Disclaimer: Although I am a Certified Personal Trainer equipped to teach yoga, I am not an expert in the art of yoga nor do I know the intricate workings of the different types of yoga. I am a counselor and trainer who uses yoga to help myself and my clients to cope with all four pillars of wellness.
This article with includes a comprehensive list of most of the common yoga poses including their name in Sanskrit, the benefits that come from the specific pose, and the contraindications or the reasons you may need to avoid the pose. There is no explanation of exactly how to get into the pose, but there is a picture. This information is for reference only and should not be used as a replacement for formal yoga instruction or personal training. If you have medical conditions, please talk to your doctor before taking up new physical activities!
The yoga poses discussed will be listed by category including:
Standing
Seated
Supine and Prone
Inverted
Twists and Backbends
Balance & Strength
Hip Openers
These categories are not exclusive, there are many poses that are listed in one category, but would also fit in multiple other categories.
Standing Postures
Mountain Pose – Tadasana
Tree Pose – Vrksasana
Upward Salute – urdhva hastasana
o Good for – fatigue, asthma, indigestion
o NOT for – shoulder/neck injury
Extended hand-to-big-toe – Utthita Hasta Padangustasana
o Good for – balance
o NOT for – ankle/back injuries
Triangle –Trikonasana
o Good for – organs, digestion, backache, pregnancy, neck pain, sciatica, anxiety
o NOT for – diarrhea, headache, HBP, LBP, neck probs, heart conditions
o Extended -Utthita Trikonasana
o Revolved - Parivrtta Trikonasana
o Reverse – Viparita Trikosana
Extended Side Angle – utthita parvasakona
o Good for – constipation, low backache, sciatica, osteoporosis, menstruation
o NOT for – headache, BP, insomnia
o Revolved - Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
Gate Pose – Parighasana
o Good for – open shoulders
o NOT for – knee injuries
Half Moon – Utthita Tirkonasana
o Good for – anxiety, backache, osteoporosis, sciatica, fatigue, constipation, gas, indigestion
o NOT for – headache, LBP, diarrhea, insomnia, neck injuries
Garland Pose – Malasana
o NOT for – low back injuries
Warrior Pose – Virabhadrasana 1
o Good for – strength, stretching
o NOT for – HBP, heart problems, shoulder problems, neck issues
Warrior II – Virabhadrasana II
o Good for – strength, stamina, backache, carpal tunnel, flat feet, sciatica
o NOT for – diarrhea, HBP, neck issues
Warrior III - Virabhadrasana III
High Lunge – Ashta Chandrasana
o Good for – sciatica, constipation
o NOT for – knee/neck injuries
Low Lunge – Anjaneyasana
o Good for – sciatica
o NOT for – heart problems
Intense Side Stretch – Parsvottanasana
o Good for – flat feet
o NOT for – back injury, HBP
Forward Bend – Uttanasana
o Good for – racing thoughts, stress, depression, liver/kidneys, digestion, fatigue, anxiety, headaches, sinusitis, HBP, asthma
Chair Pose – utkatasana
o Good for – flat feet
o NOT for – headache, insomnia, LBP
Eagle Pose – Garudasana
o Good for – asthma, low backache
o NOT for – knee injuries
Dancers pose - Natarajasana
o Good for – balance, strength, grace
Standing Split - Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana
o Good for – brain, liver/kidneys
o NOT for – back/ankle/knee injuries
Seated Poses
Stick/Staff – Dandasana
o Good for – posture
o NOT for – back problems
Easy Pose – Sukhasana
o Good for – racing thoughts, stretching
o NOT for – knee problems
Lotus – Padmasana
o Good for – brain, pelvis, spine, menstruation, sciatica
o NOT for – ankle/knee injuries
Boat Pose - Navasana
o Good for – stress, digestion, hormones
o NOT for – asthma, diarrhea, headache, LBP, heart probs, insomnia, menstruation, pregnancy, neck injury
