Top Yoga Poses for Lower Body Strength

Practicing Yoga offers a great deal of benefits including the strengthening and toning of muscles. This strengthening and toning supports joint structures, promotes injury prevention, improves physical performance, and enhances body weight management. This strengthening is more appropriately classified as endurance, the degree and length of time in which a muscle can sustain a contraction, since most Yoga poses involve 'holding' the position versus the action of loading the joint through repetitions.

The following yoga postures are asanas that can be easily performed at a various intensities by beginner and advanced yoga participants and present direct endurance and toning benefits to the lower body:

Virabhadrasana A (Warrior 1 Yoga Pose): due to the isolated forward knee bend, this standing yoga pose directly targets the quadriceps (thigh) muscles and the gluteal muscles of the same limb.

Virabhadrasana B (Warrior 2 Yoga Pose): similar to Warrior 1, the flexion of the knee and hip deeply condition the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. Due to the groin opening position, additional muscular contraction of the abductors and external rotators are needed to maintain proper knee alignment over the forward heel.

Chandrasana (Elevated Crescent Yoga Pose): this standing high lunge Yoga pose presents similar toning benefits and alignment components as Warrior 1. Since the back heel is lifted off the ground, you are now balancing on the back toe mounds and additional conditioning is directed into the forward and back limbs. Any addition of proprioceptive/balancing work adds a greater element with conditioning efforts.

Utkatasana (Chair/Fierce Warrior Yoga Pose): there are a wide array of Chair pose variations from closed knee, open knee, and twisting forms. The basic performance of flexing both knees and hips generates direct muscular toning of quadriceps and gluteal tissues. Play with different degrees of knee and hip flexion as deeper bending motions increases the degree of conditioning - take note that bending the knees deeper lower than 90 degrees begins to add potential for tissue damage and injury.

Virabhadrasana C (Warrior 3 Balancing Yoga Pose): a personal favorite for overall conditioning and development of flexbility, this balancing Yoga pose directly targets the gluteal muscles of the leg that is extended in the air. To fully benefit on the conditioning of these gluteal muscles, emphasis the extension coming up and out from the hip all the way through to the heel.

Setu Bandhasana (Spinal Lift/Bridge Pose): this classic yoga back bend is typically viewed as an asana for strengthening the back, but the use of gluteal, upper hamstrings, and quadriceps presents wonderful toning of the lower limbs. With practice and mental isolation, you can deactivate the hamstrings and utilize more of the gluteal muscles to generate the pelvic lift.

Marjariasana (Balancing Cat Pose): the balancing variation of this yoga pose (one leg lifting as the opposite hand also lifts forward) is another great posture that not only benefits the core and back tissues, but also greatly tones the gluteal muscles of the extending leg. Hold this posture for many breaths and again focus, like Warrior 3 Balance, on the gluteal isolation and heel reach to fully target the buttock muscles.

Purvottasana (Table/Slide Yoga Pose): this classic back arch on the hands and feet presents similar gluteal muscle isolation and toning as our Spinal Lift. Explore both the knee bend and full leg extension variations and note the changes in muscle loading due to lever/limb length changes - what lower body muscles become more dominant from one variation to the other?

Garudasana (Eagle Yoga Pose): often participants focus solely on the leg-binding aspect of this pose resulting in less appreciation and application of the strengthening benefits. With a proper knee bend and alignment, the supporting limb receives a great muscular loading on the quadriceps and hip. Adjust your weight off the toes and into the supporting heel-this will direct the toning benefits into the thigh more effectively and reduce potential sheer forces out of the supporting knee. Like Warrior 3, the balancing component adds to the limb conditioning substantially.

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Standing 1 Leg Extension Exit): following this standing leg hold, we can release the big toe and hold the leg forward feeling the immediate effects of gravity. The primary muscles holding the leg in the air against gravity are the hip flexors (psoas, iliacus, and rectus formis). The secondary muscular toning we experience is via the extension of the knee which is performed by the quadriceps. Depending on the degree of muscular development, we can clearly see the bands of quadriceps firing in this pose to maintain the knee extension.

By understanding how we can manipulate gravity, body position, and joint alignment, we can effectively work and condition lower body muscle groups. From this foundation of select Yoga poses, we can apply further variations to further deepen the benefits of strength, endurance, and muscular health in our Yoga practice.

Namaste,
Kreg Weiss
My Yoga Online