With Spring around the corner, we're ready to bust out the capris, shorts and swimsuits, so why not boost your confidence and strengthen your legs? Here are several yoga poses for people of any skill level.
I'm a certified yoga instructor and teach yoga for all bodies and all skill levels. I found four moves that almost anyone can do, regardless of how long you've been doing yoga!
1. Sunflowers - Tones quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, core; increases shoulder mobility:
a. "Sumo" walk your legs out wide. The "sumo" walk allows your knees to align in a place that does not strain them.
b. Sweep your arms overhead and straighten your legs
c. Then, letting your tailbone lower (as if a kettle bell was tied to it), keep your torso upright as you lower enough to sweep the floor with your fingertips
d. Slowly stand up as you sweep the arm overhead, and repeat.
2. Swimming Lunges - Tones upper and lower legs, core; increases shoulder mobility:
a. Lunge forward with your right foot, ensuring your knee does not go past your right toes
b. Placing your left hand on your right thigh, rotate your right arm backwards, making a big circle
c. Do this for 5 deep breathes, then switch sides.
3. Warrior III Airplane - Tones glutes, upper and lower leg, core, triceps; increases balance:
a. Stand with feet hip-distance apart
b. Place all weight on your left foot, spreading weight equally around the foot
c. Place hands on hips, or extend arms behind you, parallel with the earth, and tip torso forward, while lifting right heel off the ground.
d. Let right leg extend behind you, pushing through the heel and lifting from the glute (so it's a nice, strong leg lift)
e. Slowly come back up to standing, and repeat five times on one side, then the left side
4. Seated Leg Circles - Tones quads, hip flexors and core; increases hip mobility:
a. Sit in a chair, with your seat on the edge of the chair.
b. Your legs are at a 90-degree angle with your feet on the floor. Spread your legs a little wider, so it's like a small "V"
c. Extend right leg out in front of you, and do 10 small circles clockwise, then counter-clockwise, then switch to the left leg and repeat
For everyone who emails me today mentioning this segment, they get $200 off my 1-day yoga and meditation retreat! Hello@dharanamethod.com!
Find out more at amandabjones.org.
