Too often people think of yoga as a hippie-dippy meditation practice but ignore the benefits it provides for your body as well. Depending on the type, yoga can focus on flexibility, energy, meditation, stamina, deep breathing, weight loss and strength training. The workout I’ve put together focuses on the strength training aspect of yoga that will help you build lean muscle.
To get the full benefits from the workout I suggest repeating the sequence of movements 2 more times for a total of 3 sets. It’s also important to try to keep a steady rhythm as you repeat movements to really work your muscles.
1. Downdog to Child’s Pose x10
This move is just meant to stretch your muscles and get you warmed up for the workout so you will likely need to do other stretches as well to target other muscles. Although I suggest at least 10 reps, it’s really on an individual basis, so whenever you feel stretched and ready you can begin the workout.
2. Warrior 2 Lifts x10 each side
In this exercise, you should try to get as low as you can in the warrior pose and also make sure to not raise your shoulders to your ears in the lift.
3. Goddess Squats x10
The primary thing to remember when doing this move is to point your toes out and use as wide a stance as you can while squatting.
4. Crescent Lunges x10 each side
Your first inclination while doing a crescent will probably be to straighten your back leg as you lean into the lunge but it’s important to dip your back knee lower into the lunge.
5. Chair Pose 15 sec hold x3
It’s not about having a perfect 90-degree angle as if you were sitting on a chair but it is about making sure you feel the burn in your legs if you don’t feel anything try to sit lower in the move.
6. Spinal Balance Crunch x10 each side
This is a good hybrid between a spinal balance pose and a crunch to feel it in your core. Make sure to keep a straight back during this move.
7. Downdog to Beast x10
The key here is to keep your feet in the same position so that when you go into Beast you are on your toes and your lower leg is parallel to the ground but not touching it.
8. Leg Raise to Warrior 3 x10
This should be one fluid movement as you move from a leg raise into Warrior 3 while keeping your chest up.
9. Side Fierce x10 each side
This move has the same leg position as the chair pose but you bend at your waist side to side, so that your elbow is pressed against the opposite leg.
10. Eagle Squat x10
This is a pose that requires a lot of balance. You essentially wrap one leg around the other and intertwine your arms to do a very mild squat. If you’re having a hard time balancing during this move, you can make it less demanding by putting your feet close together and doing a squat.
11. Downdog to Child’s Pose x5
Use this move to cool down and feel free to rest in child’s pose for 10 seconds each rep.
