8 Yoga Terms and Poses for the New Yogi
Astavakrasana, taraksvasana, and eka pada rajakapotasana may sound like gibberish now, but these are more advanced yoga poses you’ll work your way into with time, patience, and practice. You most likely won’t hear any of those terms in yoga classes for beginners, but there will still be plenty of other terms or poses you’ve never heard of before.
Here at Yoga Pod Denver West, newcomers to yoga are always welcome. We do know, however, that there can be some anxiety associated with beginner yoga. In order to assuage some of your fears or concerns, we’ve gathered eight terms and poses to familiarize yourself with before your first yoga class. Keep reading to learn more, and then check out our yoga schedule today to see when you can join us for beginner yoga!
3 Sanskrit Terms to Know
Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-European language of India with a 3,500-year history. Yoga terms and poses come from this language.
Asana
“Asana” simply means seat or posture. During your yoga class for beginners, you may notice that many poses have “asana” at the end. If you hear the term asana, then you know you’re moving into a new posture.
Namaste
At the end of every yoga class, the instructor will end the practice by bowing and saying namaste; most yogis respond by doing the same. This means “I bow to you,” though you may hear variations of this meaning.
Ujjayi
This refers to your breathing during yoga and translates to “victorious breath.” During your vinyasa flow and other yoga classes, you’ll typically breathe in and out of your nose while creating a sound in the back of your throat to build warmth.
5 Poses to Know
During hot yoga, vinyasa flows, yin yoga, beginner yoga, and other yoga classes, you’ll try a variety of yoga poses, including these five popular ones.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
During cobra pose, you lie on your stomach, the tops of your feet press into the floor, and you push up from your hands, which are right below your shoulders. This is a gentle backbend you’ll experience often during vinyasa flows.
Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
This is essentially a low plank where your body is parallel to the floor. It strengthens your arms, wrists, and core.
Savasana (Corpse Pose)
All yoga classes will end with savasana, where you simply lie on your back. Though it may seem simple, it’s important for cleansing your body and calming your mind.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Mountain pose is typically the starting position for all standing poses. Again, this pose may initially seem simple, but setting it up correctly is essential for strength and posture in other poses.
Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
During chair pose, you’ll strengthen your quads, calves, and ankles, while also stretching your shoulders and spine. It’s just like it sounds and your instructor will guide you — just try to prevent popping out your buttocks.
Try Beginner Yoga at Yoga Pod Denver West Today
From yoga classes for beginners to yoga teacher training, Yoga Pod Denver West has it all. Check out our schedule and visit us today in Golden for beginner yoga now that you know the basics!