Head to Knee Pose – Janu Sirasana
o Good for – brain, depression, digestion, menopause, anxiety, headache, menstruation, HBP, insomnia, sinusitis
o NOT for – asthma, diarrhea, knee injury
Revolved Head-to-Knee – Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
o Good for – back pain, anxiety, fatigue, headache, insomnia
o NOT for - diarrhea
Seated Forward Bend – Paschimottansana
o Good for – brain, liver, kidneys, uterus, digestion, menopause, menstruation, headaches, anxiety, fatigue, HBP, insomnia, sinusitis, obesity
o NOT for – knee injury, low back pain, asthma, diarrhea
Wide-Angle Forward bend – Upavistha Konasana
o Good for – spine, brain, groin
o NOT for – low back injury
Bharadvaja’s Twist – Bharadvajasana I
o Good for – back/neck pain, stress, digestion, pregnancy, carpal tunnel
o NOT for – diarrhea, headache, HBP, insomnia, LBP, menstruation
Bound Angle Pose - Baddha Konasana
o Good for – circulation, depression, anxiety, menopause, fatigue
o NOT for – groin injury
Cow Face – Gomukhasana
o Good for stretching
o NOT for – neck/shoulder injuries
Half Lord of Fishes – Ardha Matsyendrasana
o Good for – posture, body awareness, digestion, constipation, core strength, gas, bloating
o NOT for – injuries, arthritis, herniations, SI pain
Heron pose – Krounchasana
o Good for – gas, flat feet
o NOT for – knee/ankle issues, PMS
Marichi’s Pose – Marichyasana III
o Good for – constipation, digestion, asthma, fatigue, low back pain, sciatica, menstruation
o NOT for – BP, Migraines, Diarrhea, Headache, Insomnia
o Intermediate Marichi – Marichyasana II
o Advanced Marichi – Marichyasana I
Monkey – Hanumanasana
o Good for – sciatica
o NOT for – groin/hamstring injury
Half Monkey Pose
Supine and Prone Postures
Hero Pose – Virasana
o Good for – digestion, gas, menopause, swelling, HBP, asthma
o NOT for – heart problems, headache, knee or ankle injury
Hero Reclining
Cobra – Bhujanga
o Good for – asthma, stress, sciatica
o NOT for – headaches, back injury, carpal tunnel, pregnancy
Locust - Salabhasana
o Good for – fatigue, gas, constipation, indigestion, low back pain, stress
o NOT for – headaches, back/neck injury
Bow – Dhanurasana
o Good for – posture, stretching
o NOT for – insomnia, back/neck injury, BP issues
Fish Pose - Matsyasana
o Good for – constipation, respiratory ailments, back ache, fatigue, menstruation, anxiety
o NOT for – BP issues, migraine, insomnia, severe low back/neck injuries
Inverted Poses
Downward Dog – adho mukha svanasana
o Good for – brain, stress, depression, energy, menopause, menstruation, osteoporosis prevention, digestion, sinusitis, insomnia, back pain, asthma, sciatica
o NOT for – HBP, pregnancy (late), carpal tunnel, diarrhea
Dolphin Pose – Catur Svanasana
o Good for – brain, stress, depression, menopause, menstruation, osteoporosis prevention, digestion, insomnia, back pain, fatigue, HBP, asthma, flat feet, sciatica
o NOT for – shoulder/neck injuries
Feathered Peacock – pincha mayurasana
o Good for – balance, brain, stress
o NOT for – injuries, headache, HBP, menstruation, heart condition
Handstand – Adho Mukha Vrksasana
o Good for – balance, brain, stress
o NOT for – heart conditions, headache, HBP, menstruation, injuries
Peacock – Mayurasana
o Good for strength
o NOT for elbow/wrist injuries
Headstand – Sirsasana
o Good for – energy, thought
o NOT for – back injury, headache, BP, menstruation, neck injury, pregnancy
Shoulder stand – Salamba Sarvangasana
o Good for – calm, stress, thyroid, digestion, menopause, fatigue, insomnia, asthma, sinusitis
o NOT for – diarrhea, headache, HBP, menstruation, neck injury
The Plough – Halasana
o Good for – calm, menopause, stress, fatigue, backache, headache, insomnia
o NOT for – diarrhea, menstruation, neck injury, asthma, HBP, pregnancy
