Fundamentally, yoga is an ancient practice that harmonizes the mind and the body. You probably already know that it can increase your flexibility and strength, but it's more than just physical exercise.

You can see and feel the benefits of yoga after leaving the mat. For those who're new to yoga, it's best to get comfortable doing the basic poses first. There are countless helpful YouTube videos to guide you through each pose to make you feel more confident the next time you take part in a yoga class.

1. Child's Pose

The Ventuno Yoga YouTube channel provides various yoga videos. They have it all, whether you want to practice yoga for a full-body workout or get rid of stress and anxiety.

The channel has an entire playlist dedicated to learning different yoga poses. This playlist is where you should start if you want to get through your first yoga class successfully.

In this video, Shakti Shilpa teaches you one of the most basic yoga poses around; Balasana, or Child's Pose. It is an effortless pose, yet, it is one of the most important, as it's the pose you do when you need to catch your breath.

2. Mountain Pose

Mountain Pose or Tadasana may look easy, but it only appears that way. Essentially, it's the yoga pose that many others are constructed from. To do this pose, you need to work from your heels all the way up to the top of your head.

In this helpful video, Aparajita Jamwal from the Mind Body Soul YouTube channel takes you through how to do Mountain Pose. Although it's a short and sweet video, Aparajita explains everything to a T. You can also learn the rest of the basic yoga poses on the Mind Body Soul YouTube channel.

3. Downward-Facing Dog

One of the most famous yoga poses is Downward-Facing Dog. Also recognized as Adho Mukha Svanasana, this yoga pose is a fantastic way to stretch your body. But, just because it's a yoga pose that you often hear about doesn't mean it's a piece of cake.

Fortunately, Dylan Werner is here to help you learn how to do Downward-Facing Dog perfectly. The video demonstration walks you through the correct alignment and techniques so that you don't make the mistake of collapsing your shoulders or rounding your spine.

To move to the next level and take on more challenging yoga poses, visit the Alo Moves YouTube channel. Here, you'll find plenty of great yoga pose tutorials, like how to do Dancer Pose and Scorpion Pose.

4. Upward-Facing Dog

Known as Urdhva Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit, Upward-Facing Dog is certainly a pose you'll want to know before taking part in your first yoga class. It can be awkward at first if you don't know what you're doing, so you need to watch this instructional video.

Instructor Natalie breaks down all the elements, making it easy to understand why and how to do the pose. She also explains what is happening in each area of your body.

Should you feel inspired to learn more demanding yoga poses or improve your technique, feel free to check out the Ashtanga Yoga Girl YouTube channel.

5. Cat/Cow Pose

In this video tutorial, yoga instructor, Dean, walks you through how to accurately do the Cat/Cow Pose. This one, in particular, is great for people who suffer from back pain, and it can fix poor posture from sitting in an office chair all day.

Dean's tutorial is pretty straightforward; arch your back when you inhale and round your back when you exhale. Moving back and forth engages and warms your muscles; this makes it an appropriate stretch to do before or after a workout.

Do you want to learn how to do every yoga pose flawlessly? Head over to the Man Flow Yoga YouTube channel, where there's a full-on yoga pose guide. It is the perfect channel if you're a yoga newbie and would like to improve your flexibility and learn the basics.

6. Warrior I

The Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel is one of the most popular and well-known in the yoga community. Adriene has been teaching various yoga classes online for over nine years now.

Whether you're keen to do an entire 60-minute session or do some self-love yoga, you're bound to find something ideally suited for you on her channel.

This foundation video teaches you how to do the Warrior I Pose, also known as Virabhadrasana—the first pose in the Warrior sequence. It is one of the basic yoga poses for beginners to learn and practice, but it does require some focus and balance.

7. Warrior II

The Warrior II Pose is very similar to the Warrior I Pose, but there are a few changes that you need to know about to do it correctly.

The instructor for this video tutorial, Annie Adamson, thoroughly breaks down the pose. If you're performing the pose right, you'll feel a stretch in your legs like with Warrior I, but you'll also feel your hip flexor muscles open up. Additionally, Annie points out common mistakes to avoid when doing the Warrior II Pose.

Learning these basic yoga poses might've fired up a love you never knew you had for yoga! The YouTube channel, Yoga International, is one of the best places to start if you want to learn more about yoga.

8. Corpse Pose

The Corpse Pose is one that you should always do at the end of a yoga class. But why is it so important to do this pose, which is just lying around? Corpse Pose, which is Savasana in Sanskrit, targets the entire body. It allows you to go into a state of meditation to calm your mind, restore your body and feel at peace.

This quick tutorial from the YouTube channel, Yoga Screen, takes you step-by-step through this resting pose. Remember, you need to try and relax but still be conscious if you want to reap the benefits.

Yoga Screen has several other easy-to-understand yoga pose tutorials if you want to learn other basics like Tree Pose, Plank Pose, and Pigeon Pose.

These YouTube Videos Teach You the Building Blocks of Yoga

As you can see, there are countless yoga poses that you can learn from these YouTube channels. However, it's best to keep things simple, especially when you're just getting started.

To better understand the fundamental yoga poses before enrolling in a class, study and practice these eight yoga poses. It's no fun looking like a wobbly mess when certain poses come up that you have no idea what they are.