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5 Yoga Poses to Help Build Strength
Written by
Stephanie Smith
Flexibility and strength training aren't mutually exclusive; being limber helps ensure you're targeting the right muscles when you strength train. Warmed-up and well-stretched muscles can improve athletic performance by helping you reach a full range of motion, especially on compound movements. You might know that yoga can make you "bendy," but it can also make you strong. Add these five yoga poses your routine to improve strength using bodyweight alone.
Chair Pose
Muscles targeted: arms, shoulders, ankles, thighs, hips, glutes, lower back
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When it comes to building total-body strength, the chair pose doesn't disappoint. "With the chair pose, your entire body is engaged, which increases your heart rate and improves your cardiovascular health," Alysea Cox, a certified yoga instructor, says. It's a great toner for your back, glutes, hips, lower back and thighs. Just be aware of your posture. "People have a tendency to let their belly relax," Cox adds. "The key is to keep your core locked to protect your lower back."
Directions:
1. Separate your feet hip-width distance apart with your toes and heels parallel. Shift your weight into your heels.
2. Bring your arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down, fingers tight, elbows locked and shoulders down, back and away from your ears.
3. Sit back as if you're sitting in an imaginary chair. Bring your thighs parallel to the floor. Tuck in your tailbone and keep your upper body pressed back and your shoulders stacked above your hips.
4. Reach your arms forwards towards the front of the room. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds.
Directions:
1. Separate your feet hip-width distance apart with your toes and heels parallel. Shift your weight into your heels.
2. Bring your arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down, fingers tight, elbows locked and shoulders down, back and away from your ears.
3. Sit back as if you're sitting in an imaginary chair. Bring your thighs parallel to the floor. Tuck in your tailbone and keep your upper body pressed back and your shoulders stacked above your hips.
4. Reach your arms forwards towards the front of the room. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds.
Crescent Lunge
Muscles targeted: hip flexors, quads, glutes
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This dynamic standing pose strengthens your lower body by firing your glutes. The hardest part of the movement? Balancing. "It's important to keep your back leg straight and engaged with your heel stacked over your toes and your front knee over your ankle," Cox says. "Avoid the tendency to bend your back knee down into a lunge."
Directions:
1. Start in downward dog with your knees straight (but not locked), hips square, tailbone lengthened and palms pressed into your mat. Your gaze should be down and forward.
2. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Make sure your knee is positioned directly over your heel. Your left leg should act as a strong anchor and remain elongated and firm.
3. As you inhale, raise your torso upright. Simultaneously, bring your arms to your sides so they're parallel to the floor. Continue a fluid motion as you raise your arms overhead you're your palms facing each other. Press your fingertips toward the ceiling.
4. Lengthening your tailbone toward the ground, press through your left heel. Make sure to keep your pelvis tucked and draw your ribs down. Pull your belly button in towards your spine. Bend your right knee, aiming to bring your thigh down until it's parallel to the floor.
5. Look toward your thumbs as you reach through your fingers. Hold the isometric pose for 30 seconds before switching sides.
Directions:
1. Start in downward dog with your knees straight (but not locked), hips square, tailbone lengthened and palms pressed into your mat. Your gaze should be down and forward.
2. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Make sure your knee is positioned directly over your heel. Your left leg should act as a strong anchor and remain elongated and firm.
3. As you inhale, raise your torso upright. Simultaneously, bring your arms to your sides so they're parallel to the floor. Continue a fluid motion as you raise your arms overhead you're your palms facing each other. Press your fingertips toward the ceiling.
4. Lengthening your tailbone toward the ground, press through your left heel. Make sure to keep your pelvis tucked and draw your ribs down. Pull your belly button in towards your spine. Bend your right knee, aiming to bring your thigh down until it's parallel to the floor.
5. Look toward your thumbs as you reach through your fingers. Hold the isometric pose for 30 seconds before switching sides.
Forearm Plank
Muscles targeted: core, hip, shoulder, upper back
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The plank is a great way to target your core without resting on your spine and aggravating lower back pain. According to the American Council on Exercise, the static nature of the plank combined with the necessary abdominal contractions makes it a great movement for strengthening your core without resting on your spine. "To make this move more challenging, plank with your palms facing up," Cox says. "For an easier modification to the forearm plank, clasp your hands together."
Directions:
1. Start with your elbows in line with your shoulders and arms parallel to the floor (shoulder width apart). Your forearms and toes should be resting on the ground.
2. With your toes pressed into the ground, squeeze your glutes. Your neck should be neutral and your back flat. Your head should be in line with your back and your gaze straight ahead.
3. Hold for one minute, making sure your breath stays steady throughout.
Directions:
1. Start with your elbows in line with your shoulders and arms parallel to the floor (shoulder width apart). Your forearms and toes should be resting on the ground.
2. With your toes pressed into the ground, squeeze your glutes. Your neck should be neutral and your back flat. Your head should be in line with your back and your gaze straight ahead.
3. Hold for one minute, making sure your breath stays steady throughout.
Warrior 2
Muscles Targeted: all major muscle groups
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"With Warrior 2, you're engaging all of your major muscle groups–you're squeezing your shoulder blades down and together and lunging to work your quads and hamstrings as you open and strengthen your hips," Cox says. Everything from your fingers to your elbows is contracted. "The belly button to spine connection in Warrior 2 is referred to as 'core lock' and is integral to the movement. The only things that are supposed to be relaxed are your face, tongue and breath."
Directions:
1. Inhale with your hands overhead. Exhale and take a large step to your right.
2. Pivot your right foot toward the front of your mat, lunge down bringing your thigh parallel to the floor and keeping your knee stacked over your ankle.
3. Inhale and tilt your upper body back.
4. Press into the outer edge of your back foot and bring your right knee toward your right baby toe.
5. Bring your chin to your left shoulder, making sure your front knee doesn't go past your ankle and that your torso is square. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds before switching sides.
Directions:
1. Inhale with your hands overhead. Exhale and take a large step to your right.
2. Pivot your right foot toward the front of your mat, lunge down bringing your thigh parallel to the floor and keeping your knee stacked over your ankle.
3. Inhale and tilt your upper body back.
4. Press into the outer edge of your back foot and bring your right knee toward your right baby toe.
5. Bring your chin to your left shoulder, making sure your front knee doesn't go past your ankle and that your torso is square. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds before switching sides.
Boat Pose
Muscles Targeted: abs, spine, hip flexors
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Improve core and lower back strength with the boat pose. A few minutes of this movement will tone and strengthen your abdominals, spine and hip flexors while boosting stamina. Looking to ease into the movement? Use a modification. "If you can't completely straighten out your legs and point your toes, modify by bending your knees, which will still engage your core," Cox says.
Directions:
1. Sitting with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, allow your hands to rest beside you.
2. Maintaining a straight spine, lean back until your body is at about a 135-degree angle. Lift your feet until your shins are in line with your quads.
3. Lift your chest and lengthen your torso by extending your arms forward on either side of your legs with your palms facing each other.
4. Exhale and straighten your legs to a 45-degree angle until your body creates a "V" shape.
5. Push your shoulder blades down and back. Hold for 20 seconds.
Directions:
1. Sitting with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, allow your hands to rest beside you.
2. Maintaining a straight spine, lean back until your body is at about a 135-degree angle. Lift your feet until your shins are in line with your quads.
3. Lift your chest and lengthen your torso by extending your arms forward on either side of your legs with your palms facing each other.
4. Exhale and straighten your legs to a 45-degree angle until your body creates a "V" shape.
5. Push your shoulder blades down and back. Hold for 20 seconds.