All yoga postures tone some part of the body and give greater strength to your muscles. Yoga uses your body weight to connect breath and movement, which exercises the entire body. Certain poses focus on firming different parts.
Warrior I
Warrior I is an intermediate standing posture that stretches the shoulders and back, activates the legs and improves balance. The rectus femoris, one of the four quadriceps muscles, is entirely engaged, and the knees, ankles and hip area are toned. Step the feet apart in a wide stance. Bend the front knee toward a 90-degree angle and pivot the back foot to 45 degrees to allow the hips to face forward. Root down through the feet and lift the arms straight overhead with the palms facing one another. The arms raised over the head open the chest and elongate the sternum.
Boat Pose
Boat pose is a basic seated balance posture that fully tones the abdominal muscles because they have to work to keep the body in a "v" shape as abs keep the legs lifted. The hamstrings, rectus femoris and spine are lengthened. Sit with your legs extended in front of you, bring the arms alongside you with your fingertips facing your feet. Rock back on your sitting bones. Raise your legs and bend the knees. When you have your balance, take hold of the back of your thighs close to the knee crease. Make sure your spine is straight. With practice, you will be able to straighten your legs and bring your arms straight out alongside your body.
Chair Pose
Chair pose is a basic standing posture that strengthens the big muscles of the thighs. The pose activates the hamstrings and tones the quadriceps, the front of the thigh muscles. Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Bend the knees and sit back as if in an imaginary chair. Make sure the knees are in line with the toes and not extended over the ankles. Stretch the arms overhead alongside the ears. The elbows should be straight so you may have to bring the arms wide to resemble a "v", rather than hug the ears. Work toward having your thighs parallel to the floor.
Side Plank Pose
Side plank pose is a basic one-arm balance posture that works the spine, torso, legs and arms. The external obliques, the side body abdominal muscles, and triceps are especially toned, and the wrists are strengthened. Come to all fours in a "tabletop" position with the wrists in line with the shoulders and knees in line with the hips. Extend your left leg back and shift on to the outside edge of the left foot. Pivot the right foot and stack it on top of the left. Lift your right arm toward the ceiling and support the body with the left arm and left outer edge of the foot. Release from the posture and repeat on the other side.
Four-Limbed Stick Pose
Four-limbed stick pose is similar to a traditional push-up, but the elbows point straight back toward the feet instead of splaying out to the sides. A complete toning yoga exercise, it tones the triceps, gluteus maximus, abdominal muscles, rectus femoris and hamstrings. From the top of a push-up position, bend the elbows and start to lower the body toward the floor as one unit. The elbows point straight back toward the feet instead of splaying out to the sides. Hold your body about 6 inches above the floor and hold the pose. Engage the core and biceps, and ground down through the tops of the feet. Press back up to a high push-up and release from the pose.
Tree Pose
Tree pose is a basic standing one-leg balance posture. The ankles and leg muscles of the standing leg are firmed and the inner thighs and groin of the lifted leg are fully stretched. Tree pose works the foot arches to keep the pose in balance. Shift your weight to your right foot. Lift your left leg and rotate the hip and place the sole of the left foot on the inner right thigh, calf or ankle. Be sure not to rest the foot on the knee, which could cause injury. Find a focal point, and balance on your standing leg. Bring your palms to pray position at your heart center or grow your tree, by extending the arms overhead. Release from tree pose and practice on the left leg.
References
- "Yoga Anatomy"; Leslie Kaminoff; 2007
- Yoga Journal: Side Plank Pose
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