The 8 Worst Yoga Poses for Beginners, According to Instructors

The start of your yoga journey can feel overwhelming — class options are seemingly endless, and perhaps you're worried about preexisting injuries or pain. You may even wonder if you're fit enough to begin practicing.

The good news is that you don't have to be "fit" to practice yoga. However, beginner yogis should proceed with caution when performing poses that require a high degree of strength, mobility and focus. You'll encounter many different poses when beginning a yoga practice. Not all of them will be a great fit for your body.

"Every person has individual anatomy that will dictate the postures that make sense and are accessible for them," says Jessie Lipkowitz, RYT, CPT, yoga teacher and owner of aUM Yoga in Ann Arbor. "The goal should be to find ‌your‌ fullest expression of each posture."

The following postures can be challenging for some beginners. Proceed with caution if you encounter these in class and they don't feel like a good fit for your body.

Pigeon pose is a powerful hip opener, but it may be too tough for some beginners. Excessively tight hips can make it difficult to get into position, and some might find this pose uncomfortable on their knees, says Tom Roth, RYT, CPT, yoga teacher and personal trainer.

If this pose is difficult for you, start by using props to modify your body position. Place a pillow or block underneath your hips, so you don't need to lower your legs all the way to the floor. You can also place yoga blocks under your hands or forearms to take some of the pressure off your hips.

If your knees are still bothering you, Roth suggests substituting a supine figure 4 stretch instead. You'll get a similar hip stretch without the pressure or strain on your knees.

Wheel pose is a full backbend with hands and feet on the floor. You not only need to be able to fully extend your spine, but you also need strong arms and legs for support. Adequate wrist and shoulder mobility are also essential to help you properly distribute load and keep your joints safe.

"Backbends are a great release on the spine," says yoga teacher Robert Sanchez, RYT. "However, if we are not taught how to move into or out of the position correctly, we can herniate a disc over time or create permanent damage to the nucleus pulpous — the gel-like space between each vertebrae."

Sanchez suggests building full-body strength and mobility using different poses and body-weight exercises before attempting wheel pose. For example, try bridge pose, which teaches you to extend your hips and spine but is much easier to perform and reduces the demand on your upper body.

Camel pose is another backbend that requires a great deal of strength and mobility. "This pose requires a ton of spinal extension and isn't going to be very accessible for most sedentary folks," Roth says.

Modify camel pose by reducing how much you extend your spine. You can do this by placing your hands on your lower back or on yoga blocks instead of your feet. Keep in mind that the blocks should be taller than your feet to reduce the range of motion required.

If you choose to omit camel pose entirely, Roth suggests substituting a more gentle, supported backbend like fish pose to help you ease into spinal extension.

Dancer pose combines several physical elements that may be challenging for beginner. You must simultaneously balance on one leg, perform a backbend and reach behind your body with one arm.

"Most people will not have the shoulder mobility to do dancer pose at first," Roth says. He recommends using a strap to make it easier to get into position. This reduces the distance you'll need to reach your arm back behind you, making the pose more shoulder-friendly.

Crow pose is often the first arm balance pose yogis will attempt. It's a little easier than the three poses listed below, but it can still be quite challenging for anyone at the start of their yoga journey.

Michalopoulos has students work toward crow pose by first practicing malasana, also known as a yogi squat.

And if you're struggling to support your body during the crow pose, use a yoga block as a prop. The block can be positioned under your feet, head or chest. Another crow modification is to keep one foot on the floor or a block while you lift up the other leg.

Shoulderstand can also be challenging for beginners if they aren't used to extreme neck flexion or placing their body weight directly onto shoulders. For those who still want to try, manipulating the body position can take a lot of the stress off the joints and help build more comfort and control in this posture.

One modification for shoulderstand is to place one or two yoga blocks underneath your hips and lower back. In this variation, your legs will still point upward, but your torso will only be slightly elevated off the ground. This reduces the pressure on your neck and shoulders and doesn't require as much core strength.

You can also make the shoulderstand pose a little easier on your neck and shoulders by placing folded blankets or a firm pillow underneath your shoulders. With your head slightly lower than your shoulders, you have a little more space for your neck.

Handstands require a great deal of body control as well as strong arms, shoulders and core. Proper form becomes especially important, as you can injure yourself if you fall out of a handstand posture.

According to Sanchez, the best way to work up to performing full handstands is to use a wall to stabilize your body.

Because most people are unaccustomed to supporting load with their heads, headstands can also be challenging for beginner yogis. It's important to take your time and ease into this posture.

Nicole Velazquez, RYT, yoga teacher and owner of Ritual Hot Yoga — Lakeview in Chicago, uses a multi-step progression to teach headstand to her students. Beginners first practice planting the crown of their head on the mat with their hips toward the ceiling and feet on the ground.

As you get stronger, walk your feet closer to your elbows until your hips are directly above your shoulders. Next, alternate picking one leg up off the floor at a time. Throughout each progression, push your forearms into the ground and keep your back long to prevent placing too much weight onto your head and neck. (For a step-by-step breakdown of this progression, check out our headstand guide.)

With enough time and practice, some practitioners will be able to lift both legs to their chest and eventually overhead into a full headstand. However, this advanced variation may not be appropriate or even necessary for all people. Always seek the guidance of your teacher if you're unsure of what to do.