Yoga is a great activity to decrease stress and increase your flexibility and general health. But if you're new to the activity of yoga, you may be wondering first, how to do many of the different yoga positions and then about the benefits of different yoga positions. So keep reading and learn about different yoga positions and their benefits.

Each type of yoga position that you do focuses on a particular body part, or muscle group. The following is a list of the types of poses in yoga, as well as a description of their benefits.

• Standing poses: these poses help align your feet and body, strengthening your legs while increasing flexibility in your legs and hips. They also add to the mobility of your neck and shoulders while increasing the flexibility of your pelvis and lower back. One of the most basic standing poses is Mountain Pose, where you stand with your feet together, back straight, and neck relaxed.
  
• Seated poses: these poses increase flexibility and strength in your hips and lower back, spine, knees and groin. A common seated pose is the Bound angle, where you sit with your back straight, and feet touching in a "butterfly" position. Try to gently lean forward towards your feet, keeping your back straight. This pose opens your hips and chest, lengthens your spine and stimulates reproductive, nervous and respiratory systems.
  
• Supine poses: these poses are done on your back and help stretch your abdominal muscles, while opening your hips, and increasing your spinal mobility. They also release tension and strengthen your back, arms and legs. An example of this type of pose is the Plow, where you lie on the floor with your arms along side your body, then bend your knees and kick and rock your legs up and back over your head, brining your knees to your forehead and putting your hands under your hips. The Plow improves blood circulation, stimulates the thyroid and releases stress and tension in the shoulders and back.
  

• Forward bends: this type of yoga position helps stretch your lower back and hamstrings, while  releasing tension in your back, neck, shoulders, and increase the flexibility in your spine. To do this position, simply stand with your feet together and back straight.  Then slowly bend at the waist, keeping your legs straight. 
  
• Balance poses: this type of pose can be challenging, but help develop muscle tone, coordination, strength and agility.  They are also excellent for elongating the spine.  A common balance pose is Warrior pose, where you begin in mountain pose, and then switch all your weight to one foot, and then lift the other leg up and out, hinging at the hips to lower the arms and torso down towards the floor. 
  
• Twists:  these poses release tension in your spine and increase shoulder and hip mobility, while also relieving backaches.  A common twist pose is a Half Seated Twist, where you begin by sitting on the floor with your back straight and your legs stretched out in front of you.  Then cross your left leg over the right, placing your left foot flat on the floor.  Wrap the right hand around the left knee and pull the knee towards your chest. 
  
• Prone poses:  these poses are done facing the floor and strengthen your arms, and  back while opening your hips and groin.  The Bow is a common pose where you lie on your belly with your body stretched straightly aligned.  Then bend both knees and reach your hands back to hold onto your feet or ankles.  Then kick your legs into your arms to lift your legs.  Keep your knees together.  The Bow strengthens the core of the body and opens the chest, while stimulating the nervous, endocrine, respiratory, circulatory, and reproductive systems.