You’ve practiced with them on YogaGlo. You’ve followed them on Facebook. You might even take their classes in person once in awhile if they travel to or live in your city. But how well do you know our YogaGlo teachers? Ask a Yogi is back so you can learn more about our teachers by asking questions you’ve always wanted to ask.
From favorite poses and tips for beginners to deeper questions about how their practice has changed their worldview, our teachers will collectively answer a new question each week. If you have a question you’d like to “Ask a Yogi” let us know in the comments and we’ll add your questions to the list.
What are your go-to poses to help build strength?
Alex van Frank: First I’d like to say a little something about strength. The most important place to start your strength training is in your head. Determination and dedication will take you where you want to be with your strength both in mind and body. However, please remember to balance it all so that it is a joy to come to your practice and not a burden.
My go-to for strength:
- Kapalbhati pranayama – Shining skull breathing. The forceful breathing that happens in this breath work helps to condition the stomach muscles in a very deep way. This is also fantastic for circulation and in preparation for other strengthening poses.
- Plank on forearms – The abdominals, arms, and legs all working in this relatively simple looking pose. Stay in it without collapsing the bottom down and you really begin to feel the strengthening aspects of the pose (sometimes trembling too)
- Handstand – Arms, upper body, abdominal. I love the feeling of strength in the upper body that a handstand gives. Another great benefit is that it helps to improve you outlook and perspective when feeling a little sluggish in the head. A few handstands and I’m ready to tackle my projects!
- Side Plank- Done right the side plank really helps the torso stand taller and stronger. It can be challenging on wrists so feel free to do it on forearms. When I was a few months from recovering from a c-section I found that I needed the extra help of using my leg as a support until my abdominals were strong enough to do it without support.
Amy Ippoliti: Handstand and forearm stand – I time myself and hold the pose as long as possible!
Carole Westerman: My go-to pose for strength is plank, because it just never gets easy! I love the way it hits the upper body, core, and even some leg. To me, it’s a full body strengthener. And, if I’m looking for more challenge, I may hover a foot above the floor. It’s crazy how much extra focus, strength, and balance that takes!
Chris Chapple: Surya Namaskar and Mayur and the sequence of Dhanur, Shalabha, Cobra one, Cobra two, and Sphinx connect with the strength of earth, water, fire, air and space. Forward bends to the left, right, middle, followed with Bhadrasana, sole to sole, knees toward the ground, empower one with strength, non-attachment, knowledge, and Dharma. The headstand and shoulderstand bring renewed energy to the throat, home of importance endocrine glands.
Darren Rhodes: Warrior 1, 2, and 3, Sets of Plank to Chaturanga Dandasana (push up). Power Pose and variations (Utkatasana). All Locust variations (belly down back bends) for low back. Half Boat for core.
Elena Brower: Plank for arms. Well-wrought Uttananasana for legs, with slightly bent knees, with knees in armpits, and palms under heels; lifting sitting bones and stretching while grounding.
Giselle Mari: Static plank and static standing postures.
Kathryn Budig: Modified chaturanga is my go-to as I heal a torn labrum. You can practice them standing against a wall, and progress to using a countertop, and then a bench. Great way to build strength an prepare yourself for solid vinyasas.
Noah Maze: Depending on what muscles I want to strengthen, I will turn to different poses and practice strategies. Generally speaking, if I want to build strength, I will work on longer timings and repetitions in poses. Here are a few of my go-to poses:
To strengthen my scapula stabilizers and deep core muscles, Plank Pose and variations are my go-tos. To strengthen my feet, legs and hips, standing poses accomplish that well. To strengthen my abdominal muscles, Navasana (Boat Pose) variations are my favorites. To get an overall strengthening, I do 108 Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) and/or 108 Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow or Full Wheel Pose) pushups.
Steven Espinosa: When I want to build greater upper body strength my preference is Ardha Chaturanga Dandasana or “half push ups” with my knees on the floor. I generally stay away from doing too many classic chaturanga’s because of the potential to strain your rotator cuff if done improperly. But doing half chaturanga’s allows me to control the weight bearing and focus on isolating and strengthening the pectorals, biceps, triceps and upper back muscles. I also love to flip upside down in Handstand and/or L-Pose with feet on the wall. For the lower body, it’s all about Warrior poses. Specifically Warrior 2 with maybe a few Utkatasana (chair) poses thrown in to feel the thigh burn.
Tara Judelle: I am having a love affair with Plank pose. Plank and catturanga have traditionally been difficult for me as a long limbed flexible person, but I like to stay in plank and call on different resources to assist, like my lungs, my skeletal system, My bandhas. Trying to find different ways to approach a familiar posture is one of my favorite pastimes. I also love to handstand against walls or in doorframes and try to time the posture for minutes at a time.
Taylor Harkness: One legged plank (hovering a leg for 5-10 breaths while maintaining the integrity of plank pose, then switching legs), crescent lunge and taking the back knee to a hover above the mat, and salabhasana (locust) with a heavy block in my hands, reaching forward. Phew! I’m sweating just typing this. Handstand against the wall is another fave, but be sure you have some experience before throwing yourself into that one.
Tias Little: The first is supta dandasana (lying on back with legs up in air). Beginning students must hold a strap looped over their feet. If possible stretch arms over head. Legs stay vertical!
Ado Mukha Dandasana (people call Plank, but ’tis a bad translation, dana is the sacred staff)
Tiffany Cruikshank: Right now I’m loving playing with new & unique variations on plank & tabletop and everything in between, the weirder the better to challenge my core in a more functional & realistic way. I believe its really crucial to the health & hydration of our tissues to move in different ways and I love exploring new movements! I’m not really as interested in playing with fancy things that don’t make me feel better, I prefer finding fun variations on simple movements in ways that help my body get stronger and feel better off my mat. I also love half moon for core strength.
source https://blog.yogaglo.com/2017/01/ask-a-yogi-what-are-your-go-to-poses-to-help-build-strength/
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