Top 12 Yoga Poses for Both Men and Women

Yoga practice transforms life. Yoga is more than exercise. Doing yoga benefits more than doing gym and building muscles. It is a healthy journey to experience. Yoga can be done daily or weekly twice or thrice. But you need to understand the different yoga poses and their benefits. Initially, your body may not be flexible for certain yoga poses but practice makes you perfect. So involve yourself in the yoga world and learn the secrets of ancient yoga asanas.

On 21 June 2024 ‘World Yoga Day’ will be celebrated. Every year, a theme is announced, and the theme for this year is ‘Yoga for Self and Society’. It means Yoga will help social well-being along with personal health benefits.

Yoga Day is celebrated yearly to increase awareness about Yoga, which helps improve individual and community health. June 21 is the longest day and according to Indian tradition, light transition takes place to dakshinayana. This year PM Narendra Modi is going to celebrate Yoga Day at Srinagar.

Yoga is one of the best practices to maintain the proper health of an individual. It helps to keep the mind relaxed. It enhances the skin glow, helps with the perfect functioning of each organ, and makes the body more flexible. While doing asanas we inhale and exhale which increases the lung’s capacity. A lot of other health benefits to practicing Yoga, so, everyone should practice Yoga daily.

Yoga is an old Indian tradition and saints have been doing it for thousands of years. Some theories suggest that practicing Yoga every day will increase life span. A lot of diseases including diabetes, and blood pressure will be under control if we do Yoga daily.

Let’s see the Top 12 Yoga Poses for Beginners with names and pictures, which can benefit both Men and Women. 

6 Best Yoga Poses for Men:

1. Utkatasana – The Chair Pose: 

If you want to strengthen the lower part of your body like the legs, ankles, quadriceps, and glutes do this Chair pose. It also targets abdominal muscles which increases the strength of the core. The posture itself is like sitting in a chair without a chair, that is why it is called chair pose.

How to do Chair Pose/Utkatasana: 

1. First, stand on a yoga mat with your head looking straight and your legs in line with your hips.
2. Inhale and try to exhale while bending your knees as you are sitting in a chair.
3. Keep your hands at heart level and bend a bit forward as shown in the figure.
4. Remain in this pose for a minute and repeat 2-3 times.

2. Navasana – The Boat Pose:

If you want to strengthen your spine, back muscles, core muscles, and butts, do Boat Pose daily. It increases digestive ability, improves pelvic muscle strength, and improves lower spinal functionality. It is very much useful for men as it stimulates hormones released by prostate glands The posture itself is like a boat so it is called The Boat Pose. 

How to do Boat Pose/Navasana:

1. Lay down with hands and legs are line with the floor.
2. Now inhale and lift your legs with two legs stick to each other and keep it straight.
3. Now you start lifting your upper body with chest and head or in line and make sure that your spine is straight.
4. There is no time limit it is up to you how many seconds you can be in this pose. But try to increase the time limit once you practice well. Repeat for 2-3 times.

3. Anjaneyasana – The Low Lunge Pose:

If you want loose fat in your inner thigh, and butts, and want to increase strength in pelvic muscles, do this pose daily. It increases balance in the body. The lower body strengthens with this pose. This pose is like Lord Anjaneya’s pose in front of Lord SRI RAMA seen in Hindu temples. So it is called Anjaneyasana.

How to do Low Lunge Pose/Anjaneyasana:

1. First, stand on your feet with your legs are little apart.
2. Next, inhale and move your right leg in between your hands, then try to make a right angle with your knees as shown in the figure.
3. Make sure that your spine is straight and your hips should not be too down. The hip should be parallel to the floor.
4. Keep your body in this pose for 30 seconds on each side. Repeat 2-3 times.

4. Sethu Bandha Asana – The Bridge Pose:

It is becoming common that everybody is facing a lot of spine problems due to bad postures. So if you want relief from this pain do this pose daily. It targets core muscles, and lower chest muscles by expanding, and it helps with headaches and anxiety problems. This is like a bridge between head and legs so it is called The Bridge Pose.

How to do Bridge Pose/Sethu Bandha Asana:

1. First lay down on a yoga mat with legs straight on the floor and hands in line with the body. Keep your head in line with the body with your eye looking upwards.
2. Now try to bring your knees towards your hips by bending and try to put your ankles just away from your hips.
3. Then inhale and try to lift your core upwards and make sure that your spinal cord is perfectly straight as shown in the figure.
4. Keep your body in this pose for 60 seconds and repeat  2-3 times.

5. Bhujangasana – The Cobra Pose:

If anyone does a lot of physical work like daily labour, formers, etc. this is a boon for them. It increases strength in the lower spinal cord. It stretches the spinal cord and gives a relaxed feeling. It releases tension in the muscles so that it reduces the risk of further injury. It looks like a cobra lifting its head so it is called cobra pose.

How to do Cobra Pose/Bhujangasana:

1. First lay down reversely on a yoga mat with your head and chest touching the floor.
2. Now your chin should touch the floor.
3. Keep your hands at chest level near to the chest and try to lift your upper body without lifting your lower body. Only your upper body should lift.
4. After that don’t try to straighten your hands fully. The hands should be a little bent.
5. Keep your head straight and see in front. Keep your body in this pose for 60 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.

