New to Yoga? These Beginner-Friendly Flows Will Help You Stretch Out and Find Calm

Updated on 10/25/2020 at 10:42 AM

Yoga is pretty intimidating when you're just getting started. As someone who's naturally inflexible and not very good at connecting with my breath, balancing on one foot, or calming down in general (all things you need to start a yoga practice, right?), let me say, I have been there. And when I finally decided to give yoga a try, walking into a studio of old pros who were flipping into handstands and doing the splits was not the way I wanted to do it.

YouTube was what helped me develop my practice. It's filled with quality routines from yoga instructors, all of which you can do in the comfort of your own home with no one around to see if you lose your balance or can't quite touch your toes (aka me). If you're a beginner thinking of trying yoga or a regular practitioner looking for a simple flow, these videos are a great way to start. Roll out a mat or find some comfy floor, sink into a sequence, and remember that there's no judgment here — just do your best.

30-Minute Restorative Yoga and Meditation

For a longer practice that focuses on recovery and inner calm, turn to this video from Koya Webb, RYT-500 yoga instructor and founder of Get Loved Up Yoga School. You'll hold each pose for a little longer than usual to open up your body and slow down your mind.

20-Minute Yoga For Complete Beginners From Yoga With Adriene

Adriene Mishler is the 200-hour Hatha yoga-certified instructor behind the beloved Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel. In this 20-minute practice, she has you slowly stretching out your chest, back, and sides before easing into a gentle, full-body flow.

30-Minute Yoga Sequence For Total Beginners

This accessible and accepting practice welcomes everyone, at any stage of life or fitness, and it comes from yoga teacher and body-positivity advocate Jessamyn Stanley, certified by Asheville Yoga Center's 230-hour Teacher Training Program. Stanley recommends grabbing two yoga blocks or substitutes (like books or boxes) to help you balance and open into the simple, effective postures.

15-Minute Morning Yoga Flow For Beginners

Yoga instructor Arianna Elizabeth, E-RYT 200, leads this quiet, calming sequence meant to energize you for the day. The simple practice includes classic poses like Child's pose, Cat Cow, and Downward Facing Dog to wake up and loosen up your body.

15-Minute Yoga Asana Practice For Beginners

This practice is great for beginners looking to improve form and flexibility through a classic yoga flow. Led by Rashmi Ramesh, who trained at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in the Himalayas, you'll warm up and get moving with Upward Facing to Downward Facing Dog poses (a key part of Chaturanga), then stretch out with seated postures to open up your hips, hamstrings, and back.

10-Minute Beginner-Friendly Yoga

If you only have 10 minutes, sink into this beginner practice with yoga instructor Edyn Bryant, RYT-200. You'll learn how to open up your body with classic poses like Cat Cow, Warrior 2, and Standing Forward Fold that feel good no matter how stiff you are.

15-Minute Yoga For Beginners From Boho Beautiful

This beachside practice from Juliana Spicoluk, cocreator of Boho Beautiful and a yoga instructor who received her training in Montezuma, Costa Rica, features simple stretches that release muscle tension without twisting you up too much. You'll focus on your hips, hamstring, and back, areas that get tight no matter how much you sit, stand, or exercise.