Most people gravitate toward free weights and machines when they need to gain muscle. Lifting weights is the best way to increase muscle growth and gaining muscle is believed to increase bone density, metabolism, sleep quality, and cognitive health.
However, sometimes using your own body is the best tool for the job and this is where yoga can help. Yoga does not require you to lift weights as you would at a gym to gain muscle. It uses your body weight as opposed to dumbbells to lift weights. Hatha yoga concentrates on the whole body. It energises every muscle in your body, including your glutes, legs, arms, and core.
These power yoga positions will strengthen your arms, legs, and core without using any weights or going to the gym.
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Vrikshasana
This one-legged position, also known as the tree pose encourages the body to stabilise itself and improve its posture. It gives the other leg a good pelvic stretch while working all those little muscles around the seated leg's ankle, knee, and hip. The core needs to be kept engaged during the entire movement to maintain balance. Your core, glutes, thighs, legs, back, arms, and shoulder are the main areas of concentration. The best thing is that this pose is a fantastic way to warm up before going to the gym.
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Purvottanasana
The Upward plank pose is a combination exercise that works on multiple muscular groups. It is, however, very difficult and demands sufficient arm and core strength in addition to some degree of flexibility. It would be better to attempt this pose with the assistance of a yoga instructor or only after you have mastered the others. You can anticipate muscle growth for the triceps, back, glutes, and legs once you master the challenging asana, and it also opens up the shoulders and chest. It exercises practically every muscle in your body and is a well-rounded stance.
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Bakasana
The Crow Pose, also known as Bakasana, resembles a crow sitting on a tree branch. A daily yoga regimen will make it simpler for you to achieve this difficult pose. Practice Bakasana only after your body has had a chance to fully warm up with the preceding yoga poses. You must use your arms to support your complete body weight while contracting your leg muscles and maintaining appropriate posture with your spine. A great stance for building upper body strength and muscle. Maintain the position for 30 to 60 seconds.
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Virabhadrasana III
The warrior position puts your body's endurance to the test. You need to balance yourself on one leg while isometrically contracting the muscles in your arms, elevated leg, and hamstring to the very limit of their flexibility. It is a single-leg exercise that works your core and demands balance. It helps in getting rid of those flabby arms, underarms and thighs. Regularly performing this stance can also help you develop a toned butt.
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Ardha Pincha Mayurasana
The dolphin pose is a great workout to stretch, strengthen, and warm up your entire body is the dolphin pose. Your posture will become more stable and balanced for longer periods with the help of this pose. You may strengthen and become more conscious of the muscles in your shoulders and back by performing the Dolphin Pose. In this posture, all of the muscles in your core will be working as you move forward and backwards. It might even help the muscles that give the appearance of a six-pack. Additionally, the dolphin pose encourages the development of shoulder flexibility, which is beneficial for handstands, crow pose, and other postures that involve pushing the arms overhead.
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Utkatasana
Chair posture works the glutes and legs while requiring a strong core and lower back to maintain balance. This would be the yoga pose to practise if you could only do one to increase the strength and muscle mass in your lower body. Your quads and glutes will start to burn as your legs support your weight in this half-squat position with a narrow stance. Many athletes use this pose for weighted squats because of how well it works the back and glute muscles. The chair posture is mild on the knees because the majority of the weight is placed on the hips, even though your thigh muscles will get a good workout as well.
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Sethu Bandhasana
Bridge Pose, also known as Setu Bandhasana, is so named because it resembles a bridge. If you want to simultaneously stretch and build strength, this stance is ideal for you. This position is excellent for strengthening the lower body since it puts pressure on the glutes, lower back, core, and legs. The Bridge position has many health advantages, including opening up the chest and shoulders, stretching the spine, and strengthening the hip flexors.