6. Vrikshasana – The Tree Pose:

It teaches you to balance. It calms down the nervous system and increases your focus on things. It increases strength in the legs, especially the ankles. It is one of the best Surya namaskars written in ancient yoga books. This looks like a long tree so it is called vrikshasana.

How to do Tree Pose/Vrikshasana:

1. First, stand on your two feet. Keep your body straight.
2. Then try to bend your one leg by keeping your ankle at the middle point between your legs.
3. Fold your hands as shown in the figure.
4. Inhale and exhale repeatedly for 60 seconds and do the same with the other leg. Repeat 2-3 times.

6 Best Yoga Poses for Women:

1. Adho Mukhs Svanasana – The Downward Facing Dog Pose:

It is the best yoga pose for women of all age groups. It increases the blood flow to every part of the body. It increases the blood flow to the brain, the palms, and the toes. It strengthens bones and muscles. It is best for weight management. It is like a dog bending downwards so it is called The Downward Facing Dog Pose.

How to do Downward Facing Dog Pose:

1. First, try to stand on your legs.
2. Then bend your lower back and try to touch the floor.
3. The spine should be straight and do the exact pose as shown in the figure.
4. Inhale and exhale repeatedly and keep your body in this pose for 60 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

2. Baddha Konasana – The Butterfly Pose:

It is best suitable for relief from menstrual cramps. Women who are facing period issues should do this regularly. It will strengthen muscles in the groin area and hamstrings. It will reduce stomach discomfort. It increases the chance of normal delivery. Best suitable for gynic-related issues. This looks like a butterfly’s wings so it is called The Butterfly Pose.

How to do The Butterfly Pose/Baddha Konasana:

1. Lay down on the floor with your body straight.
2. Then try to bring your legs towards hips by touching the lower part of the feet.
3. Try to expand your knees outward. The pose should be exactly shown in the figure.
4. You can put your hand the same as in the figure or else you can put your hands over the head.
5. Keep your body in this pose for 60 sec. Repeat 2-3 times.

3. Vajrasana – The Diamond Pose:

If you want to strengthen your core muscles and want to lose fat from your hamstrings and inner thighs do this pose daily. Vjarsana is one of the best-practiced yoga poses for longer periods. It enhances body metabolism and increases focus. It is the best yoga pose for getting a trimmed belly. This is like a diamond so it is called Vajrasana. It is also called The Thunderbolt Pose.

How to do Diamond Pose/Vajrasana:

1. Kneel on your legs as shown in the figure.
2. Make sure your total body weight is on your legs.
3. Now keep your back straight.
4. Inhale and exhale and keep your body in this pose for 60 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

4. Dhanurasana – The Bow Pose:

If you want to lose your body weight and look slim this pose is best. It reduces belly fat which is stubborn for longer periods. It improves digestion and strengthens calves and thigh muscles. Core strength improves with this pose. It improves blood circulation in the body. It is like a bow so it is called The Bow Pose.

How to do Bow Pose/Dhanurasana:

• First lay down reversly with your head and chest touching the floor.
• Now by lifting your upper body to your chest and bending your knees inwards.
• Try to pull your legs with your hands exactly as shown in the figure.
• Now inhale and exhale repeatedly for 60 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

5. Malasana – The Squat Pose:

It is also known as The Garland Pose. It regulates the menstrual cycle. Best used for Gynic- issues. It relieves tension in the neck and thigh region. It strengthens the lower body. It regulates stool if you are facing constipation problems. All the digestive disorders will be relieved by doing this pose daily. It is like stool (malam) passing pose so it is called Malasana.

How to do Squat Pose/Malasana:

1. First, stand on your legs. Then try to widen your legs and should be away from your hips.
2. Now try to sit down by bending knees.
3. Your chest should be tight and your back should be straight.
4. Keep your hands as shown in the figure. Your legs should feel stretched. It should be like you are sitting to pass stool.
5. Keep your body in this pose for 60 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.

6. Shishuasana – The Child Pose:

It deeply relaxes the backbone. It improves digestive ability. It relieves constipation. It is best suitable for nervous system disorders. It increases the flexibility of the body. Best suitable for women to reduce stress. It reduces gas, bloating, and other digestive disorders. It is like a child with a body roll so it is called The Child Pose.

How to do Child Pose/Shishuasana:

1. First, sit down on your knees.
2. Your knees should be stretched backward.
3. Now try to inhale and bend forward by keeping your hands in touch with your legs as shown in the figure.
4. Keep your body in this pose for 60 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

How Does Yoga Help?

Yes, by doing Yoga daily you can see miracles. Your body will be more flexible and you will feel more lighter. My mind will be relaxed. A lot of problems will be solved with these simple yoga poses.

Even though we have categorized the yoga poses for men and women, anyone can practice all the Yoga poses mentioned above. There are hundreds number of yoga poses but for beginners, these asanas will be helpful. Try to practice yoga poses daily in the morning probably facing the sun. Don’t forget to inhale and exhale while doing yoga poses.

The World Yoga is itself a promotional event to increase awareness in society about Yoga. It first started in 2014 when PM Narendra Modi announced June 21 as World Yoga Day. So start your yoga practice this year. Make your life healthier.