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Whether you are looking to amp up your yoga practice or just want to make your classes a bit more fun, certain advanced yoga poses can help you achieve your goals. They can make your session more interesting and challenging.
Before trying advanced yoga poses, however, it is important to warm up properly to activate your muscles. Pay full attention to your range of motion while engaging all the right muscles.
So, are you ready to broaden your yoga practice? We’ve compiled some of the most advanced yoga poses to make your practice more enhanced and progressive.
Vrischikasana, Eka Pada Bakasana, and 3 other advanced yoga poses that are effective and fun to do
Keep in mind that the following yoga poses are not intended for newbies and should only be practiced under a qualified instructor.
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1) Handstand pose or Adho Mukha Vrksasana
How to perform:
From a standing position, move your arms straight to the floor in front of you and keep looking between your hands. Engage your abs and slowly kick your right foot up while moving your thigh into the hip socket. Reach the leg straight up and point your toes upwards. Keep your big toes touching and hold the position for a few seconds. Try to do this pose against a wall to make it easier.
Benefits:
- Develops upper body muscles and strength
- Enhances stability and balance
- Improves blood circulation
- Eases stress
- Improves the core and back
2) Scorpion pose or Vrischikasana
How to perform:
Start in a downward-facing dog pose and move your elbows toward the floor while keeping your forearms parallel. Get into a forearm stand by extending your legs up. Bend your knees and start to draw your spine into a curve, and lift your head straight. Do not pressurize the back of your neck.
Now begin to move your pelvis and hips over the top of your head and move your big toes toward one another. Ensure that your knees are wide and separated from one another. Stay in the pose for as long as you can.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the arms, shoulders, back, and core muscles
- Enhances spine flexibility
- Gently stretch the chest and hip flexors
3) Eight-angle pose or Astavakrasana
How to perform:
Start in a cross-legged position. Move your left thigh toward your chest while straightening your right leg out. Lengthen your spine and pull your belly button in and up. Now thread your left arm under your left knee and move your left knee as high as possible towards your left arm. Place your palms on the sides of your hips and try to straighten your right leg.
Gently press your palms and lift your body off the floor while also lifting your right leg. Once your right leg is lifted, bend it and bring your foot towards your body to lock your right ankle around your left. Slowly bend your arms, and shift the weight of your upper body forward while moving your legs to your left and parallel to the floor.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the abdominal muscles, forearms, and core
- Improves balance
- Relieves anxiety and stress
- Gently stretches the leg muscles
4) One-legged crow pose or Eka Pada Bakasana
How to perform:
From a full crow pose, move your toes and heels toward your hips. Engage your hamstrings and pull your belly button in while moving your shoulder blades back and wide. Slowly pull your left knee towards your chest and start to move your weight forward. At the same time, straighten your left leg towards the ceiling and stay in that posture for a few minutes.
Benefits:
- Targets full-body muscle
- Boosts balance
- Improves strength in the shoulders, wrists, forearms, and core
5) King dancer pose or Natrajasana
How to perform:
Start in a standing position with both your feet together. Slowly move your right leg up behind you and balance yourself on all four corners of your left leg. Engage your left quads and glutes and stabilize your pelvis.
Grab your right ankle with your right arm and bring your right knee down slightly in line with your left leg. Slowly start to bend forward and reach your right foot fully up behind you. Take your left arm and reach it back to grab the outside of your lifted right foot. Move your chest forward and straighten your left leg.
Benefits:
- Enhances flexibility and stability
- Strengthens the leg muscles
- Stretches the spine and chest
- Opens the hips and shoulders
Takeaway
Mastering the aforementioned yoga poses requires great focus, dedication, and consistency, so don’t get disheartened if you are unable to do them at first.
Take the time to learn each yoga pose correctly, and most importantly, remember to be gentle with your body.
