From “20-Minute Yoga For Beginners | Start Yoga Here...” by Yoga With Adriene Yoga With Adriene
A 20-minute beginner yoga flow with Adriene
Come with an open mind and a little blanket.
Key points
- The practice runs about 20 minutes and is built for beginners, starting standing in Mountain Pose with awareness of the feet. 0:06
- The session follows a repeatable arc: standing poses, a lunge and Cat-Cow flow, Downward Dog, Child's Pose with Cobra and Plank, then Seated Forward Fold and a closing breath. 6:04
- Breath is the thread through the practice: the Cat-Cow flow is timed to the breath, and the video repeatedly warns against holding the breath in Downward Facing Dog. 9:11
- Beginners are told to move slowly, pad the back knee with a blanket or doubled mat in the lunge, and choose the arm variation that suits their stage. 6:36
- Some poses are deliberately partial: Baby Cobra lifts only part way, and Plank appears only once, so beginners are not pushed into full ranges of motion. 16:40
Terms the lesson explains
- Volcano Pose — Volcano Pose is a standing pose where the fingertips reach up and out toward the sky to send energy up and out through the hands while the feet stay grounded. 6:08
- Extension — Extension in the posture means lengthening the back leg rather than locking the knee straight. 8:35
- Cow Pose — Cow Pose is the movement where the belly drops, the chest opens and the gaze lifts forward, done on the inhale in the Cat-Cow flow. 9:19
- Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana) — Seated Forward Fold, called Paschimottanasana in Sanskrit, is the posture being held here. 19:10
- Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana) — Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana) is the seated posture the practice moves into to finish, with the head relaxed over the legs. 19:10
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana) — Standing posture with feet grounded and body tall, the base for the standing sequence. 1:14
What you need
- Yoga mat — A mat to stand and lie on, as used throughout the practice.
- Blanket — A small blanket to fold for hips, knees or a pillow for the head.
Steps
- 1. Set up Mountain Pose: Step feet hip-width apart, hands on hip points, and spread weight across the four corners of the feet. 0:45
- 2. Step into low lunge: Step the right foot back, lower the knee, set the front knee over the ankle, then lift the torso. 6:38
- 3. Lift into Downward Dog: From hands and knees, curl the toes, lift the hips with knees slightly bent and breathe. 10:02
- 4. Reach into seated forward fold: From a seated position, reach the fingertips toward the feet, letting the head relax. 18:26