Yoga and Fitness: Does Yoga Tone your Body?
Are you wondering, "Does yoga tone your body?" In the fitness world, where weightlifting and traditional weight training have long been the go-to for muscle tone and strength, yoga has emerged as a formidable contender. While lifting weights and body weight exercises focus on external resistance, yoga primarily utilizes your body weight, making it a fantastic avenue for toning your entire body.
Moreover, incorporating basic yoga poses and challenging arm balances into your regular yoga practice can enhance muscle strength, muscle endurance, and overall body shape. This functional fitness approach helps reduce body fat and also promotes muscle tone, making it an excellent addition to your workout routine. Whether you're into hot yoga classes, certain yoga workout poses, or traditional weight training, a consistent yoga routine can help you achieve to tone your body and improve your physical well-being.
Basic Yoga Poses You Can Do at Home
1. Windshield Wipers
Begin in an upright sitting position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Place your hands on the floor behind you for support and widen your stance. Engage your core and then rotate your lower body to lower both knees to one side. Return to the middle position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
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2. Tabletop with Knee Lifts
This yoga pose can help you tone your body. So, begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide on the floor and engage your core. Tuck your toes and slightly lift your knees above the floor. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and then return to the starting position.
3. Child’s Pose
Begin in a 4-point position with your hands below your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Move your toes together and then widen your knees. Tighten your abdominal area and shift your hips back to your feet, extending both arms overhead. Drop your head downward and relax your midback area for a light stretch. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
4. Dynamic Shoulder Openers
For this yoga movement, utilize a yoga mat, yoga strap, towel, or belt.
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees and feet close together, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Shift your hips back to rest your seat on your feet and hold the ends of the resistance band in both hands. Extend your arms in front of your body at shoulder height, pulling the band apart to create resistance. Engage your core, lift your arms overhead, and slowly roll your arms behind your back, opening your chest as you arch your mid-back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Repeat the movement as needed.
Furthermore, to intensify the movement, lift your arms overhead, then extend them sideways while lowering one hand towards the floor and maintaining the resistance on the band. Repeat this sequence on the alternate side.
Note: Adjusting the grip on your yoga strap modifies the difficulty level: a wider hold makes the movement easier while shifting closer to the center increases the challenge by shifting more weight onto your hands. Ensure you find a comfortable position before starting the exercise.
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5. Wrist Circles
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees and feet close together, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Shift your hips back to rest your seat on your feet. Bring your hands in front of your body at shoulder height and start rotating your wrists in a circular motion. After several repetitions, repeat the movement in the opposite direction.
Another way to do this movement is to release your hands from the binds, curl your hands into fists, and move your wrists in a circular motion creating infinity circles.
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6. Bird Dog
Begin in a 4-point position, with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Contract your abdominal area. Take a deep breath and then lift one arm to align with your shoulder as you extend your opposite leg behind your body. Keep your hips and then shoulders parallel to the floor. Exhale to return to the center, bringing your elbow towards your bent knee and rounding out your low back as you slowly drop your head towards your chest. Repeat the movement. After several repetitions, perform the movement on the opposite side.
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Interval Routine
Perform this interval sequence prior to executing the Bird Dog routine on the opposite side.
Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tighten your abdominal area and widen your knees, tucking your toes under your heels. Shift your hips back to your feet while extending both arms in front of your body. Lower your head to the floor and extend one leg out to the side. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position.
Repeat Child’s Pose
7. Thread the Needle
This yoga pose can help you tone your body. Begin in a 4-point position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, wider than hip-width apart. Shift your hips back to your feet as you extend your arms overhead. Contract your abdominal area, then rotate your upper body to one side as you reach one hand toward the ceiling, keeping your gaze upward. Rotate back and slide the same arm under your body with your palm facing upward, lowering your shoulder down to the floor. Rest the side of your head on the floor as you bring your opposite hand behind your back. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through the mouth. Relax and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
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8. Downward Dog to Walk the Dog
Move into a straight-arm plank position, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Tighten your abdominal muscles and then push back with your arms, straightening your legs as you lift your hips toward the ceiling. To stretch your calves and hamstrings, lower one heel at a time, similar to a walking movement. Repeat the movement for several repetitions, alternating sides after completing 5 repetitions on each side.
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To counter-stretch the movement, bend both knees down and hold the position for a couple of seconds before proceeding to the next routine.
9. Three-Legged Downward Dog
From the Downward Dog position, shift your weight onto one leg. Engage your core and then lift your opposite leg upward as high as you are able, keeping your spine straight. Lower your forehead towards the floor while keeping your gaze towards the back. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and then repeat the movement on the opposite side.
10. Low Lunge
From the Downward Dog position, take a big step forward with one foot and place your hands on your knee, keeping your toes pointing straight ahead. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Tighten your abdominal area and shift your hips forward. Hold the position for a couple of seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
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11. Warrior I
From the Low Lunge position, tuck your toes to hover your extended leg above the floor. Engage your core and then raise both arms overhead as you keep your gaze forward. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
12. Warrior II
From the Warrior I position, straighten your back knee, and pivot your right foot so that your toes point to the side, ideally at a 45-degree angle. Contract your core and then extend your arms out at your sides at shoulder height with your palms facing down. Turn your head to either focus on your front middle finger or to an unmoving object in front of you. Take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
You can straighten both legs to make this movement easier.
