15 Recommended Yoga Poses for Building Strength
Aug 18, 2025 • 10 min read
Published on August 18, 2025 | Updated on August 18, 2025
August 18, 2025
MS, Registered Dietitian, Former President of CT Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
Yoga is for more than just stretching and stress relief; this mind-body practice also builds functional strength, balance, and endurance—no weights or gym required.
Yoga taps into your own body weight to help you move better, feel stronger, and stay active with ease. Read on tos explore some of the best movements for building strength, supporting your body, and helping you feel more capable in everyday life.
Yoga builds functional, full-body strength by using your own body weight as resistance. Unlike traditional weightlifting, which often isolates specific muscle groups, yoga poses challenge your entire body, improving balance, coordination, and endurance in the process.
Many yoga poses require you to hold your body in position for sustained periods, which helps develop both muscular strength and stamina. This kind of training is called isometric exercise, and it’s especially effective for strengthening the core and supporting everyday movements like lifting, bending, and reaching.
Additionally, there’s solid research backing up these benefits, such as a systematic review published in The Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. It was found that regular yoga practice significantly improves functional fitness and strength. Another study, focusing on an eight-week Hatha yoga intervention, showed measurable gains in both upper- and lower-body strength among healthy adults.
These findings highlight how yoga helps with more than just stretching—it’s a practical, evidence-based way to get stronger. Through the combination of physical effort with mindful movement, the additional benefits of strength-focused yoga are:
higher physical capability and confidence
reduced risk of injury
overall well-being
Why it works for strength: simulates sitting in a chair without support, working large muscle groups. Target areas: thighs, hips, and core. How to perform: stand with feet together for maximum intensity, or slightly apart for a more modified variation. Bend knees, bringing hips down and back as if lowering into a chair, arms raised overhead or out in front. Keep weight in heels, shoulders down, and core engaged.
Why it works for strength: builds leg and core strength while challenging balance. Target areas: thighs, hips, and balance stabilizers, including core muscles. How to perform: step one foot forward, bend the knee over the ankle, back leg as straight as possible. Arms can reach overhead for a bigger core challenge, or stay at the heart center. Hold, then switch sides.
Why it works for strength: requires stability and endurance in the lower and upper body. Target areas: thighs, hips, and shoulders. How to perform: step one foot back and turn it out, bend the front knee over the ankle, and keep the back leg straight. Front heel aligns with back arch, arms extend out to a T, parallel to the floor. Turn the head and gaze over the front hand. Hold, switch sides.
Why it works for strength: builds balance and strength in the posterior chain, from the upper back to the heels. Target areas: hamstrings, hips, and core for balance. How to perform: standing on one leg, hinge forward, and lift the back leg parallel to the ground. Hands could be at the heart, alongside the body, or extended forward for more strength and core challenge. Keep hips level and abdominals and glutes engaged.
Why it works for strength: engages shoulders and upper body, and builds a strong foundation for inversions. Target areas: shoulders, upper back, and core. How to perform: start on hands and knees, then lower onto forearms. Lift hips into an inverted V-shape. Press thighs back and keep core engaged. Knees may bend if the low back or hamstrings are tight, in order to maintain a long spine.
Why it works for strength: challenges balance and stability while strengthening the shoulders and core. Target areas: shoulders, core, glutes, and standing-leg stability. How to perform: from Downward-Facing Dog, lift one leg up, keeping hips level and core strong. Hold, switch sides.
Why it works for strength: challenges core and shoulder stability, one side at a time. Target areas: obliques, shoulders, and hips. How to perform: from Plank Pose, shift onto one hand, flex and stack feet, lift top arm. Keep your hips lifted and your body in a straight line. Hold, switch sides.
Why it works for strength: develops upper body and core strength with controlled movement. Target areas: arms, chest, and core. How to perform: from Plank Pose, lower halfway to the floor, elbows hugging ribs, shoulders above wrists. To modify, knees may lower to the ground, behind the line of the hips. Hold, then either press back up or lower all the way to the floor.
Why it works for strength: engages the entire back body, creating optimal spinal strength. Target areas: back body (spine, glutes) and legs. How to perform: lie on your belly, arms by your sides. Engage the core, legs, and shoulders, pressing the pubic bone into the floor. Lengthen the whole body and then lift the chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Hold, then release.
Why it works for strength: engages the full body for core and upper body conditioning. Target areas: core, shoulders, and legs. How to perform: come into a high push-up position, hands under shoulders, body in a straight line. Hold, keeping core engaged and hips level.
Why it works for strength: builds shoulder, core, and balance strength in preparation for inversion. Target areas: shoulders, core, and balance stabilizers. How to perform: practice Downward Facing Dog with heels touching a wall. Walk feet up the wall until the legs are parallel to the floor and torso and hips are at a ninety-degree angle. Lift: up one leg, and then switch, engaging core and shoulders. Hold each leg up for a few breaths. Progress as comfort allows.
Why it works for strength: develops arm and core strength for balance. Target areas: arms, core, and hips. How to perform: squat with feet together and knees wide. Place hands on mat, shift weight forward and position knees on upper arms. Rise up on the balls of the feet, lifting hips, and lift feet off the ground. Hold, then lower your feet to the ground.
