive yoga workout every day.
What we mean is simply doing some simple yoga stretches to wake up your body and your mind.
This could mean doing a few light stretches in the morning to set a more mindful tone for your day or it could mean winding down and decompressing with some evening stretches after work.
Either way, these poses have a little something for every part of your body.
Mastering each pose takes dedication, commitment, and strength, so you’ll only improve if you try to work on them for even just a few minutes every day.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned yogi, we’ve collected ten yoga poses for your everyday routine, and they can be as gentle or as intense as you’d like them to be.
Check them out below:
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1. Bridge Pose
This pain-relieving stretch helps a variety of skill levels achieve deep rejuvenation. Modifications include support for those with neck strain as well as a yoga block or bolster for pelvic support.
Stretch your chest, neck, and spine while calming your brain and alleviating stress. With help from a partner, a modified bridge may help relieve menopause symptoms as well.
Other benefits of the bridge pose include stimulation of the abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid and improving digestion (1).
2. Downward Facing Dog:
Downward Facing Dog is a basic component of any yoga routine. While challenging, it provides pain relief benefits as well as a deep stretch to get you ready for your day.
Perfecting the Downward Dog may take time, but maintaining proper posture and positioning will help your progress. Paying attention to how you feel in this position is essential for avoiding injury.
Not only will this move work out back discomfort, but it also serves to stretch your hamstrings. As you practice, you’ll improve your position to achieve the perfect Downward Dog.
Learn more about Downward Dog and relieving back pain here.
3. Mountain Pose
Also called Tadasana, Mountain Pose is a basic move that you’ll need to master before moving on to more complex poses. It may look simple, but keeping your form correct will translate into other moves.
Balancing your weight evenly and using your core muscles to maintain posture helps you get the most out of the mountain pose. Keep your shoulders parallel to your pelvis, and remember to breathe.
This pose can help you improve your posture plus increase awareness, as you breathe and embrace the serenity of the moment. See more about the Mountain Pose here.
4. Child’s Pose
Child’s Pose, or Balasana, stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, knees, and ankles. It’s a resting pose, so will help you to relax between other poses.
This resting position also increases blood circulation to your head, so it could help reduce headaches. Breathing deeply and sinking into the position serves to relax your entire body and stay grounded.
This pose is great for reducing tension and stress throughout your entire body. Learn more here.
5. Chair Pose
Strengthen thigh muscles and feet and increase ankle mobility with the Chair Pose. Breathe deeply while in the pose, with a timing of five to ten breaths.
This quick pose doesn’t look too challenging, but achieving the proper posture is important to reap the muscle toning benefits. It’s quick to practice and doesn’t require a lot of space either.
Need more help? See an overview of the four steps to mastering the Chair Pose here.
6. Tree Pose
Yoga Journal’s 360-degree view of the Tree Pose will help you learn proper form and maintain it. This exercise merges balance and core strength with a one-legged stretch.
Holding the pose for 30 seconds to one minute stretches your groin and inner thighs, chest, and shoulders. It also improves your balance while strengthening a range of leg muscles.
This position poses a challenge in both maintaining form and keeping your resting foot from slipping off your thigh. If you feel wobbly, balance against a wall for support.
Learn more about the Tree Pose here.
7. Savasana
It looks easy, but this meditative pose is a conscious relaxation exercise. Also termed the “corpse” pose, Savasana (also Shavasana) requires focus and intentional breathing.
This pose helps you feel grounded and relaxed at the end of your yoga session. It might feel silly at first, but once you fully immerse yourself in the exercise, you’ll understand why we recommend it daily.
Steps toward a successful Savasana include cleansing breaths and intentional commitment to the exercise. Learn more about relaxation techniques for Savasana here.
8. Locust Pose
Locust Pose, or Salbhasana, is a backbend that manages back pain and stretches tense muscles. You’ll lie on the floor on your stomach and lift your arms and legs up parallel to the floor.
Modifications help make the exercise accessible to all skill levels. You can look forward, or look toward the ground if you’re having trouble relaxing your neck muscles.
You can also add a towel between your hips and your yoga mat for cushioning for sensitive hips. Try to hold the pose for a few breaths, but don’t feel bad if it takes a few tries!
Learn more about the Locust Pose here.
9. Legs Up the Wall
This mild inversion also goes by the name Viparita Karani and helps renew your energy. It’s accessible for all skill levels and gives the benefits of inversion without complicated headstands.
While it’s not a challenging physical pose, this legs up exercise reduces stress and can help with tired leg muscles or edema in the legs or feet. Hold the pose for a minute or two, or aim for longer.
Ideally, you’ll hold the pose for ten or 15 minutes, but you can work up to that length of time if it’s challenging at first. Read more about Viparita Karani here.
10. Warrior
Warrior is an invigorating pose for beginners and experts and should hold a place in your daily routine for its promotion of flexibility. While this is the basic pose, there are increasingly complex versions too.
This position summons forth strength, focus, confidence, and courage like its namesake the warrior.
Read more about all the versions of the Warrior Pose here.
These moves include some of the basic poses that provide the foundation for more challenging yoga asanas. As with most yoga positions, modifications can make each asana accessible to the beginner so that you can fully experience the pose.
When you master them, you’re well on your way to building a fulfilling practice.
If you’d like a full yoga workout program designed to get you flexible and even lose some weight, make sure to check out our Yoga Fat Loss Bible for Beginners.
It comes with everything you need to get started, including a 50-fat burning yoga poses with photos and instructions, a 6-week workout plan, meditation guide, flexibility guide, and more!
Get started losing weight with yoga today!
If you enjoyed this article on the top 10 yoga poses you should do every day, please leave a comment or any questions below!
Hi if I was to do these 10 poses each day What would be the best order to do them in for the best results
wow great list and many of the poses are do-able! Any form of exercise benefits the skin, it addds a different radiance altogether, eliminating all the toxins is what works for the skin, thanks for brief info here,cheers