Yoga Positions to Strengthen Your Core and Improve Posture

Yoga is an excellent exercise that helps improve balance and posture, while stretching the limbs, back and neck. Many of the standing poses also strengthen and develop core strength, which can help prevent injuries and improve posture.

Stand with feet 3 to 4 feet apart, left foot turned out 90 degrees and right foot in slightly. You should feel a stretch in your hips and thigh.

Lunge

This yoga pose, also known as Crescent Lunge, provides a deep stretch for the hips and strengthens the lower body. It helps relieve back pain and improves balance. It also increases energy and creates focus.

Begin by stepping one foot forward between the hands and bending the knee to create a 90-degree angle with the front leg. The yogi should keep the back heel firmly grounded on the mat to build strength in the legs and arms.

This balancing lunge opens the chest and energizes the upper body. It also strengthens the legs, buttocks and core muscles while improving stability and balance. It’s a great exercise for kids!

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is a restorative yoga posture often done at the end of class or as a mid-session break. It stretches the upper back, hips and knees, while relieving stress and anxiety.

Kneel on the mat with your hips about the width of a yoga mat and untuck your feet. Let your head fall toward the floor and relax your arms by your sides, palms facing up.

For a more challenging version of this pose, walk your arms out forward to stretch the shoulders and upper back. This is a great posture for people with shoulder issues or back pain. It’s also a good posture for those with headaches or migraines.

Warrior II

This pose is a fundamental one in any yoga program because it builds strength, opens the chest and shoulders and lengthens the spine. It also strengthens the leg muscles and improves posture alignment. It’s a great pose to practice for those with poor posture and tight hips or groin muscles.

Some teachers tell students to bend their front knee to a 90-degree angle and make it parallel with the mat. However, this is not a good idea for anyone with knee injuries or issues. It could strain the front knee and increase pain and discomfort.

Incorrect positioning of the front knee can cause injury in the quadriceps muscle and tibialis anterior tendon.

Downward-Facing Dog

Downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana) is one of the first poses beginners learn and is often used as a transition between other yoga positions. It helps build upper body strength and increases flexibility while stretching the shoulders, back and legs.

Beginners with limited flexibility may need to modify the pose by keeping each knee bent and placing blocks or a chair under their hands. This reduces the strain on their wrists and elbows.

Those with shoulder or arm pain can ease the intensity of the pose by shifting into dolphin pose, which drops the arms to the floor and contracts the triceps. This is a great alternative for people who can’t reach their heels to the ground in a full downward-facing dog.

Wall Pose

A restorative pose, Legs-up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani) helps to relieve stress and improve circulation. It is a good pose to practice after a strenuous yoga session or in your bed before turning out the lights.

While this posture won’t make you younger or more virile, it does stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system while calming the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for raising heart and breathing rates to prepare for “fight or flight” situations and stopping nonessential functions like digestion (7).

To do the pose, lie down on your mat or blanket and shuffle your legs closer or further away from the wall as needed to be comfortable. You may also use a chair or couch for support.

Twist

In general, twisting yoga poses strengthen the hips and core while focusing on the lower spine. Seated twisting postures, like the Revolved Wide Legged Forward Fold Pose and Half Lord of the Fishes Pose, are good to include in your practice. This is because these are safe and comfortable positions and do not require a lot of energy to hold.

This posture is also good for those who have mild back pain and can benefit from a gentle stretch before moving deeper into the restorative pose. However, you should avoid these poses if you have a serious back condition and consult with your physiotherapist.