We all know how to stand, sit and lie down, and even the Yogic adaptations of these poses will pose no real problem for the layperson. The advanced poses – well, they’re another matter entirely, and it can take years to attain the control and physique necessary to carry these out.

If you want to try out some Yogic poses, but scorn the simple early ones, then there is a range of intermediate poses that can fit your needs. They can help with your physical fitness and muscular command, and can help you become a more relaxed person. Here are three such poses – their Sanskrit names, their English names, how to do them and what they’ll do for you.

Firstly we have Utkatasana – known as the “Awkward Chair”. It may not sound terribly relaxing, but it will benefit you to perform it. Firstly, you must bend your knees until your thighs are almost parallel with the floor. As though, in fact, you were sitting in an awkward chair. Keeping your buttocks low, you then raise your arms towards the ceiling, bend your upper back slowly to raise your head, and then hold your breath for the duration of what would be about eight breaths. This exercise strengthens the thigh muscles.

Natarajasana, or the King Dancer pose, entails moving from a standing position to shift your weight onto your right leg. Bending your left knee, you must grasp the inside of your left foot with your left hand. Pushing your torso forward, you then raise your right arm and left foot towards the ceiling. Hold that for 5-10 breaths, repeat on your left leg and feel the benefits in your legs and shoulders.

Finally, and famously, we have Padmasana or the Lotus position. Recognized even by Yoga novices. From a basic seated position, you bend your right knee, bringing the right ankle into the left hip crease. Bending the left knee, you then repeat the move with your left leg, placing it on top of the right. Then you reverse the process and repeat until you feel you’ve done enough. This exercise will aid posture by opening your hips.

Anything that is dubbed as having health benefits will, inevitably, become a celebrity fad at some stage. Maybe a particular diet, perhaps a specific drink, but you can guarantee that if it’s got an otherworldly quality to it, celebs will be all over it.

In her 2003 hit single, American Life, Madonna proclaimed “I do Yoga and Pilates/And the room is full of hotties”. Now, this may be just a lyric, but Madonna, always a keen adopter of celebrity fads, has been known to get down to a bit of Yoga. And Pilates. It only makes sense that as she crosses over into her 50s, she does all she can to stay in trim with a young family and a newly single lifestyle to keep her occupied.

Another keen practitioner of Yoga is Gwyneth Paltrow – well known for living on a macrobiotic diet with her musician husband Chris Martin, it’s hard to believe that Gwyneth is in her late 30s. She always looks fresh and young, and this has got a lot to do with the healthy way she lives and the way she exercises.

Famously attuned to the world beyond Hollywood and London, Sting is known for his work to protect the Brazilian rainforest and his interest in world music. He, too, is a devotee of the Yogic lifestyle, and looks better on it than many men half his age. A practitioner of the Ashtanga form of Yoga also favored by Madonna. Not only this, but the Yogic concept of Tantra has famously been a boost to Sting’s sex life.

It’s a relaxation thing, so you won’t be digging out your best suit for a spot of Yoga. Loose-fitting clothing is a must for this pursuit, which involves free movement of your body and easy breathing. There is a range of clothing for just this purpose, and a wide choice of places to buy it.

For men, the best way of clothing your bottom half in advance of a Yoga session will be a pair of loose trousers. Not too loose, you don’t want them to fall down when you’re attempting a hand stand, but if you’re looking for the right trousers, a pair that are baggy in the groin is simply essential, given that there will be no little movement in that area. A bit of leg space will also be desirable, just to give you that space.

For ladies it actually goes the other way. A pair of tight leggings would be beneficial for getting yourself twisted into some of the more challenging shapes. Anything loose will begin to travel south, and no matter how relaxing Yoga may be, you’ll feel pretty darn uptight if you end up flashing everyone in the middle of the lotus position.

