When you first start a brand-new yoga practice, learning the endless asanas can seem like an impossible challenge. You wonder how seasoned yogis ever learned to tell them apart as they flow effortlessly through a class. It takes time to memorize and adjust to each of the postures, but your entire yoga practice will develop with time. It’s a continual process of learning how to move your body deeper into the practice and enjoy the postures.

However, that sentiment doesn’t help much as you’re floundering your way through the very first yoga class. All beginners have to start somewhere, so we put together this list of the top yoga poses you should learn first.

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog is the most iconic yoga posture that all beginners tend to snicker at. You invert your body to form a triangle with the floor, hands, and feet supporting the rest of the body. Your hindquarters should be raised high in the air with a beautifully elongated spine. This pose is essential to most warmups because of its presence in a Sun Salutation. However, it can also help you to build upper body strength, core strength, and spinal health.

Warrior II

Warrior II is another asana that you might already be familiar with from yoga class. In this pose, you stand with legs wide apart, toes facing the front edge of your mat. Bend the front leg and open up sideways with arms raised to shoulder-height. Your gaze should be over your fingertips. While it may not feel difficult at first, holding the Warrior II pose is a great way to open up the hips and build strength in the legs. Not only that, but it is a great pose for cultivating focus and steadying the breath.

Plank Pose

Plank pose is integral to the vinyasas that help yogis transition from one pose to another. You will move into a position similar to a pushup with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Pull in the lower abdomen and keep all of your muscles engaged to help you build more core strength. Eventually, you will learn to lower down into chaturanga (low plank) with the elbows pressed into the sides of the body. However, beginners should focus on getting the form of the Plank Pose correct first.

Child’s Pose

Every beginner should have a resting pose in their repertoire. This gives them a safe option if the practice becomes too much for them at any given point. Move to all fours and then bring the big toes together, opening the knees wide. Sit back on the heels and fold forward, extending the arms as far forward as they will go. Rest the forehead on the mat if you can. This is a great pose to center yourself, catch your breath, or cool down from an intense posture.

These four poses are absolutely essential for every yogi to learn before they head to their first yoga class. Familiarize yourself with the concepts and the basic shape of these movements before you move on to the more complicated asanas.