When we practice yoga, we easily build the muscles of the lower body. But the upper body requires more focus and time. The muscles of the arms are exercised in a yoga practice with yoga asanas such as chaturanga.
Additionally, doing yoga poses for balance helps to improve abdominal muscles. Why is it important to work on the abdominal muscles?
⇒ Note: Yoga for Strength: Yoga poses for Strength Development
When the core of the abdomen is strong, it is easier to find balance during yoga practice. Also, strong abdominal muscles are a great support for the spine.
With a strong core, we gain stability and prevent injuries. Strengthening your abdominal muscles improves your posture and lower leg position when you sit for long periods of time.
In addition, it helps with breathing (diaphragm) and better digestion. Hands are also important.
Because strong hands are important if we want to do anything related to carrying loads, such as bringing groceries into the house.
It is also necessary to strengthen the shoulders and upper body if we wish to master advanced yoga poses like headstand.
Of course, you can use dumbbells, but there are a number of yoga poses that can build arm muscles without weights.
⇒ Note: 10 Yoga Poses to Tone Your Legs and Glutes
These yoga postures can strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and arms.
The most notable part is that you can do these yoga poses together or separate one day yoga for the hands and the other day yoga for the core.
1. Downward Facing Dog
Place your hands and knees directly underneath your hips, with your feet hip distance apart.
Hands should be extended in front of the shoulder, fingers spread wide, and palms fully pressed against the floor.
Lift the knees off the floor, reach the tailbone up to the ceiling, and straighten the legs. Look up at the belly button and relax the tops of your shoulders while pressing your heels to the floor.
2. Upward Facing Dog
Begin by lying on your tummy with your feet spread behind you and the tops of your feet pressed into the mat.
Bring the hands under the shoulders, fingers spread wide, and elbows tucked in. On an inhalation, press into your palms, pulling your torso slightly forward and straightening both arms.
The body and chest should open forward, with the tops of the thighs pushed off the ground.
Lift the tailbone towards the pubis while maintaining the buttocks relaxed and hips squared forward.
3. High Plank-Phalakasana
Bring the torso parallel to the floor in the plank position.
Lower your buttocks, your arms are perpendicular to the ground, your shoulders slightly cross over your wrists, rotate your elbows inward, and look in front of you or at the floor.
Hold the position for 3 inhales and exhales.
4. Side plank-Vasisthasana
Raise one arm and turn your body to the side. Raise your upper arm in the air; your arms should be in line. Position your foot above your foot and lift your hips up.
Take 3 inhales and exhales. Repeat on the other side.
5. Wild Thing – Camatkarasana
Bend into the right knee and open the hips to the right side, beginning with a single-legged position and facing down with the right leg raised.
Slowly and gently lower the right toes to the floor behind the back. This should distribute the majority of the body weight to the left hand and foot.
As the right hand elevates and reaches upwards, raise your hips toward the heavens. Lift the hips and chest while the right hand continues to reach.
If everything feels fine, look up at your right hand.
6. Extended Child’s Pose-Balasana
From hands and knees, bring the big toes together and spread your knees as wide as the mat. Sit back on the heels and walk the hands forward, bringing the forehead down to the mat.
Allow the tummy to fall between the thighs and settle into the hips. Reach through the fingertips, but keep the shoulder blades in place.
7. Chaturanga
From the previous position, return to the plank and pull your pelvis and push your heels back.
Lengthen your neck and slowly bend your arms at the elbows, and lower yourself until the elbows and shoulders are aligned in one line. The neck is elongated, and the view is towards the ground.
8. Cat Pose Crunches
Begin with a strong tabletop position (hands under shoulders, knees under hips), then draw the belly button up to the spine and press into the ground for stability.
Lift your right leg off the ground and extend it straight behind you, forcing the heel of your foot away from your center.
Holding stability, extend your left hand straight in front of you, forming a long line of the body from the tips of the fingers to the heel of the foot.
On an exhale, crunch your elbows and knees while drawing the belly button up towards your spine. Inhale and straighten back out, lengthening through the heel and fingertips. Repeat 8-10 times, then again on the opposite side.
9. Boat Yoga Pose-Paripurna Navasana
We look for balance on the sit bones, lift our arms and legs off the floor, lengthen the spine, and open the chest.
We are careful not to collapse in the lumbar spine and that we are not on the coccyx itself, but on the sit bones.
Let’s try to stay in each position for five deep breaths/exhalations or as much as we are comfortable.
10. Upward Plank Pose-Purvottanasana
From a sitting position, place your arms slightly back behind your hips.
The fingers are pointing forward.
Press your palms and feet firmly off the floor and lift your buttocks and legs off the floor, resting your toes on the mat. Keep your shoulders and wrists level.
Throw your head back, being careful not to press on your neck.
Hold the position and take 3 inhales and exhales.
11. Corpse Pose-Savasana
Don’t miss this one! It might not feel so, yet this is the most challenging yoga pose you can perform.
Lay flat on your back, bring your arms to your side, palms up, and allow your shoulders to drift back.
Allow the toes to slide out to the side and tuck the chin in slightly to ensure that the back of the neck remains straight. Relax your body as much as possible and rest here for 3-5 minutes.
⇒ Learn More: 10 Best Yoga Poses To Build Arm Strength
⇒ Learn More: 15 Yoga Poses to Strengthen Your Abs
