Whether it’s managing stress, increasing your flexibility or boosting your balance, yoga has the power to enhance your quality of life tenfold. But did you know you can practise yoga for strength work too?
Yep, it’s true. No matter whether you’re a fan of morning yoga or prefer to perfect your downward dog later in the day, you can absolutely build strength through the practice of yoga. Just take a look at this 2019 review, which highlighted the significant impact yoga can have on lower limb strength along with lower body flexibility. Meanwhile, a 2021 meta-analysis found just nine to twelve weeks of yoga had a "large" positive effect on physical fitness, noting that it improved flexibility, balance and all-important muscle strength.
With so many different types of yoga to choose from, including yoga for energy and yoga for flexibility, the benefits of yoga really know no bounds. So it should come as no surprise that a suspected 300 million of us turn to yoga, with Miley Cyrus, Jessica Alba and Alicia Keys all rumoured to be included!).
Of course, when it comes to building strength through yoga, not all types of this mind-body practice are made equal. So, to find out how you can best utilise yoga to carve out a stronger body, we spoke to experts, delved deeper into the research and found out what are the best types of yoga for strength. Plus, we’ve also dropped some expert-approved flows to help you build strength from your yoga mat at home.
New to yoga? Then take a deep dive into your guide for yoga for beginners, while you’re here.
Yoga for strength: your expert-led guide
What is yoga for strength?
As its name suggests, yoga for strength is the art of practising yoga to become stronger.
Most people might turn to yoga to help increase their flexibility and focus or use it as a relaxation technique during times of stress.
But as this landmark study confirms, which was published in the International Journal of Yoga, along with reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, as well as improving sleeping patterns and enhancing overall well-being and quality of life, yogic practices can work to enhance muscular strength and body flexibility.
“You can build a lot of strength with a consistent yoga practice,” Charlotte Townend, private yoga teacher and founder of Wylder, confirms. “Yoga uses your body weight that will make you stronger and increase muscle tone. Balancing poses build strength in minor muscles and transitioning between yoga poses will target mobility in the joints that will in turn lead to improved stability and endurance for optimum movement.”
What are the best types of yoga for strength?
Vinyasa yoga, Iyengar yoga and Ashtanga yoga are all great examples of yogic practice that builds strength. But why so? “Iyengar yoga places an emphasis on standing poses to develop strength, stability, stamina, concentration and body alignment,” researchers in one study found.
Townend adds: “Dynamic styles of yoga (like Vinyasa, Power and Ashtanga) build strength and make you more flexible and balanced. These styles may quicken in pace which requires a lot of core engagement for stability. You may be inspired to challenge yourself with inversions to build further strength, such as headstands or handstands.”
What are the benefits of yoga for strength?
Building total body strength is always a good idea, whether it’s through weights via kettlebell exercises or dumbbell exercises, resistance bands or forms of exercise like yoga that use bodyweight exercises.
Unfortunately, as science tells us, we lose muscle mass as we age. One study found that muscle mass decreases around three to eight per cent per decade after the age of 30 and after the age of 60, this rate of decline is even higher. This can lead to poor balance, weakness and diminishes our quality of life by reducing our ability to perform daily tasks, like being able to climb the stairs or carry shopping bags.
But that’s where strengthing exercises like yoga step up to the plate. “Yoga improves mobility, flexibility, balance, posture and endurance - all of which contribute towards a stronger body that moves efficiently,” Townend shares.
But while you’re increasing your muscle strength through yoga, the same benefits of yoga apply. This includes:
- Improved flexibility and mobility
- Improved heart health
- Reduced risk of injury
- Improved mindfulness
- Reduced stress.
"The more you practise, the easier it gets, the stronger you get”
Elodie Gythiel, 50, is a marketing consultant and co-founder of Live Yoga Teachers. Gythiel has been practising yoga for 15 years and swears by Iyengar to help her build strength. Here she explains why…
“Opposite to what most people think, yoga can build strength — especially if you select a dynamic type of yoga or a static type of yoga where you hold poses for a long time. Regular yoga practice offers the potential to obtain a stronger, leaner, well-balanced physique with increased flexibility, better posture and increased fat loss."
