Bend, Breathe and Be well – 5 Yoga Poses That Strengthen
It has been said that yoga is as old as human civilisation. The known facts propose that this physical and spiritual, whole-body practice emerged alongside the sacred texts that produced Hinduism, Buddhism, and their branches. You eat correctly, breathe deeply and work hard; and whether at home or in yoga class, you show up to the yoga mat with gratitude. Reinforce core muscle groups and advance in your practice by utilising these 5 yoga poses that strengthen, to take your flow to the next level.
Five Fundamental Yoga Postures:
1. Urdhva Dhanurasana or Chakrasana {Upward Bow, Bridge, or Wheel Pose}
Whether you are lifting from the floor or arching into this pose with your feet in the air, one approach to visualising the wheel pose is to envision your spine bending itself back into a circle as it reaches for the Earth.
The central focus for Urdhva Dhanurasana includes overall flexibility along the front body, particularly in the hip flexors, quadriceps, and intercostal muscles; and strength and stability in the sacrum, shoulders, arms, and wrists.
2. Adho Mukha Svanasana {Downward Facing Dog Pose}
The Adho Mukha Svanasana replicates a dog bending forward, hence the name. Discover stability in your hands and feet and an extended spine as you move step by step into this posture.
The body mirrors a triangle, encouraging the experience of being in harmony with the mathematical forces of nature. This posture helps in easing stiffness in your shoulders; straightens and lengthens your legs; strengthens your ankles and creates arches in your feet.
To note: Inverted poses are particularly important because they reverse the action of gravity on one’s body and aid in getting the blood and lymph flowing in opposite directions.
3. Eka pada Upavistha Parivrttasana {One Leg Revolving Seated Pose or Seated Spinal Twist}
Stay supple in your yoga practice with twisting asanas. This gentle twist is a tonic for your spine {as it expands the elasticity of the spine} and opens the chest while increasing the oxygen supply to your lungs. This posture also nourishes the internal organs, because alternately compressing and stretching the torso increases circulation to those regions.
You may find it difficult at first to get your torso snug against the inner thigh, but a key to this asana is to remain calmly focused while maintaining alignment and being able to relax into the twist.
4. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana {Mermaid Pose}
One of the most beautiful yoga poses, the Eka Pada Rajakapotasana is an advanced variation that unites the deep, hip-opening stretch with an effervescent, heart-opening backbend. An elegant articulation of power and grace, this posture invites one to channel their innermost mermaid and discover lightness in body and mind while tapping into one’s fluid nature.
The Mermaid pose stretches the hips, quadriceps, back, shoulders and chest. The posture additionally strengthens the core and pelvic floor, institutes expansiveness through the front body, and enhances balance.
5. Vrksasana {Tree Pose}
This posture replicates the steady and graceful stance of a tree. Practising balancing postures in yoga, such as Vrksasana, will help you improve both mental and physical steadiness and poise.
You can challenge your balance by practising this pose with your eyes closed, thereby learning to balance without any reference to your outer environment. The Tree Pose stretches the thighs, torso, and shoulders. It also strengthens the ankles and calves, and tones the abdominal muscles.
{In this post I am wearing the Superdry Core Gym Running Racer-backs, Superdry Gym Running Vest and Superdry Gym Logo Leggings.}
5 Yoga Poses That Strengthen: You needn’t feel obligated to adhere to the order on this post. Feel free to break these poses apart and place them into whatever sequence your body is craving. Furthermore, don’t stress about making your practice extravagant, or filled with flashy advanced postures. Deepen your practice gradually, without an excessive amount of force or ambition, and you will reap the benefits of spinal flexibility and chest and shoulder stretching, and additionally, the core work essential to maintaining your balance for years to come.
Regardless of how long you have been practising yoga, there will always be poses you will return to innumerable times. That is because these yoga poses pull, push, lengthen and strengthen muscles and systems in your body that are vital to the continuous advancement of your physical practice.
Whether your personal goal is to breathe deeper, develop balance, grow stronger, or discover true serenity ~ utilise these five yoga poses to help you reach your desired destination.
“A wise teacher will find a fitting style for each environment while cleverly teaching the meaning of yoga.”
