April 16, 2015
6 Yoga Poses That Tone Arms
Looking to do something different to tone up your arms besides going to the gym and lifting some weights?
Check out the following 6 yoga poses that aim to do just that.
And while you are on your way to sculpting those lovely limbs, you'll also be getting a full body workout.
YES. (*insert hands raised emoji*)
Hold each pose for at least 5 full, steady breaths.
Plank
1. Start in plank position with your hands directly under shoulders.
2. Lower yourself, shifting your body forward so that your hands are by your lower ribs, keeping elbows close to your body. (If you are just new learning this and having troubles, press your elbows into your body until you gain strength.)
3. Keep your shoulders at the same level as your elbows and not lower.
4. Make sure your core is engaged the entire time, creating a straight line from your neck to your heels. Shoulder blades should be down.
Downward facing dog
- Start on all fours with arms straight, wrists directly under your shoulders, palms flat (though if you find you're putting too much pressure on your wrists, you can curl your fingertips to distribute the weight).
- Step both feet back to straighten your legs, keeping your feet hip distance apart, toes curled under.
- Maintain a straight line from the crown of your head through to your heels by engaging your core and quads.
- Starting on all fours, lower down to your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders.
- Move your feet straight out behind you, hips distance apart.
- Engage your core and push down to the ground with your forearms to keep your shoulders away from your ears.
1. Start in plank position with your hands directly under shoulders.
2. Lower yourself, shifting your body forward so that your hands are by your lower ribs, keeping elbows close to your body. (If you are just new learning this and having troubles, press your elbows into your body until you gain strength.)
3. Keep your shoulders at the same level as your elbows and not lower.
4. Make sure your core is engaged the entire time, creating a straight line from your neck to your heels. Shoulder blades should be down.
Downward facing dog
- From standing, bend over and place your hands shoulder distance apart.
- Step your feet back into plank position.
- Lift your hips toward the ceiling by pressing your hands into the ground until your body makes an inverted V.
- Your heels may or may not touch the ground. Just make sure to keep your shoulders and back strong by continuing to press into the ground.
- Engage your core.
- Sit on the floor facing the wall with feet touching the wall. Where your hips are is roughly the place where your hands will be placed in the next step.
- Face away from the wall and get into downward dog, with hands shoulder width apart and wrists in line with your shoulders.
- Press through to your fingertips to distribute the weight away from your wrists.
- Walk your feet up the wall until you are able to stack your hips over your shoulders.
- Engage your core, breathe steadily, and gaze slightly past, and in between, your fingertips.
- Come down by carefully walking your feet down the wall.
- Rest in child's pose to equalize the blood flow before standing upright.
- Start in plank pose.
- Begin shifting your weight onto your right side as your roll onto the outer edge of your right foot.
- Stack your left foot on top of your right foot and press your right hand into the ground to keep a separation between your ear and shoulder.
- Stack your left shoulder over your right, stack your hips and engage your core, lifting your hips to create a straight line with your body.
- You extend your left hand upward, keeping it strong throughout the pose.