Yoga Positions List

Yoga is a system of exercise that uses movement and postures to develop muscular strength and endurance. Some branches of yoga stress a metaphysical aspect to the practice, although the yoga systems most often practiced in modern health centers focus on the physical exercises alone. There is a wide variety of yoga positions, some particular to one branch or style. There are also a few basic postures that will be found in most, if not all, yoga practices.

Seated Positions

Choose seated positions to start with if you are new to yoga or exercise in general. These allow your body to slip into the position without placing undue strain on the muscles, and connect tissues of the back and hips as standing postures might.
Seated yoga positions often look like traditional calisthenic stretching exercises, and may be called by the Indian name for the position or a less picturesque English name. Examples of seated yoga positions include "Janu Sirsasana," or the "modified hurdler's stretch," and "Paschimottasana," or the "seated toe touch." Other seated postures include "Eka Pada Upavistha Parivttsana," or the "lower back twist stretch."

Lying Positions

Like the seated yoga positions, lying positions can be useful for the novice yoga practitioner to begin building strength, endurance and flexibility.
Lying positions include the "Salabhasana," sometimes referred to as the "skydiver stretch" or "back extensions," since the position strengthens the lower back muscles by the practitioner holding them in the position of a free-falling skydiver, with arms and legs raised off the floor.
Another lying position is "Bhujangasana," or the "cobra stretch," where you raise your upper torso off the ground while the front of the legs and the groin region stay in contact with the floor.

Lunging Positions

Lunging positions are often the most recognized yoga poses. These are split stances that focus on strengthening the muscles of the lower back, hips, glutes and thighs. While some of the lunging positions of yoga have English names as well, they are artistic interpretations of the original Indian terms, such as "Warrior Pose" for the "Trikonasana" position. Others include "Virabhadrasana" and "Parsvakonasana." All of these involve a lunging stance to strengthen the isokinetic, or stationary, strength of the thighs. Meanwhile, the upper torso moves in various directions, depending on the particular stance, to strengthen the core muscles of the mid-section.