The Sky Deck at VR Bengaluru is a versatile space that’s a wellness centre by day, which turns into an events space by night. The wellness features boast an open-air yoga deck, a climate-controlled pool that lends itself every weekend to Aqua Zumba classes as well as a rooftop jogging track.
Do let me know if you enjoyed this post. And, of course, I am always open to suggestions and queries.
Your writing style is amazing, and I love that you practice Yoga! Just as exercise or brushing your teeth/washing your hands before you eat is good for your immune system, practicing yoga can also be a healthy practice!
I agree ~ certain poses and techniques can create a sort of internal massage that can stimulate various organs.
Love the post! Anytime I am feeling sluggish, I take a break and practice yoga to help revive and refresh my body.
If it feels better to hold a pose longer, or add a few more to your flow, do it. This is your practice…
Amazing photo-shoot, Tanya! Those leggings are just gorgeous, and the poses are beyond perfect!
p.s. Ever felt like a “bad yogi” that totally failed in a yoga class?
Everyone started at square 1. The only difference between you + your teacher/yogi you admire ~ is hours practiced.
Ah – one can definitely see the mountain of experience with your perfect postures. I applaud you for pushing your own boundaries, Tanya!
So glad to hear this, Ruchi. Thank you very much!
I love that this was shot where I live, because, although we have a lot of bloggers, photographers, etc (including myself) within Bangalore – a lot of those people seem to shoot outside of the city, so it’s really cool that you’ve done this. And, your Yoga is on point!
Thank you for resonating with this and your sweet appreciation, Karthika.
Always such amazing photography, as well as amazing writing! Btw, you’re reading my mind with this blog. So many poses I’d like to master but didn’t know where to start…
Thank you, Shivan.
The poses in yoga affect the deepest layers of our physical bodies… Triple down on your practices. Sitting a bit longer. Dancing a bit harder. Resting a little more. Laughing louder. 🙂
This is goals! Thanks for your good advice and easy tips, Tanya! All of this looks so easy until I try it for myself – 😀
Use this flow as a suggestion. As always, this is your practice. 🙂
OMG Amazing! I’m very impressed and appreciate the beauty in these poses… Core strength is something I’m currently working on, so I will save this post for my practices later… 🙂
Glad to hear it, Aayushi.
These pictures are so inspiring. ❤️ Thank you for sharing and giving the rest of us hope…
You alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice…
When I practice yoga, I have peace in my mind and I’m happy… I don’t have to convince myself to workout, I simply want to…
I think the secret is to find something you love…
Thank you for this post! One of these days, I will actually do yoga instead of viewing/reading your aesthetic blogs. 🙂
Start by wanting 🙂 and then simply do it.
A different yoga perspective with ~ Tanya. 🙂 Yoga to me is a lot about balance… Thanks for sharing!
Remember to always listen to your body and to stop if anything starts to hurt. If you can’t find the pose without having pain, your body probably isn’t ready yet.
More of this, please! I’m constantly testing my range of motion ~ I find it important to assess where my body is at right now, because AWARENESS is the greatest agent of change!
It’s good to remember that the whole body is connected… 🙂
Great things always begin from the inside… I practice yoga to improve my flexibility and calm my mind!
Yoga practice also helps to boost your immunity and relax your body…
You are a goddess, Tanya! I use yoga as a means to connect with what’s truly essential…
Aw ~ thank you, Ashwini.
Your body will looooove this yoga flow!
Awesome blog! I’d like to add that a classical pranayama practice is an anchor across many styles of yoga. In fact, because of its relatively rapid calming effect, it is vaulted beyond the mat… Thank you for sharing. xx
…take your time this morning as you settle in and treat yourself to feeling grounded. 🙂
Beautiful! There is always somewhere to go with yoga practice… and true yoga practice is knowing whether or not you’re ready for a specific pose and not giving into the ego.
Agreed. If you can’t breathe – you’ve definitely gone too far.
Yoga really helps you build strength, body awareness and confidence! Thanks for sharing. xx
My pleasure, Amber. I am all for experiencing fully this machine we’ve been given (safely, of course).
Stunning you! Btw, the most important part of working towards a specific yoga pose is to do it WITHOUT EXPECTATION. 🙂
Yes! It’s good to have a timeline in mind and not expect to get it right away. It takes time… literally!