Why it works for strength: requires core activation to maintain balance. Target areas: core, hip flexors, and spine stabilizers. How to perform: from a seated position with knees bent, lean back with a long spine, and lift legs until shins are parallel to the floor. Keep hands on the ground or behind the knees for more support, or lift arms out in front for a bigger challenge. Legs may extend straight to a 45-degree angle for more core intensity. Hold, keeping chest lifted and abdominals engaged.
Why it works for strength: enhances core and oblique strength with added rotation. Target areas: core (with emphasis on obliques), hips, and spine. How to perform: from Boat Pose, twist torso to the right, bringing both hands to the outside of the right knee. For a bigger challenge, open right arm back, keeping chest lifted, core engaged, and collarbones broad. Hold, switch sides.
Why it works for strength: builds muscle tone and stamina in the back body using your own body weight. Target areas: hips, glutes, and lower back. How to perform: lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart. Press into your feet to lift your hips toward the ceiling, engaging glutes and core. For an extra boost of strength in the hamstrings and glutes, isometrically draw your heels in towards you as you press your knees forward. Hold for several breaths, then lower slowly.
Progressive overload might sound like a gym-only strategy, but it’s just as effective on the yoga mat. By gradually increasing the challenge to your body, you force it to adapt and get stronger, rather than hitting a plateau.
Here’s how you can apply this principle in your yoga practice, step by step:
Increase hold times gradually: to build endurance and strength, bump up the time you hold yoga poses so that your muscles work against gravity for an extended period.
move to more challenging pose variations: once a pose feels manageable, try an advanced alternative. For example, progress from a low lunge with arms down to a high crescent lunge, or from plank to side plank.
Add extra repetitions or additional rounds: instead of doing a pose once, repeat it several times in a row or add extra rounds to a full sequence. This increases the total workload, putting more demand on your muscles.
Reduce rest intervals between poses or circuits: Shortening your rest time keeps your body working harder and can boost both strength and stamina.
incorporate dynamic movements (e.g., pulsations) within poses: small, repetitive movements enhance muscle activation and intensity.
Use props to increase resistance: blocks, weights, or even resistance bands can add extra challenge. For example, pressing into a block between your thighs in bridge pose engages your inner thighs more.
Increase practice frequency or total session volume: adding an extra session per week or expanding your flow with new poses supports long-term strength gains.
Progress within your practice should always feel supportive, not risky, so stay safe as you build strength with yoga., Prepare your muscles and joints for the work ahead with a gentle warm-up, including:
simple stretches
cat-cow
easy sun salutations
A coordinated cool-down, on the other hand, helps your body recover and settle, using gentle stretches and supported poses.
To effectively prevent injury, it’s equally important to pay close attention to your alignment in each pose. Small adjustments—such as stacking your shoulders directly over your wrists in Plank, or ensuring your front knee aligns over your ankle in Warrior I—can significantly reduce strain. These micro-adjustments help you get the most out of each pose while protecting your body from unnecessary stress.
Also, remember that feeling sore after a session is completely normal, especially as you challenge yourself. However, pay close attention to your body if you feel:
any sharp pain
a “pinch”
a “twinge”
These are your body’s way of telling you to slow down, adjust, or perhaps even stop for the time being. It’s okay—and smart—to back off, rest, or modify the pose. Listen to your body.
Integrating strength-focused yoga into your routine is a smart, evidence-based way to build a well-rounded approach to fitness. It complements other forms of exercise—like cardio or weight training—by improving flexibility, balance, and functional strength. Yoga’s emphasis on mindful movement also encourages deeper body awareness, helping you to avoid pain and making it easier to recognize your strengths and areas for growth..
Don’t hesitate to experiment with various pose categories—core, standing, balance, inversions, supine, or prone postures each offer unique benefits. Practicing different types of yoga for strength and mobility, including Vinyasa, Ashtanga, or Yoga Sculpt, helps you find what works best for your body and keeps your sessions dynamic and interesting. You might be surprised by which styles and poses challenge you and which ones become your favorites over time.
Progress in yoga (and fitness in general) is rarely linear. Celebrate the small and big wins, like holding a Plank for an extra 10 seconds or finally nailing Crow Pose for the first time. These milestones matter, and they add up to real, lasting strength and confidence—no matter where you’re starting from.
Yoga can absolutely build strength, especially by focusing on poses that use your body weight as resistance. Postures like Plank, Chair, and Chaturanga challenge your muscles and require endurance, working your core, legs, and upper body. While flexibility is a key benefit, a consistent, strength-focused yoga practice can help you develop real muscle tone and functional strength.
Strength-focused yoga uses your own body weight and isometric holds to build strength, while weightlifting typically involves external weights and dynamic movements. Yoga is excellent for improving balance, joint stability, and functional movement patterns. For those looking to maximize muscle size or power, combining yoga with weight training can offer the best of both worlds.
You can increase the challenge by holding poses longer, moving to more advanced variations, or adding repetitions and rounds. Incorporating dynamic movements (like pulsations) and using props for extra resistance can also help. Gradually increasing practice frequency or session volume supports continued progress.
Aim for at least 2–3 sessions per week to start seeing strength improvements and maintain overall health. Consistency is more important than intensity when you’re beginning. Over time, you can increase frequency or session length as your fitness level improves.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
