Ask any novice what yoga is and they’ll likely tell you something about stretching or flexibility. But yoga is far more than just that. Strengthening yoga postures are actually abundant and quite prevalent in most asana practices.
So if you’re looking for ways to strengthen with yoga, it’s actually not hard at all. Well, it’s not hard to find strengthening yoga poses, but the postures themselves offer plenty of challenge!
Practice These 7 Strengthening Yoga Poses for Full Body Strength
These postures are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what yoga has to offer for building strength. But they’re an excellent start to dive into your strengthening yoga practice.
1. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)
When it comes to strengthening yoga poses, plank pose is probably one of the first postures that comes to mind. This full-body strengthening position requires stability and control in just about every muscle.
To Practice:
Start on all fours in a tabletop position
Align your shoulders roughly over your wrists and your hips roughly over your knees
Spread your fingers and evenly space between them. Press down firmly into the perimeter of your palms
Cinch in three-dimensionally around your waistline to feel your core turn on
Step one foot back at a time so that you’re resting on the balls of your feet and you create one, long line of energy from the crown of your head down through your heels
Kick your heels toward the back of your mat and energetically squeeze your thighs toward each other
Actively root down into your palms so that your upper back rounds ever so slightly
Lengthen the back of your neck
Hold for a few long, deep breaths
2. Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana)
Another classic strengthening yoga posture, boat pose fires up your core, back body, hip flexors, and quadriceps so that you start to feel the burn quickly.
To Practice:
Start seated with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor
Take hold behind your knees
Root your sitting bones into the floor and stretch the crown of your head toward the sky
Lean your torso back ever so slightly while maintaining length in your spine
Find balance on your sitting bones as you lift both feet off the floor and draw your shins parallel to your mat
Energetically squeeze your legs toward each other and corset in around your waistline
Option to release your hands and stretch your arms forward in front of you
Option to stay as you are or straighten and extend your legs toward the sky
4. One-Legged Bridge Pose (Eka Pada Setu Bandhasana)
Bridge pose is famous as a strengthening yoga pose for the glutes, but it can also fire up your hamstrings, quadriceps, back muscles, and even triceps.
To Practice:
Lay down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor roughly hip-distance apart with your arms by your sides
Ground your feet firmly into the floor and, without movement, energetically draw your heels apart from each other
Keep this and counter it by energetically squeezing your thighs together
Maintain all of this action around your pelvis and lift your hips up away from the floor
Press your arms into the mat or option to slide your arms underneath you and hold a strap or interlace your fingers behind you
Option to stay as you are or pour your weight into your right leg to become light on your left foot
Option to float your left foot off the floor and stretch your left leg straight up toward the sky
Strive to keep your hips level and your pelvis lifted high
Hold for a few long, deep breaths before switching sides if you lifted your leg
5. Revolved Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
Chair pose is another famous strengthening yoga pose because it works the legs so strongly. If you add in a twist, you can target even further up your body as well by activating your core.
To Practice:
Start standing at the top of your mat with your legs either together or roughly hip-distance apart
Draw your hands to meet in a prayer position at your heart
Bend your knees deeply and sink your hips low toward the ground as if you’re sitting into a chair
Lean your weight backward toward your heels and squeeze your legs toward each other
Soften the weight of your tailbone toward the floor and stretch the crown of your head in the opposite direction
Keep this length in your spine as you rotate your whole torso toward the right
Option to stay lifted in your spine or lean your torso forward slightly so you can hook your left elbow over your right knee
Hold for a few long, deep breaths before releasing and switching sides
Another revolved posture, this full-body pose strengthens your legs, glutes, core, and beyond.
To Practice:
Start on all fours in a tabletop position
Step your right foot forward between your hands and place it next to your right thumb
Option to slide your left knee back slightly
Keep your left hand grounded to a prop or the floor and twist your torso open to the right
Stretch your right arm up toward the sky
Option to tuck your back toes underneath and lift your left knee off the floor
Hold for a few long, deep breaths before switching sides
7. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)
Strengthening yoga runs much deeper than simply physical postures. Real yoga strength stems from internal strength. So, of course, this list would be incomplete without a seat of meditation.
To Practice:
Come to find any comfortable seated position. You can sit cross-legged, in a chair, on top of props, on a couch, or any other place or in any other way that feels relaxing to you
Ground down into your sitting bones and reach up through the crown of your head
Either soften your gaze or close your eyes to draw your awareness inward
Bring your attention to your breath and slowly begin to ease its rhythm
Stay for a few moments in stillness and silence simply listening to your own breath
There Are So Many Strengthening Yoga Postures to Practice
Yoga is far more than just bendy positions. While there are plenty of flexibility and mobility postures within the yogic repertoire, there are also an equal number of strengthening yoga poses.
So unroll your mat to build strength and power and mobility and flexibility. Your body will definitely thank you for both!
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