Free printable
Beginner yoga poses chart (printable PDF)
This beginner yoga poses chart puts 24 foundation poses on one page, drawn as simple line figures with the English name, the Sanskrit name and a one-line cue for each. Print the A4 version at home or the A3 poster for a wall, then open any pose online for the full steps and easier versions.
The chart: 24 poses
Every pose as it appears on the printable, with its one-line cue and the main alignment point. Tap a name for the full steps.
Standing
- Mountain PoseTadasana
Feet grounded, spine stacked, chin level.
Stack the pelvis over the ankles and the shoulders over the ribs, knees straight but not pushed back.
- Standing Forward BendUttanasana
Knees bent, head heavy, rise slowly.
Bend the knees generously, rest the hands on the shins or blocks, and let the head hang.
- Warrior IVirabhadrasana I
Hips face forward, front knee over ankle, arms up.
Bend the front knee over the ankle, face the hips forward as much as you can, and shorten the stance if the back foot rolls.
- Warrior IIVirabhadrasana II
Heel to arch, knee over ankle, arms light.
Bend the front knee over the ankle, open the hips to the long edge and keep the arms light at shoulder height.
- Triangle PoseTrikonasana
Long side waist, hand on a block, legs firm.
Reach out over the front leg, then hinge and rest the hand on the shin or a block, keeping both sides of the waist long.
- Tree PoseVrksasana
Foot above or below the knee, gaze still.
Press the foot and leg into each other and keep the standing hip in line with the soft standing knee.
Hands and knees
- Table Top PoseBharmanasana
Wrists under shoulders, flat back.
Lengthen the spine so the back is flat, the neck long and the gaze just ahead of the hands.
- CatMarjaryasana
Inhale to arch, exhale to round.
Move the whole spine from the tailbone to the head, and press the floor away so the shoulders do not sag.
- CowBitilasana
Inhale to arch, exhale to round.
Move the whole spine from the tailbone to the head, and press the floor away so the shoulders do not sag.
- Child's PoseBalasana
Hips back, forehead down, breathe into the back.
Walk the hands forward and rest the forehead on the mat or a block, knees as wide as feels comfortable.
- Low LungeAnjaneyasana
Knee padded, front knee over ankle, hips forward.
Keep the front knee over the ankle and lift the chest so the shoulders sit over the hips.
- Downward-Facing DogAdho Mukha Svanasana
Hips up and back, knees soft, hands pressing.
Keep the knees bent at first so the spine can lengthen from the hands to the sitting bones, pressing evenly through the whole hand.
Seated
- Staff PoseDandasana
Sit tall, feet flexed, shoulders over hips.
Press the hands down beside the hips, flex the feet and stack the shoulders over the hips.
- Easy PoseSukhasana
Knees below hips, spine tall, shoulders soft.
Let the knees sit level with or lower than the hips, and grow tall from the base of the spine with the chin level.
- Butterfly PoseBaddha Konasana
Soles together, knees heavy, spine long.
Hold the ankles rather than the toes, lengthen the spine and let the knees fall with their own weight.
- Seated Forward BendPaschimottanasana
Fold from the hips, knees soft, chest leads.
Fold from the hips leading with the chest, knees softly bent, holding the shins or a strap.
- Head to Knee PoseJanu Sirsasana
Fold from the hips, straight-leg knee soft.
Turn the chest over the straight leg and fold from the hips with the knee soft, never pulling the head down.
- Thunderbolt PoseVajrasana
Sit back, spine tall, add height if needed.
Stack the shoulders over the hips and keep the feet pointing straight back.
On the belly and back
- Cobra PoseBhujangasana
Elbows in, chest forward, neck long.
Lift the chest with the back muscles first, elbows bent and shoulders drawing down and back.
- Sphinx PoseSalamba Bhujangasana
Elbows under shoulders, belly soft, neck long.
Press the forearms lightly to lift the chest and let the shoulders slide away from the ears.
- Bridge PoseSetu Bandha Sarvangasana
Press the feet, lift the hips, knees forward.
Press through the feet to lift the hips, knees pointing straight ahead and the head still.
- Happy Baby PoseAnanda Balasana
Ankles over knees, pelvis heavy.
Hold the outer feet, ankles or shins and stack each ankle over its knee so the soles face up.
- Legs Up the WallViparita Karani
Legs resting, hips back from the wall, breathe slowly.
Move the hips away from the wall until the backs of the legs soften.
- Corpse PoseSavasana
Let everything rest.
Rest the arms away from the sides with the palms up, with a blanket under the head if the chin lifts.
What is on the beginner chart?
Twenty-four poses in four rows: standing, hands and knees, seated, and lying on the belly or the back. These are the shapes that come up in almost every beginner or all-levels class, so learning them first means you can follow most teachers from your first week. None of them needs a prop, although a block, a strap or a folded blanket makes several of them friendlier.
Arm balances, headstands and deep backbends are left off on purpose. They are worth learning later, ideally with a teacher watching, and the full 40-pose yoga poses chart includes the next steps once these feel familiar.
How do you use a pose chart at home?
- Take one row a day. Move through its six poses slowly, holding each for three to five breaths, and read the cue under each figure before you start.
- Use it to learn the names. After a class, find the poses you did and say the English and Sanskrit names out loud. Then test yourself with the pose quiz.
- Build a short practice. Pick one pose from each row, for example Mountain, Cat and Cow, Butterfly and Bridge, and finish lying down in Corpse Pose.
- Open the pose online when you want more. Every pose on the chart has its own page with step-by-step instructions, common mistakes and easier versions.
How is this different from the 40-pose chart?
The full chart of 40 poses on the poses section is the wider reference: 40 poses from standing to inversions, grouped by family. This one is the beginner subset, drawn as line figures and with one practical cue for each pose, so it works as a practice sheet rather than a list of names. Print both if you like: this one for the mat, the bigger one for when you are ready to look ahead.
If you want the poses in a set order instead, the Sun Salutation cards give you two short sequences, and the month-long challenge gives you a printable calendar of short sessions.
Why line figures instead of photos?
Each figure is drawn from a set of joint angles, so the shape is clear without the distractions of clothing, lighting or a particular body. They print sharply at any size because the PDF stores them as vector lines, not pixels. The figures show a common version of each pose; your own version may be shorter, higher or supported, and that is fine.
How do you print it?
- A4: print at actual size (100%), portrait. If your printer trims the edges, choose "fit to printable area"; nothing important sits near the margin.
- A3: most print and copy shops print A3 from a phone or a USB stick. The file is vector, so it also stays sharp if you ask for A2.
- Colour or black and white both work. The chart uses dark ink on a light sand tone, which prints as light grey on a mono printer.
- For a wall, 160 gsm paper or light card curls less than office paper.
Looking for something else to print? The resource library also has standing, seated and balance pose charts, class checklists and the 30-day challenge calendar.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
Questions
Can I print the beginner yoga pose chart in black and white?
Yes. The figures and text are dark ink on a pale background, so a black and white printer gives a clean grey version. Choose actual size (100%) so the cues stay readable.
Can yoga teachers hand out copies of the beginner chart?
Yes. The chart is free to print and share in classes, studios and schools, as long as the yogaphilippines.com line at the bottom stays on it. Please do not sell it.
Which poses on the beginner chart need extra care?
Downward-Facing Dog puts weight on the wrists and takes the head below the heart, and Bridge and Cobra are gentle backbends. Bend the knees, keep the lift small and skip anything that hurts. Each pose page lists easier versions.
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