5 Yoga Poses for Amazing Arms Yoga helps to calm the mind and spirit, but it also creates absolutely gorgeous arms! These 5 moves from the Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga by Kathryn Budig will help build strength in your upper back and shoulders without adding bulk. The result: long, lean muscles that will make you want to go sleeveless every single day. 1. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) Begin on all fours with your knees hip-width apart and your hands shoulder-width apart. Stack your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists. Walk your hands a few inches in front of your shoulders. Curl your toes under, lift your hips, and straighten your legs. Push into your palms to draw more energy into your lower body to help elevate your pelvis. Press down evenly with all 10 fingers. Keep your arms straight and rotate your outer upper arms inward to broaden your upper back. Draw the front of your rib cage in and press your legs back. Extend your heels away from your toes and pull them toward the floor. 2. Pushup (Chaturanga Dandasana) Begin in Plank. Extend your gaze forward and keep your front ribs in as you bend your elbows at 90-degree angles. Keep your elbows in and over your wrists, and lower your shoulders in line with your elbows. Keep your gaze extended and your shoulders lifted. Keep your upper back broad and the tips of your shoulder blades drawn down your back. 2. Forearm Plank Begin on all fours with your forearms parallel to one another and shoulder-width apart on the floor. Curl your toes under and step both feet back until your legs are straight and hip-width apart. Stack your shoulders directly over your elbows. Your shoulders, hips, and heels should all be in one straight line. Keep your front ribs in and tailbone extending toward your heels. Gaze slightly past your fingertips. 4. Dolphin With One-Leg Lift Begin on all fours. Place your forearms on the mat, shoulder-width apart. Curl your toes under and lift your hips up. Straighten your legs and walk as far as you can toward your hands, keeping your shoulders directly over your elbows. Relax your neck and gaze just slightly forward. Lift one leg high, spread your toes, then repeat on the other side. 5. Side Plank I (Vasisthasana) Begin in Plank. Bring your left palm to the center of your mat and roll onto the outer edge of your left foot. Stack your right foot on top of your left. Press deeply into your left palm to bring your shoulder away from your earlobe, and stack your right shoulder directly above your left. Engage your obliques by lifting and stacking your hips. Extend your right arm straight up, and gaze sideways or upward. Repeat on the opposite side.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 09:03:02 +0000
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