13. Side Angle Pose
From the Warrior II position, engage your core and lean your upper body towards your bent knee, reaching overhead with both arms. Keep your spine straight and your gaze towards the ceiling. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
14. Side Bend
From the Side Angle pose, straighten back up as you keep your feet considerably wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core. Bend your upper body to one side and reach over your head with your opposite arm as you place your opposite hand on your knee for support. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
15. Eagle Arms with Forward Bend
This yoga pose can also help you tone your body. Begin in an upright standing position with your feet considerably wider than shoulder-width apart, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Bend your left knee and pivot your foot so that your toes are pointing out to the side, ideally at a 45-degree angle. Cross your arms in front of your body at shoulder height, wrapping at the elbows and wrists. Engage your core. Inhale and then arch your mid back, lifting your elbows as you bring your gaze up. Then, exhale and gently bend your upper body forward, lowering your elbows toward the floor. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Relax and then repeat the movement on the opposite side.
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16. Supported Chaturanga
From the end position of Eagle Arms with Forward Bend, move into a straight-arm plank position. Engage your core, lower both knees to the floor, and then bend your arms to bring your chest towards the floor slowly. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
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Depending on your range of motion, you can do the full Chaturanga.
17. Upward Dog
From the Supported Chaturanga position, take a deep belly breath and straighten your arms as you untuck your toes. Arch through your back to stretch your hips and lower back area. Lift your chin towards the ceiling and contract through your legs, keeping your knees and hips hovered over the floor. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Repeat Downward Dog and Child’s Pose routines
18. Navasana (Boat Pose)
Another yoga pose that can also help you tone your body. Begin in an upright sitting position with your legs extended in front of you, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Lean your upper body back and straighten your arms at your sides. Engage your core and slowly lift both knees towards your chest at a 45-degree angle above the floor, keeping your spine straight and toes pointing forward. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
Furthermore, depending on your range of motion, you can either extend your legs toward the ceiling as you raise both arms overhead or hold your feet with your hands to intensify the stretch.
19. Canoe Pose
From the Boat Pose, straighten both legs. Slowly lean your upper body further back to be almost parallel to the floor while simultaneously hovering both legs to be slightly above the floor.
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Repeat Boat Pose
20. Seated Forward Fold
This yoga pose can also help you tone your body. Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs crossed in front of your body. Engage your core and then hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, lowering your forehead towards the floor. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
21. Downward Facing Dog to Dolphin Pose
Another yoga pose that can help you tone your body. Move into a straight-arm plank position, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Tighten your abdominal muscles and push back with your arms, straightening your legs as you lift your hips toward the ceiling. Bend your elbows to lower your head towards the floor. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths in through your nose and then out through your mouth.
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22. Gate Pose
Move into a straight-arm plank position, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Tighten your abdominal muscles and push back with your arms, straightening your legs as you lift your hips toward the ceiling. Shift your weight onto your one leg and lift your opposite leg upward as high as you are able, keeping your spine straight. Lower the same knee down to the floor and swivel your foot out to the side. Pivot your right foot to rotate your upper body forward, reaching over your head with your right arm. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
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Variation 1- Gate Pose
Move into a straight-arm plank position. Engage your core and then maintain your body weight balance as you straighten one leg out under your supporting leg. Rotate your upper body forward and then reach your right arm up as you push your hips away from the floor, keeping your gaze towards the ceiling. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths in through your nose and then out through your mouth. Relax and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
In addition, ensure you maintain a safe and comfortable balance with your own body weight as you perform the movement to avoid accidental falls.
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23. Seated Single Leg Forward Fold
This yoga pose can also help you tone you body. Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs extended in front of your body and considerably wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping your toes pointing upward. Maintain a good alignment with your upper body with your core engaged. Hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, reaching for your toes on one foot with both hands and lowering your head towards your knee. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and then return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.
24. Toe Sit
Begin in an upright kneeling position, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Tuck your toes and shift your hips back to rest your seat on your feet. Engage your core, and then place your hands on your thighs, and close your eyes. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
To counter-stretch the movement, move into a tabletop position with your toes untucked. Tap your left foot and right foot alternately up and down, or hover both feet above the floor.
25. Knee Raise
Begin in an upright kneeling position, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Shift your hips back to rest your seat on your feet. Engage your core and lift one knee at a time, stretching out the top of your ankles. And then Repeat the movement as needed.
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Moreover, to intensify this yoga pose to tone your body, place both hands behind your back for support and lift both knees off the floor, stretching the tops of your ankles. An alternative movement is to place your hands at your sides for support, then lift both knees towards your nose, raising on the tops of your ankles.
26. Seated Butterfly Pose
Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Bring the soles of your feet together in front of your body, either clasping your index fingers onto your big toes or wrapping your hands around your feet. Tighten your core and open your knees out to the side. Close your eyes and hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
In addition, to intensify the stretch, pull your toes closer to your body as you keep your spine straight.
Conclusion
In conclusion, building muscle through Yoga is a holistic practice that offers many benefits, such as enhanced muscle growth and lean muscle development. By targeting major muscle groups and utilizing various techniques, including inversion poses in yoga. Combining this with a healthy diet supports the goal of achieving a well-rounded and robust physique, highlighting the importance of incorporating exercise and nutrition for a comprehensive approach to muscle development.
With so many different Yoga programs available today, choosing the right program that maximizes the toning benefits of stretching exercises can definitely be overwhelming. Luckily, we have taken 10 of the best toning yoga poses and combined them to create the ultimate total-body toning experience. Check out now!
