5 strength-building yoga poses for beginners

Strength-building yoga poses are a great way to develop muscular strength and endurance.

Whether you're looking to enhance your core and arm strength or your body posture, these asanas for strength can make those tight muscles work. However, to make the most out of these poses and achieve the desired results, it's important to perform them correctly and consistently.

In this article, we'll discuss some of the best strength-building yoga postures, especially for beginners.

Beginner-friendly Strength-building Yoga Poses

Here's a look at five of the best yoga asanas to help develop strength.

1) Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

One of the best strength-building yoga poses is the plank pose, also called Phalakasana in Sanskrit.

It's undoubtedly one of the best workouts to strengthen the shoulders, lower back, and abdominal muscles. Although the pose appears quite easy, it's important to focus on your form so that your shoulders don’t hurt.

To do it:

Come to your knees and hands on a mat, with your shoulders over your wrists.
Straighten your legs behind, and tuck your toes.
Do not lock your elbows, and keep your hips in the correct position - neither too low nor too high.
Maintain this posture for a few seconds to up to a minute.
If you're unable to maintain this position, drop your knees for balance.

2) Warrior ll (Virabhadrasana ll)

The warrior 2 pose is one of the most effective strength-building yoga postures. It strengthens the core, legs, back, and arms.

To get the most out of this pose, make sure your body is in the best alignment, and try to hold it for a longer duration. Perfectly stretching your arms during this pose works on the deltoids and biceps as well.

To do this exercise:

Stand straight with your left foot at the front and right foot at the back. Keep your right foot turned at 90 degrees and your hip facing towards the right side of the mat.
Bend your left knee such that it comes over your left ankle, and keep your thigh as close and parallel to the ground as possible.
Extend your left arm forward and right arm back while stacking your shoulders over your hips. Keep your head facing ahead.
Maintain this alignment, and take four to five deep breaths in this position.
Switch sides, and do the same with your right foot forward.

3) Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

The downward facing dog yoga pose is also one of the best strength-building yoga poses for beginners. It helps stretch the calves and hamstrings and also strengthens the legs and arms. It helps increase strength in the external oblique abdominal muscles as well.

To do this pose:

Take a position on all fours, with your knees and hands on the floor. The knees should be under the hips, and wrists should be under the shoulders.
Curl your toes, and push back through your hands. Simultaneously raise your hips, and straighten your legs.
Press your fingertips on the floor to lift your hips even more.
To release, come back to your knees and hands.

4) Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)

If you want to strengthen your shoulders, try out the dolphin pose. While the pose may seem easy, it requires great flexibility.

To do it:

Take a position on your knees and hands, and put your forearms on the floor. Make sure your elbows are directly under your shoulders.
Either place your palms parallel to your forearms, or interlace your fingers.
Engage your lower abdominal muscles, and raise your knees away from the ground.
Lengthen your tailbone, and raise your sitting bones as you lower your heels, and straighten your legs.
Press your forearms firmly to the floor, and stay in this position for 20 breaths.
Allow your knees to return to the floor, to come out of the pose.

5) Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

The cobra pose is an amazing backbend that stretches the entire upper body and offers relief from back pain and tightness in the shoulders. It's also one of the best beginner-friendly strength-building yoga poses that eases upper body soreness.