Yoga Poses For Strength and Flexibility

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your core, improve balance or just find some peace of mind, yoga can help. But before you jump on the mat, make sure to master some basic poses to build strength and flexibility without hurting yourself.

Probably the most popular pose in any yoga class, Downward Facing Dog stretches the shoulders and arms while strengthening the legs and back. This is a great pose for beginners to learn.

Seated Forward Folds

Seated forward folds stretch the torso and back of the legs, along with the muscles that run the length of the spine. They help release heaviness in the legs and shoulders from long periods of sitting, which can also alleviate back pain from a bad posture or injury.

Tight hamstrings (the three hamstring muscles at the distal end of the knee) and upper calf tightness limit the ability to fold the torso over the legs, particularly if you have a rounded lower spine. For this reason, seated forward bends are best accessed from a supported position with a block under the sits bones.

When the torso is allowed to fall over the legs and rest on the back of the thighs, the hamstrings relax through a process called reciprocal inhibition. Then the quads can stretch, which in turn allows the hamstrings to be stretched. This is a big deal for those with tight hamstrings. It can take years to open the hamstrings enough to fold forward from a standing or seated position, so practice with patience and kindness.

Standing Forward Folds

You don’t have to attend many yoga classes before you see yogis pretzeling themselves into Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana) or folding their hands to touch the mat in Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). But what is it about these poses that make them so challenging?

The key to mastering forward folds is not simply about increasing flexibility. It is also about ensuring the joints of the hips, knees, and arms move through their full range of motion.

To do this, start in a tall Mountain Pose, using your feet to evenly distribute weight across the entire surface of the mat. Then, hinge from the hips, keeping the back flat, and gradually lower the head towards the ground. This pose stimulates the liver and kidneys, enhances digestion and calms the mind. It can even reduce blood pressure. If the hamstrings or back are tight, try gently bending at the knees. You can also use blocks to support the legs and spine.

Seated Forward Bends

Seated forward bends, also called “Paschimottanasana,” stretch the lower back and hip muscles, strengthen the knees, open the adductors of the inner thighs, and lengthen the spine. This posture also calms the nervous system and can help reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue.

Beginners should start with simple forward bending poses to get used to healthy pelvic and lumbar spine movement before moving on to more complex poses. If you have a herniated disc, glaucoma, high blood pressure, or back injury, avoid or modify this pose.

Keeping the back long, roll up, vertebra by vertebra, eventually making it to the head, shoulders and feet. It can be tempting to grab onto the shins, ankles or feet but be careful not to compromise the length of the spine. This can cause rounding in the spine which will not serve you long term. Instead, if you have the flexibility, let the hands rest on the ground alongside the legs.

Standing Forward Bends

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold) is an important posture in many yoga classes. It’s often used as a transition between standing poses and is a staple of Vinyasa-style yoga classes, which focus on Sun Salutations. This pose cools the body and helps balance and strengthen the back muscles.

It stretches the back muscles, buttocks (glutes), hamstring and calves. It can also help relieve back pain by loosening and releasing tension in the spine.

The adductor muscles of the inner thighs get a good stretch in this posture as well. A popular modification of this pose is the Chair Variation Arms Crossed (Upavistha Uttanasana). Students with neck or back injuries should avoid this posture. Pregnant women should also avoid this pose due to the abdominal pressure. They can practice Ardha Uttanasana (Half Forward Bend) instead to improve the spine’s strength and flexibility without risking injury. They should also consider practicing this posture on a chair or in the Half Forward Bend on Chair variation to lessen the stress on their spine.