Classic Yoga Poses in Photos

The poses most yoga classes are built on, one clear full-body photo each, with the English and Sanskrit names you will hear called out in class. The order follows a typical session: standing poses and balances first, then floor work and backbends, inversions, seated poses and rest at the end. Each caption says what the pose works and gives one way to ease into it, because alignment matters more than depth. A pose that looks a little less extreme but keeps the spine long and the joints stacked is usually the better version to copy. Acro yoga, partner work and the most advanced arm balances are left out, so everything here is a pose a regular class teaches.