Yoga connects breath and movement to build internal heat using your body weight. Yoga postures tone and exercise the entire body and certain poses focus on firming different parts. Yoga in Sanskrit means yoke or to join, so the practice is designed to unify the body. One posture's focus may be on the thighs while also engaging the core, spine or arms to connect the relationship of the whole body.
Bound Angle Pose
Bound angle pose, Baddha Konasana in Sanskrit, is a basic seated groin and inner thigh stretch. The stretch focuses on the adductor magnus thigh muscle that's function draws in and extends the thigh backward.
Chair Pose
Chair pose is a basic standing posture that strengthens the big muscles of the thighs. Uktanasana in Sanskrit, the pose activates the hamstrings and tones the quadriceps, the front of the thigh muscles.
Child's Pose
Child's pose, Balasana in Sanskrit, is a kneeling forward fold posture that lengthens the back of the thigh muscles, specifically the hamstrings, and stretches the spine, hips and ankles.
Triangle Pose
Triangle pose, Trikonasana in Sanskrit, is a hip opening pose that stretches the sactorius, a back of the leg muscle, that flexes, pulls in and externally rotates the thigh.
Staff Pose
Staff pose, Dandasana in Sanskrit, is a basic seated spinal extension that lengthens the hamstrings. The pose also tones fat around the waistline and stimulates the kidneys.
Wide-Stance Forward Bend
Wide-stance forward bend, Prasaria Padottanasana, is a standing inverted symmetrical forward bend that fully develops the hamstring and abductor muscles, works the quadriceps and rotates the hips open.
Gate-Latch Pose
Gate-latch pose, Parighasana in Sanskrit, is a kneeling side bend posture that stretches the side body, spine, arms and legs. The entire thigh is toned by working the adductor magnus which aids in drawing the thigh back and lengthens the gracilis muscle that works in tandem with the thigh adductor muscle group.
Yoga Back
Bridge pose, Setu Bandhasana in Sanskrit, is a reclined inversion posture that works the spine, shoulders, legs and arms. The feet ground down to activate the thigh muscles raising the hips. The hamstring and quadriceps muscles are fully engaged. The gluteus maximus, one of the gluteal muscles that directly gives shape to buttocks, is wholly activated, toned and strengthened.
Warrior I Pose
Warrior I, Virabhadrasana I in Sanskrit, is an intermediate standing posture that activates the legs improving balance. The rectus femoris, one of the four quadriceps muscles, is entirely engaged and the knees and ankles are toned.
References
- "Yoga Anatomy"; Leslie Kaminoff; 2007
- "The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga"; Ray Long MD FRCSC; 2005
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