Yoga Pose Directory

Standing Poses

Seated Poses

Forward Bending Poses

Surya Namaskar Poses

Twisted/Revolved Poses

Balance Poses

Backbend/Heart-Opening Poses

Inversion Poses

Hip-Opening Poses

Restorative Poses

Supine Poses

Core Yoga Poses

Whether you’ve just completed your teacher training or you’re simply looking to understand and improve your postures, I’ve created an entire yoga pose directory just for you. There are many types of yoga, some types that are designed for strength building and weight loss while others are meant more for relaxation and peace of mind. It all really comes down to how your personal asana practice looks and what you’re trying to accomplish with each of these postures.

Kundalini yoga is one of my favorite types of yoga and pairs well with pranayama breathing exercises 🙂 It helps with chakra balancing, stress, and a cluttered mind.

I designed this list with the budding yoga instructor in mind, so grab your yoga mat and take a deep breath because there are a lot of postures to explore here!

Most Common Yoga Poses

I love the square your hips Cue. Using your back foot, curl your toes under and press against the mat to drive that hip forward a bit.💗

Megan Marie Torres

Beginner

Intermediate

Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Garland (Malasana )

I see people really struggle in my YMCA yoga classes with pigeon, and i really encourage people to prop a blanket or yoga block under that front thigh. I also always give the alternative to do this lying on their backs with legs in a figure-4 shape if they prefer. When I teach Yin yoga, where props are used all the time, people have no problem doing that front thigh prop, but when it’s a regular yoga class people seem to resist it a lot more. I’m working on getting my students to really start using props more 😉

Andrea Marquis Roozekrans

Forward Bending Poses

Twisted/Revolved Poses

I know this prop prob also. I had some success with this comment: “The senseful usage of props is a sign of intelligence not of weakness. I never start my personal yoga practice without having a dozen straps, blocks, blankets and bolsters nearby:-)”.
They laughed and used these damn blocks for pigeon.

Thomas Gewald

Beginner

Intermediate

Revolved Chair (Parivritta Utkatasana)

Revolved Side Angle (Parivritta Parsvakonasana)

Lunge with Prayer Twist (Namaskar Parsvakonasana)

Revolved Triangle (Parivritta Trikonasana)

Revolved Half Moon (Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana)

Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Balance Poses

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

If I have a private or a smaller class I have them move their mats to the wall and their back foot is flexed pressing against the wall. Even better if I preced it with shin up the wall ( similar effects to half hero/virasana but even better )

Cheri Weber

Surya Namaskar Poses

Backbend/Heart Poses

I recently decided to refrain from teaching sleeping pigeon. I teach the upward pigeon (when i teach pigeon, otherwise i go with figure 4) so that the students are engaged in the hips (there are many articles out there talking about the dangers of sleeping pigeon and I’m afraid that i caused myself some kind of injury or weakness by daily long deep holds of sleeping pigeon). If i see they crave it, I cue it for a couple of breaths.

Lilith Bernou

Inversion Poses

Beginner

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Hero Pose (Virasana)

Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

Wide Leg Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Intermediate

Advanced

Headstand (Sirsasana)

Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)

Hip-Opening Poses

Beginner

Intermediate

Downward Facing Frog Pose (Adho Mukha Mandukasana)

Reclined Hero (Supta Virasana)

One-Legged Downward Facing Dog (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Restorative Poses

Beginner

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Reclined Twist (Jathara Parisvartanasana)

Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Supported Fish (Matsyasana)

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Supine Poses

Beginner

Wind Relieving Pose (Pavana Muktasana)

Half Wind Relieving Pose (Ardha Pavana Muktasana)

Reclined Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana)

Intermediate

Fish (Matsyasana)

Advanced

Core Yoga Poses