“By holding poses for a long time, you learn to grip your body from the inside and you work deep inside the muscles on the edge of your range. You learn to pull your muscles in the opposite direction for a full stretch and work on facias while keeping the bones inside their joints (to avoid wearing them off)."
“You build muscle and lose fat, and you really sculpt your body with defined muscles under the skin, while working on your flexibility and joints. There is also a mental challenge involved in the poses you hold for long and for the inversions: you learn to do a headstand or handstand, poses I would have never thought I could achieve. Learning to be still in a pose is a great way to calm your mind and feel grounded and less anxious at the end of the session."
“The key to getting strong is to practise often. You’ll see a real difference when you start practising at least three times a week. The good news is that it gets easier. The more you practise, the easier it gets, the stronger you get.”
Yoga for strength: 5 flows to try yourself
Keen to give yoga for strength a try? We don’t blame you. Whether you’re short on time or energy we asked Townend to round up her favourite yoga for strength flows and detail her reasons for loving them. Here is the yoga for strength practices she always comes back to…
1. 15-minute beginner yoga Vinysa flow
What? Look to Yoga with Kassandra if you’re searching for a short and sharp beginner yoga flow that will not only help your strength, it will give your balance and stability a boost too.
Why? Townend explains: “A sequence focusing on balance and stability will require a lot of core strength that will improve posture, mobility and strength in the body”
How long? 15 minutes.
2.15-minute yoga for flexibility
What? Five poses feature in this flow from yoga teacher Juliana Spicoluk of Boho Beautiful Yoga. But don’t mistake this for being easy. The moves range from a child’s pose to a standing split.
Why? “It’s a full body strengthening sequence that explores movement with control for all parts of the body,” Townend says. “This power flow is dynamic and will work the core, upper body, glutes, thighs and spine.”
How long? 15 minutes.
3. 25-minute mobility flow with Yoga With Adriene
What? Yoga With Adriene guides this class taking you through a mobility session that will help improve your range of motion. So you can say see ya later to a tense back, hips and shoulders.
Why? “I love this class as it focuses mostly on hip mobility and increasing range of motion in the hip joints,” Townend says. “Mobility work through the joints is crucial when increasing strength because it improves blood flow to the area, increases flexibility and enables the body to move more efficiently.”
How long? 25 minutes.
4. 30-minute Yoga for power flow
What? Challenge your range of motion and improve your relationship with your brain and body with this sweaty power flow from Tana Yoga.
Why? “A sequence to increase flexibility in the lower body,” Townend shares. “When we increase flexibility, we enhance muscle efficiency that will increase endurance and strength.”
How long? 30 minutes.
5. 45-minute Power Vinyasa Flow
What? Forward folds, plank poses and chaturangas feature heavily in this Vinyasa flow from yoga teacher Briohny Smyth which will build core strength and challenge your flexibility. Prepare to feel like you’ve worked just about every inch of your body!
Why? “A vinyasa sequence to challenge your strength through inversions and arm balances,” Townend tells us. “A fantastic all-round sequence to stretch and strengthen the body.”
How long? 45 minutes.
SHOP MC UK'S GO-TO YOGA EQUIPMENT NOW
Movement requires support, so how does this soft-to-the-touch sports bra from Adanola that comes with four-way stretch and a decorative race-back design sound? Coming in 100% recyclable packaging this is sportswear with a conscience.
Being comfortable and feeling well-supportive is important when perfecting your poses — and these sweat-wicking Sweaty Betty leggings get our vote. They're breathable, quick-drying and super comfy. So in other words: definitely up to the task.
Take your practice up a notch. Topping our guide to the best yoga mats is this super popular 5mm-thick mat that comes with a whole load of cushioning, visual alignment cues and moisture absorption.
How long does it take to build strength in yoga?
Having looked at the research, building strength through the practice of yoga varies depending on your age, the duration, intensity and overall health.
But according to one of the latest studies, published in 2024 in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, noticeable improvements in back-leg strength, hand grip, balance and flexibility were found after practising yoga for 45 minutes, six days a week for six weeks.
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