Use the following gentle strengthening exercises from yoga to condition your body and increase your strength without using any expensive equipment. All you need is a good yoga mat. These movements are very low impact exercises and can help you build your muscle strength over time. Have fun.
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1. Chair Pose
Begin in an upright, standing position with your feet together, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Extend your arms overhead. Contract your abdominal muscles then bend through your hips and knees to move into a low squat position, similar to sitting in a chair. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Take a couple of deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position.
Chair Pose
2. Warrior 1
Begin the strengthening yoga poses in an upright, standing position, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Take a big step forward with one leg, keeping your toes pointing straight ahead. Bend your front knee and straighten your back leg. Tighten up your abdominal area and shift your hips forward, extending your arms overhead. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Take a couple of deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Warrior 1
3. Warrior 2
Begin the strengthening yoga poses in an upright, standing position with your feet considerably wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining a proper alignment in your upper body. Bend one knee and pivot your foot so that your toes are pointing out to the side, ideally at a 45-degree angle. Contract your core and extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder-height. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Take a couple of deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Warrior 2
4. Cobra Pose
Lie on your stomach with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips and legs. Rest your forehead on the ground and place your hands at your sides at chest-height. Breathe in, and then press up and arch your back. Use your back and core strength with minimal pressure from your hands. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Take a couple of deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Cobra Pose
5. Bridge Pose
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body. Place your hands at your sides. Contract your abdominal area, then push from your heels to lift your hips up. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Take a couple of deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement.
Bridge Pose
For all of these yoga exercises, you want to feel strong in your core, arms and legs. Exercises with repetitions should be limited to no more than 10 of them.
All of these gentle yoga poses are designed to improve the strength you have throughout your body, specifically targeting your core, arms and legs along with your back, hips and glutes.
For a yoga sequence to start each day, check out 12 Yoga Poses to Wake Up Energized and Start Your Day Off Feeling Fresh, here!