Bridge – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
o Good for – calm, stress, depression, digestion, menopause, menstruation, anxiety, fatigue, back/headaches, insomnia, asthma, HBP, sinusitis
o NOT for – neck injuries
Legs Up Wall Pose – Viparita Karani
o Good for – anxiety, arthritis, digestion, headache, BP, insomnia, migraine, depression, respiratory issues, urinary disorder, varicose veins, menstruation
Twists and Backbends
Camel – Ustrasana
o Good for – posture, stretch
o NOT for – migraine, insomnia, injury, BP
Cat Pose – Marjaryasana
o Good for – stretch/breathe
o NOT for – injuries
Cow Pose – Bitilasana
o Good for – back stretch
o NOT for – neck injury
Noose – Pasasana
o Good for – asthma, digestion, gas, menstruation, sciatica
o NOT for – knee problems, herniation
Half Frog Pose – Ardha Bhekasana
o Good for – posture, strength
o NOT for – BP, migraine, insomnia, injury
Frog Pose - Bhekasana
King Pigeon pose – Kapotasana
o Good for – posture, stretch
o NOT for – BP, migraine, insomnia, injury
One Leg King Pigeon – Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
o Good for – chest open
o NOT for – sacroiliac, knee, hip, or ankle injuries
Sphinx Pose – Bhujangasana
o Good for – stress
o NOT for – headache, back injury
Upward Bow – Urdhva Dhanurasana
o Good for – asthma, back pain, infertility, depression, energy, hormones
o NOT for – injury, diarrhea, headache, BP
Upward Two-Foot staff – Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
o NOT for injuries
Upward Dog – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
o Good for – posture, depression, fatigue, sciatica, asthma
o NOT for – injury, headache, pregnancy
Wild Thing – Camatkarasana
o Good for – fatigue, depression, open chest and hips
o NOT for – injuries (shoulder/wrist)
Balance and Strength
Dolphin Plank – Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana
o Good for – calm, osteoporosis
o NOT for – injuries (neck/shoulder)
Eight-Angle Pose – Astavakrasana
o GOOD for – strength
o NOT for – shoulder/elbow/wrist injury
Firefly Pose – Tittibhasana
o Good for – balance/strength
o NOT for – shoulder/elbow/wrist injury
Four-Limbed Staff – Chaturanga Dandasana
o Good for – strength
o NOT for – carpal tunnel, pregnancy
Dedicated to Sage Koundinya – Eka Pada Koundinyanasana I
o Good for – strength, core
o NOT for – wrist/arm injury
o Dedicated to Sage Koundinya II
Scale Pose – Tolasana
o Good for – strength
o NOT for – injuries, tight hips/thighs
Shoulder-pressing pose – Bhujapidasana
o Good for – strength, core. Balance
o NOT for – injuries
Side Crane (Crow) – Parsva Bakasana
o Good for – strength, core, balance
o NOT for – injuries
Side Plank – Vasisthasana
o Good for – strength, balance
o NOT for – injuries
Upward Plank – Purvottanasana
o Good for – strength
o NOT for – injuries
Wide-Leg Forward Bend – Parasarita Padottanasana
o Good for – Headache, fatigue, depression, core, calm, back
o NOT for – low back problems
Hip Openers
Bound Angle Pose – Baddha Konasana
o Good for – kidneys, ovaries, bladder, kidneys, prostate, circulation, depression, fatigue, anxiety, sciatica, menopause, HBP, asthma, flat feet, pregnancy
o NOT for – groin or knee injury
o Reclining Bound Angle – Supta Baddha Konasana
Child’s Pose – balasana
o Good for – calm, stress, fatigue, back/neck pain, stretch
o NOT for – diarrhea, knee injury
Cow Face Pose – Gomukhasana
o Good for - Stretch
o NOT for – neck/shoulder probs
Fire Log Pose – Agnistambhasana
o Good for – stretch
o NOT for – low back/knee injury
Thanks for reading! I hope this helps with understanding the poses involved in yoga and what benefits they include along with which ones you should avoid based on your body. Questions and comments are always welcome!
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