Best Yoga Poses for Building Strength

Introduction:

Yoga can help increase the body's flexibility, improve balance, better posture, stress relief, lower blood pressure, increase focus, reduce heart rate, relieve joint pain, and help strengthen the muscles. Yoga asanas are not only about stretching and calming the mind but can also help develop strength and build muscles. Various poses, styles, and approaches are taken to increase the strength of the body through yoga. It can also be done with the help of resistance tools.

What Is Yoga for Strength Training?

Increasing strength helps in developing muscle power. Muscle strength is developed with the help of resistance bands, weights, or sometimes times by machines. Muscle strength can also be developed with the help of yoga by combining gravity and body weight. Yoga can be combined with other forms of exercises for strength training. Yoga can be done with the help of resistance bands or weights to increase strength.

What Are the Best Types of Yoga for Building Strength?

Some of the yoga poses that focus on strength include -

• Ashtanga - Ashtanga yoga Is based on eight limbs of yoga. It is a yoga based on the Patanjali classification. The eight Limbs include yamas or external discipline, niyama or internal discipline, asana or posture, Pranayama or breath control, pratyahara or withdrawal of senses, dharana or concentration, dhyana or meditative absorption and samadhi or union and integration.

• Vinyasa Flow - It is a contemporary style of yoga. Vinyasa yoga includes ashtanga and power yoga.

• Iyengar - Iyengar is a traditional yoga practice that is practically slow and held longer.

• Yoga With Weight - It includes holding weights like dumbbells in hand while doing yoga poses.

Which Yoga Poses Can Increase the Strength of the Body?

The yoga poses that can increase the strength of the body include -

1. Utkatasana or fierce or chair pose.

2. Virabhadrasana or warrior pose.

3. Navasana or boat pose.

4. Phalakasana or plank pose.

5. Forearm plank.

6. Salabhasana or locust pose.

7. Setu bandha sarvangasana or bridge pose.

How to Do Utkatasana or Chair Pose?

It is a low squatting yoga pose. This yoga pose will strengthen the legs and arms. Utkasana, or the chair pose, is done by the following steps -

• Stand straight on the floor.

• Bend the knees slowly forward and keep the arm up above the head.

• Allow the complete weight of the body towards the heel of the leg.

• Keep the arms in a firm position.

• Be in this position for a minimum of eight breaths.

• Slowly return to the standing position and repeat these steps once again.

How to Do Virabhadrasana or Warrior Pose?

This pose helps in increasing balance and strengthening the core muscles. It helps in strengthening the gluteus maximus and the muscles of the leg. Virabhadrasana, or warrior pose, is done by the following steps -

• Stand straight on the floor.

• Slowly fold forward while reaching the left leg behind in line at the level of the hip.

• Keep the arms straight in level with the body.

• Try to stay in this position for a minimum of eight breaths.

• Return to the initial position.

• Repeat these steps on the other leg.

How to Do Navasana or Boat Pose?

It is a seated yoga asana. This pose helps in getting a balance and strengthening hip flexors and abdominal muscles. The savasana or boat pose method is as follows -

• Sit straight on the floor.

• Bend the knees. Slowly lift the leg in the air parallel to the ground.

• Sit slightly backward to get the balance.

• Slowly lift the hands parallel to the thighs.

• Hold in this position for a minimum of five breaths.

• Return to the original sitting position.

• Repeat these steps for two more rounds.

How to Do Phalakasana or Plank Pose?

The phalakasana or plank pose helps strengthen the abdominal muscles, the upper body, and the arms of the hands. The phalakasana or plank pose is as follows -

• Start from the tabletop position of both hands and knees on the floor.

• Keep the feet back in position. Slowly lift the stomach.

• Keep the heels, hips, shoulder, and head in the same straight line.

• Keep the weight of the body to the arms and feet.

• A modification for the plank pose can be done by placing the knees on the floor.

• Hold on to this position for ten breaths.

• Return to normal position and repeat again.

How to Do a Forearm Plank?

A forearm plank can strengthen the muscles of the arms, shoulder, upper body, and abdominal muscles. Forearm plank can be done as follows -

• Start from the tabletop position on both hands and knees.

• Slowly take the feet backward and keep the elbows under the shoulder level.

• The body's weight should be distributed only to the forearm and feet.

• Keep the body straight while lifting.

• Hold on to this position for ten breaths.

• Slowly return to the original position and repeat these steps once again.

How to Do Salabhasana or Locust Pose?

Salabhasana helps strengthen the upper back, lower back, and arm muscles. The method of doing the salabhasana or locust pose is as follows -

• Lie straight on the floor on the stomach.

• Keep the feet and arms straight along with the body.

• On inhalation, lift the body slowly from the floor.

• Try to stay in the lifted position for a minimum of five breaths.

• Slowly return to the original position and repeat these steps.

How to Do Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or Brigde Pose?

The setu bandha sarvangasana or the bridge pose can help strengthen the back extensors. The method of doing the bridge pose is as follows -

• Lie straight on the floor with the back.

• Keep the arms by the side of the body, keeping the palms down.

• Keep the angle and feet parallel to the floor, below the knees.

• Slowly lift the hips by keeping the weight on the feet.

• Try to interlace the hands beneath the hips.

• Hold on to this position for 8 breaths.

• Slowly lower down to the original position and repeat the steps.

Conclusion:

Along with other exercises, yoga can also help strengthen the body, increase flexibility, and increase muscle strength and stamina. Yoga helps increase strength by holding each pose for longer, repeating each pose, and modifying yoga poses. Some of the best yoga poses for getting strength are the boat pose, warrior pose, chair pose, etc.