On the top half, men should go for a t-shirt which is not too baggy nor too tight. Too tight will cause difficulty and restricted breathing, too loose and it will get in the way. For ladies, a camisole top is your best bet. Giving enough support to avoid back pain while not making you feel like you’ve been cut in two, it really gives the best of all worlds.

Oh, and no shoes. That’s just a given.

Although Yoga is designed for relaxation, there are a number of very complex poses and steps that can be adopted if you are prepared to put the requisite time and effort in. Once you reach the highest level you will have attained a state of deep relaxation that is widely sought after the world over. Far from the basic steps which go no further than sitting and standing correctly, there are a range of handstands  and other moves which rely on assiduous use of the arms.

At the highest level, Yoga is far from simple poses, being in fact combined with breathing exercises and meditation that some Yogis believe can lead to attaining Moksha – literally a “release” and an escape from the banal limitations and pain of human existence. As one would expect from a practice dating back almost three thousand years, there is a very wide range of exercises backed by meditative mindsets that allow the Yogi to seek Moksha.

The physical aspect of these yogic practices requires the practitioner to be at a high level of physical fitness – this in itself necessitating a level of discipline that is rare and awesome. For many casual and even more serious practitioners this higher level of discipline and spiritual attainment is simply a long term target which may never be achieved, but aiming for which allows a Yogi to put him or herself through a lifestyle which has clear positive benefits.

Yoga can become quite complex, with the most experienced Yogis practising poses that the layman would look at in awe and fear. But for a beginner there are plenty of simple poses you can start with if the more esoteric efforts give you pause for thought.

These poses go only a little bit further than simple sitting, standing and lying down. The idea behind them is a simple path to relaxation, to shake off the everyday stresses one is feeling, and to give people a start towards performing the more complex poses and attaining a heightened state of relaxation.

If you have looked at people doing Yoga and have been put off by the complexity of their poses and the amount of time you deem would be necessary to reach that level, then there is a simple entry point to yoga for beginners. Very simple, in fact – you begin by standing. Yes, standing. This is achieved simply by standing straight with feet together, hands touching thighs. And that’s it. This pose is intended to achieve a stable pulse.

Now you know how to stand, you’ll be interested to hear about other methods of doing Yoga. Well, sitting is next up. Unlike the average methods of sitting, this does not involve a chair. It requires you to sit on the floor with legs together and outstretched, toes turned upwards and palms rested on the floor.

Of course these are the most simple steps concerned with Yoga, and to get the greatest benefit out of it you will need to do a bit more work. But they do exemplify how simple the beginnings of yoga are.

The idea of attending a Yoga class – even if it is designed for beginners – may seem daunting, and for very understandable reasons. Unlike most gym classes, Yoga can almost seem pretentious and therefore intimidating – but these are common fears and should not stop you beginning practice. One of the best ways to allay these fears is to learn a little about Yoga etiquette before your first class, so you won’t feel out of place and like the new kid at school.

One of the most important aspects of Yoga etiquette is to be on time. If you are anything over 10 minutes late, most would consider it rude to enter the class and interrupt. It is much better to chalk it up to experience and wait for the next class, rather than disturbing the tranquillity of the class in progress.

Once inside the studio, begin by removing your shoes and turning your cell phone off. If you forget and it does ring, try and own up immediately and turn it off as quickly as possible. This is apparently one of the biggest pet hates for Yoga followers during a class, though, so wherever possible do remember to turn it off before you even enter the room.

Outside of common courtesy, there is etiquette specific to Yoga. During the final relaxation, known as Savasana, it is immensely frustrating for others and even viewed as rude if you leave. Although by this point you may consider the class finished, it isn’t, and you should always observe Savasana and leave only when directed to by your teacher. If you do need to learn early, inform your teacher and take an earlier Savasana, but keep these occasions to a minimum.

At all times, try to respect the tranquillity of the studio and other followers. If you need to use the bathroom, do it only where there are specific rest periods during the class. These are frequent, so you should be able to wait.

Keep these in mind when attending your first Yoga class, and nothing can go wrong.