5 Yoga Poses To Make You Stronger
Many yoga postures require great core strength and balance, practicing these poses can lead to being much stronger from head to toe.
Often, new students are surprised to discover the strength needed for certain yoga poses.
For example, Downward Dog is thought of as a resting posture, but hold it for a bit and you will discover the strength it requires!
So, hitting the mat will not only help with being flexible and reducing stress, it will also make you stronger!
Okay, time to take a peek at 5 yoga poses that will make you stronger!
Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana
You should avoid Downward Dog if you’re in a late term pregnancy, suffer from servere Carpal Tunnel, have diarrhea, inner ear infections, or high blood pressure. It’s also a good idea to avoid the pose if you have arm or shoulder injuries.
Major Tip: Many students thrive to attain flat feet but it’s not required! Remember to relax the neck and head! Spread your fingers!
Downward Facing Dog Pose offers a variety of benefits, some of which are listed below. Enjoy the pose!
Downward Dog Pose Benefits:
Stretches Shoulders, Hamstrings, and Wrists
Can Strengthen Hands, Wrists, Back and Calves
Elongates The Spine
Helps Blood Circulation
Pose Can Also Help Stretch The Toes
Dolphin Pose or Makarasana
The major benefits of Dolphin Pose include strengthening the arms and shoulders, providing a nice stretch for the hamstrings, helping build endurance, opening the upper back, and the pose offers a less scary or less challenging way to work toward inversions. As a mild inversion, the pose also increases blood flow to brain and can help memory. The pose is also known to aid digestion.
Standing Forward Bend Pose, Plank Pose and Forearm Plank Pose, are good prep postures for Dolphin Pose.
You should avoid Dolphin Pose if you have a shoulder injury, high blood pressure or a neck injury or issue.
Major Tip: Remember to engage your core and try not to round your spine. It’s also a good idea to protect your neck by relaxing your head and letting it hang without tension.
Dolphin Pose offers a variety of benefits, some of which are listed below. Enjoy the pose!
Dolphin Pose Benefits:
Strengthens The Shoulders and Arms
Good Stretch For the Hamstrings
Can Help to Improve Digestion
Known to Help Relieve Menopause
Pose is Good Preparation For Forearm Stands
Plank Pose or Kumbhakasana
Make sure to keep a straight and aligned spine, create a strong line from your head to your heels. Engage your abdomen or core and don’t allow your shoulders to collapse. When practicing this posture, sagging is the enemy! As you advance, you may consider adding a challenge by lifting one foot off the floor.
Major Tip: Keep your shoulders aligned over your wrists! Don’t forget to breathe!
Plank Pose offers a variety of benefits, some of which are listed below. Enjoy the pose!
Plank Pose Benefits:
Builds Arm Strength
Improves Posture
Strengthens Spine
Helps Build Wrist Strength
Strengthens Abdomen & Core
Boat Pose or Navasana
As an added benefit, Boat Pose is also a great deep hip flexor posture. The pose will help to develop strength in the hip flexors which attach to the front of the spine. Naturally, Navasana pose also helps with balance and focus, especially in what we call Full Boat Pose with the legs straight.
Downward Facing Dog Pose, and Standing Forward Bend Pose are both good prep postures for Wide Legged Forward Fold.
As mentioned above, Full Boat Pose would have extended straight legs. Half Boat Pose would be practiced with the knees bent and if needed you could also place the hands behind the knees to aid balance.
Remember to spread your shoulder blades across your back, try to refrain from rounding the back. Reach through your finger tips. Try keeping your arms parallel to the floor. Start the pose with your hands placed slightly behind your hips to help press and lift your feet from the ground and lean back slightly. Keep your knees bent if you’re not ready to straighten them.
Boat Pose offers a variety of benefits, some of which are listed below. Enjoy the pose!
Boat Pose Benefits:
Strengthens The Core
Helps Create Strong Hip Flexors
Improves Digestion
Improves Coordination & Balance
Builds Focus & Confidence
Forearm Plank Pose
Shoulder Stand Pose, and Bridge Pose are both good prep postures for Plow Pose.
The major benefits of Forearm Plank Pose include toning and strengthening the core and abdominals, the posture will also help with gaining power in the shoulders and arms. Once you try the pose, you will also understand how Forearm Plank will test your resolve and endurance while holding the posture.
This pose has many variations including Side Forearm Plank and also Dolphin Pose which will further test your strength!
Major Tips: If you wish to hold this posture for a longer period of time, it’s can be helpful to place a towel beneath your arms to help with cushioning. Keep a flat straight back without sagging, think of having a line of energy from your head to your heels.
Forearm Plank Pose offers a variety of benefits, some of which are listed below. Enjoy the pose!
Forearm Plank Pose Benefits:
Strengthens Core
Strengthens Shoulders
Tones The Glutes
Preps For Inversions
Challenges Your Focus