Posted on July 20, 2026 at 06:52 AM
If you’re new to yoga or simply want to move more slowly for a change, this at-home beginner’s yoga practice is designed for you. It features basic poses and movements that are perfect for anyone who’s not in a rush. Each day you can take a slightly different approach to your 10-minute morning yoga routine, depending on how you’re feeling, or you can keep coming back to these yoga classes for beginners.
The following sequence takes you through classic forms, including child’s pose, cat and cow pose, high lunge, chair pose, and some seated stretches. The poses are taught in a flow style, meaning you will hold each pose and then link it to the next pose with your movement.
Remember, it’s normal to feel a little stiff in the morning, so you’re definitely not alone! If you like the sequence and want to work on these poses more, you can always go back and repeat them whenever you want. After all, it’s your practice.
10-minute morning yoga poses for beginners
No props are needed for this practice. All you need is yourself and mat. Try not to focus too much on the end result. These yoga poses for beginners will get easier and easier the more you practice them.
I would like to include a short phrase to keep in mind as you practice. Because you are a slightly different person than the last time you trained, it may be helpful to focus on a different affirmation each time you come to the mat. Today’s affirmation is “I am calm and centered.” You can see how you feel when you remind yourself of this affirmation throughout your 10-minute morning yoga routine, and throughout your day.
Child’s position
Come onto your mat, bring your big toes together to touch, and open your knees as wide as you want. Then reach your hips toward your heels and extend your hands in front of you. Lower your chest and head toward the mat and relax your shoulders down and away from your ears. Take 5 deep breaths here. You might remind yourself, “I am calm and centered.”
cat cow
Bring your hands back under your shoulders and lift your hips to bring your knees under your hips. Spread your fingertips wide and push your palms into the mat as you inhale, lowering your belly, arching your back, and raising your gaze into cow pose.
As you exhale, round your back, tuck your chin toward your chest, and pull your navel toward your spine in cat pose.
You will continue this movement, slowly going in and out of each of these yoga poses, moving in sync with your breath. You simply wake up your spine. Take a few more turns here.
Bird dog
From hands and knees, find a neutral back by trying to flatten through the lower part of the spine. Reach your right leg straight back at approximately hip height. Roll your right outer hip down slightly so that the front of your right thigh faces the mat. Stay strong through the heart.
Press down through each of your right fingers and then extend your left arm forward. (If that’s too much balance this morning, keep your left hand on the mat.) As you inhale, lengthen and straighten your right leg and left arm.
As you exhale, rotate and contract as you bring your knee and elbow toward your chest underneath you.
Let’s take 3 more like this. Inhale and find some length. Exhale and press it in. Finally, extend your arm and leg and see if you can create more space between your left fingertips and your right heel. Stay calm and centered here. Then bring your left hand to the mat, followed by your right toes.
Side plank variation
Roll onto the inside edge of your right foot so that your right toes point toward the long side of the mat. To help with balance, you can pivot on your left knee and place your left leg behind you. Reach your right arm straight toward the sky while stacking one shoulder on top of the other. Take slow, steady breaths in and out through your nose. You may turn your head to look at your thumb if that’s comfortable for you.
Then get back on both hands and knees on the mat. You will repeat the Bird Dog and Side Plank Variation on the second side. Remember to squeeze your abdominal muscles to help stabilize your balance. Don’t forget to breathe.
Downward facing dog position
Get back to your hands and knees. You want your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Then tuck your toes down and lift your hips up and back into Downward Facing Dog. Your hamstrings will likely be a little tight in the morning, so you can bend your knees generously. You can stay still or maybe walk around with your feet.
You might shake or nod your head slowly to help free your neck before finding some stillness in Downward Dog.
Three-legged dog
As you inhale, extend your right leg toward the sky. Bend your knee, let your foot hang behind you, and place your hips here. Get a nice big stretch here in your hip. You should feel great.
