6 yoga poses to strengthen upper body

Yoga is good for health is something everyone knows, but few people think that gentle yoga movements can increase upper body strength extremely effectively.

Yoga is well-known as a discipline that enhances flexibility, flexibility and helps the body get rid of stiffness under the influence of time. However, did you know yoga is also a great exercise to strengthen muscles and build endurance in almost every muscle in your body?

Depending on the type, yoga can help you build strength through movement or through immobilization and tightening of muscle groups as you perform. Not only that, some yoga exercises also focus on building strength in the upper body. Along with these exercises, you can add yoga exercises to increase leg strength on different days of the week to balance the practice.

Here are 6 yoga poses that help improve muscles and increase upper body strength that easyhealthylive.com has collected. Try each pose in order. During the exercise, it is important that you breathe evenly, slowly, steadily and try to hold each pose for about 5 breaths at first. Once you get used to it, you can increase the time you hold the pose and breathe even more slowly.

1. Downward-facing dog pose

This is a pose that can amazingly strengthen the chest, shoulders, and back.

Doing

• Kneel on the mat with both feet and hands, knees hip-width apart, hands under shoulders and shoulder-width apart, fingers spread
• Using arm strength, slowly push yourself up, keeping only your feet, hands and feet touching the mat. Two legs straight.
• Move your arms forward, legs back to lengthen your body. Squeeze your thighs as you move.
• Relax your head and neck, breathing evenly.

2. Plank Pose

The plank pose is famous for strengthening the abdominal muscles, but few people know that this pose is also very beneficial for the arms and shoulders.

Doing

• From downward facing dog, inhale deeply and push your body forward so that your arms are perpendicular to the floor, your shoulders are straight above your wrists, your torso is parallel to the floor, and your legs are straight.
• Press your hands firmly into the floor, open your hands and shoulders
• Gently relax your neck, eyes down
• Hold your stomach and legs tight, make sure your back is straight
• If you try to hold the pose longer, you can lower your knees to the mat. Hold the pose and breathe evenly.

3. Crocodile Pose

This pose not only strengthens your triceps, but also helps you say goodbye to saggy biceps.

Doing

• Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your torso fully extended
• Slowly lower your chest toward the ground, pulling your elbows toward your ribs and looking forward. Keep your hips slightly higher than your chest and squeeze your abs.
• Hold the position and breathe evenly.

4. Upside down dog pose

This is a pose that both helps open the chest and can increase the strength of the upper body extremely effectively. In addition, this pose is also very useful for stretching the shoulders, hands, wrists and abdomen.

Doing

• Lie on your stomach on the mat with your head slightly raised and your hands just below your shoulders
• Place your feet so that the instep is on the mat
• Exhale, press your hands into the mat, and gently lift your body off the mat until your arms are straight. Body weight is placed on the tips of the feet and hands.
• Relax your neck. Hold the position and breathe evenly.

5. Side plank

This is a variation on the basic plank exercise that strengthens the shoulders from a different angle. Compared to the plank pose, the Side Plank pose is much more difficult because you can only use one arm and one leg to support the body when performing the exercise. This will make one arm and shoulder work to the fullest without needing to support the other.

Doing

• Start in plank position with your hands under your shoulders, back and neck straight
• Squeeze your abs then tiptoe to touch the floor
• Slowly lean to the right, placing the right foot on the left foot. Left hand raised upwards.
• Breathe evenly for 10-15 counts and switch sides.

6. Table Pose

After performing many poses with the face down on the floor, the table pose will help open the chest, shoulder muscles and help strengthen the upper body in the direction opposite to the above poses.

Doing

• Sit on the mat with your feet flat on the mat, knees bent, and facing the ceiling
• Place your hands behind your back with your fingers facing in
• Look up, tighten your abs and glutes, and lift your body gently, letting your head relax.
• Breathe evenly and hold the pose for a few breaths.

Above are some yoga poses that help increase upper body strength extremely effectively. If you practice regularly, you will definitely see your body change.

Reference source

Yoga for Upper Body Strength https://www.verywellfit.com/yoga-for-upper-body-strength-3498130 Accessed: 4/11/2020