Asana Yoga
Asana is a Sanskrit word which also refers to posture. Literally, it means “seat”. At first, Asana provided the secure postures that help an individual in attaining a lengthy meditation. As one of classical Yoga’s eight limbs, it is said to be that postures should be in a state of relaxed, comfortable, steady and yet firm.
Some people think that Asana is just about stretching the muscles but more than that it opens the chakras (energy channels) of the body. The body is strengthened and purified while the mind is controlled and focused as one performs the Asana. This is why it is important that one breathes deeply and slowly in holding Asana to enable a good stretch without being strained or in pain.
Yoga poses or Asana consists of basic postures which includes Seated, Twisted, Inversions, Balancing, Forward/Backward/Side Bending, Core strengthening, Hip Opening, Prone, Standing and Supine. From these basic Yoga postures, there have other sub-categories. Let us take a look at the different Yoga postures and the other poses under each basic posture.
Seated Yoga Poses –These poses are more suited for beginners as it can be adjusted to any flexibility and level of strength. It also focuses more on an individual’s flexibility more than the strength and it is energetically grounding compared to other basic type of yoga poses.
| Basic Level | Beginner’s Level |
| Accomplished (Siddhasana)Bound Angle (Baddha Konasana)Cat Tilt (Marjarjasana)Child (Blasana)Dog Tilt (Syanasana)
Easy (Sukhasana) Eight-Limbed (Ashtangasana) Extended Dognose (Uthita Syanasana) Half Prayer Twist (Ardha Namaskar Parsvakonasana) High Lunge (Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana) Low Warrior (Ardha Yirabhadrasana I) One Leg Boat (Eka Pada Nayasana) Rabbit (Sasangasana) Belly Twist (Jathara Parivartanasana) Knee Down Twist (Sunta Matsyendrasana) Threading the Needle (Sucirandhrasana) |
Balancing Bound Angle (Dandayamna baddha konasana)Balancing Table (Paripurna Navasana)Boat (Catuspadapitham)Crab (Ardha Pincha)Dolphin (Mayurasana)
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana) Downward Facing Frog (Adho Mukha Mandukasana) Extended Legsquat (Parighasana) Gate (Bhadrasana) Gracious Half Camel (Ardha Ustrasana) Half Circle (Ardha Mandalasana) Halflord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana) Half Pyramid (Ardha Parsvottanasana) Half Upright Seated Angle (Ardha Urdhva Upavishta Konasana) Hero (Virasana) Lion (Simhasana) One Handed Tiger (Eka Hasta Vyaghrasana) One-Legged King Pigeon (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) Plank (Phalakasana) Tiger (Vyaghrasana) Tiptoe Pose (Prapadasana) Belly Twist (Jathara Parivartanasana) |
| Intermediate Level | Advanced Level |
| Camel (Ustrasana)Cow face (Gomukhasana)Crane (Bakasana)Firelog (Agnistambhasana)Flowering Lotus
Garland (Malasana) Halflord of the fishes (Ardha matsyendrasana) Half Lotus (Ardha Padmasana) Headstand Prep (Ardha Shirshasana) Inclined Plane (Purvottanasana) Low Plank (Ardha Phalakasana) One Leg Downward Facing Dog (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana) Revolved Downward Facing Dog (Parivrtta Adho mukha Shvanasana) Revolved head to knee (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana Tortoise (Kurmasana) Upright Seated Angle (Urdhva Upavishta Konasana) Chair Twist (Parivritta Utkatasana) Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana) Prayer Twist (Namaskar Parsvakonasana) Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana) Revolved Downward Facing Dog (Parivrtta Adho Mukha Shvanasana) Revolved Side Angle (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana) |
Full Lotus (Padmasana) |
Inversions Yoga Poses
| Beginner Level | Intermediate Level |
| Dolphin (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)Half Shoulder Stand (Ardha Sarvangasana) | Headstand Prep (Ardha Shirshasana)Plow (Halasana) |
Balancing Yoga Poses - These poses focuses more on the individual’s ability to balance by also enhancing the mind control and focus.
| Basic Level | Beginner Level |
| Tree (Vrikshasana) | Balancing Bound Angle (Dandayamna Baddha Konasana)Half Upright Seated Angle (Ardha Urdhva Upavishta Konasana )Shiva Twist (Parivrtta Natarajasana)tiptoe pose prapadasana |
| Intermediate Level | Advance Level |
| Crane (Bakasana)Dancer (Natarajasana)Eagle (Garudasana)Extended Hand to Toe (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)
Flowering Lotus Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana) Revolved Half Moon (Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana) Standing Head to Knee (Dandayamana Janu Sirsasana) Standing Splits (urdhva prasarita eka padasana) Upright Seated Angle (Urdhva Upavishta Konasana) Warrior III (virabhadrasana III) |
Strengthening Yoga Poses
| Basis Level | Beginner Level |
| Half Forward Fold (Ardha Uttanasana)One Leg Boat (Eka Pada navasana) | Balancing TableBoat (Paripurna navasana)Plank (Phalakasana) |
| Intermediate Level | Advance Level |
| Crane (Bakasana)inclined plane (purvottanasana)low plank (ardha Phalakasana) |
Back Bending Yoga
| Basic Level | Beginner Level |
| Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)Dog tilt (Svanasana)
Extended Dog (Utthita Svanasana) |
Chair (Utkatasana)Cobra (Bhujangasana)
Crab (Catuspadapitham) Half Locust (Ardha Shalabhasana) One Handed Tiger (Eka Hasta Vyaghrasana) |
| Intermediate Level | Advance Level |
| Bow (Dhanurasana)Camel (Ustrasana)
One Leg Bridge (Eka Pada Setu Bandhasana) |
Forward Bending Poses
|
Basic Level |
Beginner Level |
| Cat Tilt (Marjariasana)Child (Balasana)
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) Seated Yoga Seal (Upavistha Yoga Mudra) |
Half Pyramid (Ardha Parsvottanasana)Pyramid (Parsvottanasana)
Seated Head to Knee (Janu Sirsasana) Side Seated Angle (Parsva Upavistha Konasana) Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana) Standing Yoga Seal (Dandayamana Yoga Mudrasana) |
|
Intermediate Level |
Aadvance Level |
| Half-bound Lotus Forward Fold (Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana) |