High rush
As you exhale, roll your shoulders forward over your wrists and try to tap your right knee on your nose, then pause Step or walk with your right foot between your hands.
Push into both feet. As you inhale, slowly lift your chest and reach your arms beside your head in a High Lunge. Relax your shoulders down and away from your ears. See if you can bend a little more in your front knee. Pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing. Remind yourself that I am calm and centered.
Standing pigeon position or standing figure 4
Bring your palms together in front of the heart. Step your back foot forward to the top of the mat and bring your left knee toward your chest. You are welcome to stay here.
To intensify the balance challenge, you can place your left ankle over the top of your right knee in a figure 4 position and begin bending down to your right knee while bringing your hips back. This is the standing pigeon pose or Figure 4.
Chair position
Wherever you are, slowly lower your left foot to the mat with control while bringing your big toes together and keeping your heels apart. Bend your knees and bring your hips back, as if you were sitting in a chair. Reach your arms next to your ears. This is the chair pose and will generate some heat and energize you for the next day. Place most of the weight on your heels.
Standing forward bend
Exhale as you begin to straighten your legs, bend forward, and relax your head.
Lift halfway
Inhale as you raise yourself halfway so that your back is flat and the top of your head extends toward the wall in front of you
Plank position
Exhale as you plant your palms on the mat and return to the plank or the top of the push-up.
You can lower your knees to the mat first if you wish.
Slowly lower all the way to your stomach. Keep your elbows tucked toward the sides of your chest, but not touching.
Snake pose
Keep your feet at least hip distance apart. Press the tops of your feet into the mat and lift your chest a little or a lot in cobra pose. Then lower your chest to the mat.
Downward facing dog
Tuck your toes. Either return to your hands and knees first and then lift your hips or simply lift your hips back into Downward Dog position
Then explore the same sequence of poses on your left side.
Inhale as your left leg rises into three-legged dog.
Exhale as you bring your left knee toward your nose and place your foot between your hands.
Inhale as you push your feet into the floor as you lift into the High Lunge.
Exhale as you bring your right knee toward your chest and stay here or bring your right ankle to your left knee in standing pigeon pose.
Stay here and then exhale as you place your feet on the mat and bend your knees into chair pose.
Exhale as you move toward a standing position.
Inhale when you reach the halfway lift.
Exhale as you place your hands on the mat and return to the plank.
Inhale here.
Exhale as you lower yourself to the mat.
Inhale as you lift into cobra.
Exhale as you return to child’s pose as at the beginning of the class.
Child’s position
As you breathe here, feel the effects of these poses. Even a little yoga can help you stretch and strengthen throughout your entire body.
Remind yourself that I am calm. I’m focused. I am centered.
Sitting cross-legged forward
Insert your hands, lift your chest, and come to a cross-legged position with your right leg in front of your left leg. Find a little length in your spine and then fold forward. You want to feel a stretch in your glutes. Your chest may come closer to the mat or it may stay higher. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and take 3 breaths here.
Slowly raise your chest.
Seated twist
Bring your left hand to your right knee and bring your right hand behind you. Twist your chest slightly to the right. Then come to face forward
Alternate crossing your legs so that your left leg is in front of your right leg. Then repeat the forward bend. It’s completely normal to notice that one side appears tighter than the other. Then lift yourself up straight and twist to your left side, placing your right hand on your left knee and your left hand behind you. Stay here so long that you reach the crown of your head upwards and extend across your spine.
closing
You will skip the traditional savasana at the end of this morning yoga class because I always find it tempting to go back to sleep when lying down again in the morning.
Instead, I encourage you to do a short one-minute meditation. Sit in any way that is comfortable for you. Close your eyes if you choose, bring your hands to your heart one last time, and reconnect with the intention you set for the day. I am calm and focused. Let this carry you through the rest of your day.
Thank you so much for doing these 10 minute yoga poses for beginners He practices with me.
