Yoga for Strength, putting your effort in the right place so you don't have to use so much of it. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Yoga for Strength

Configuring the Body to Be Stronger with Less Effort

by: Neil Keleher

Published: 2017 12 08

Updated: 2019 08 021

Categories/Tags: Strength

Yoga for Strength isn't about just doing poses to mindlessly get stronger. It is about directing your awareness and your effort so that you can apply strength effectively with less effort.

If you put your effort in the right place, you don't have to use so much of it.

Creating Stability for a Stronger Yoga Pose

For stronger yoga poses the first step is to create stability somewhere within your body.

You might choose to stabilize your feet, heels and/ankles to give your leg muscles a stable foundation.
You might choose to stabilize your ribcage and your shoulder blades to give your shoulder and arm muscles a stable foundation.

The better you are at creating stability, the easier it is to get stronger with less effort.

If you are having problems developing strength it may be due to a lack of stability somewhere within your body.

Notice where you lack stability,
so that you can work at creating it.
Then you can get stronger with less effort.

Strength Index, TOC

Spinal Erectors

Alphabetical Strength Photo Index

Stability

Abs

yoga poses for abs: dead dog 2, activated abs to lift pelvis and upper back off of floor. Neil Keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Dead Dog Reach: Abs

Dog Pose Knee Lift: Abs

Yoga Poses for abs, standing forward bend with balancing on one floot with both hips actively flexed and abs engaged, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Forward Bend on One Leg: Abs

Yoga poses for abs, side angle pose with both hands reaching past the head to exerise the abs, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Side Angle: Abs

Yoga poses for abs, standing twist using abs to turn ribcage, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Standing Twist: Abs

Hip Flexors

Using boat pose (navasana) as a hip flexor strengthening exercise. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Boat Pose: Hip Flexors, Abs

Hip flexor strengthening exercise, standing knee lift. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Standing Knee Lift: Hip Flexors

Hip flexor strengthening exercise, bending forward while standing on one leg and pullin the lifted leg forwards. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Forward Bend On One Leg: Hip Flexors

Using Hurdlers stretch as a hip flexor strengthening exercise. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Hurdlers Stretch: Hip Flexors

Yoga poses for abs, L-sit, lifting up with legs straight and hips and legs lifted, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

L Sit Lift Up: Abs, Hip Flexors

Using wide leg seated side bend to strengthen the hip flexors. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Wide Leg Side Bend: Hip Flexors, Abs

Quadriceps

Chair pose or Utkatasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Leg Strengthening exercises, lifting the hips and then the bottom leg while seated using the strength of one leg without the help of your hands. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Seated Get Up Leg Lift: Quads, Calfs, Hips

Pistol squat. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Pistol Squat: Foot, Knee, Hip, Hip Flexors

Feet

Balancing in side plank with bottom knee and elbow straight and with top leg lifted. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Balancing in Side Plank: Foot

Knees

Activating Your Knees and Strengthening them

Hips

Hip Strengthening Exercises

Glutes

Leg strengthening exercises for the glutes: pushing one foot into the floor and lifting the other foot while in bridge pose. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Bridge Pose with Leg Lifted: Glute, Shoulders

Reverse plank or purvottanasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Reverse Plank: Arms, Back of the Body, Legs

Galavasana arm balance, also known as the flying pigeon arm balance Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Galavasana: Arms, Glutes, Abs

Hamstrings

Leg strengthening exercises for the hamstrings and glutes, pressing your legs down while doing a seated forward bend and reaching your arms forwards. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Hurdlers Stretch: Hamstrings

Calfs

Legs

Outer Thighs

Half moon is a balance pose with weight on one leg and the same side hand touching the floor. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Half Moon Pose: Feet, Hips

Leg strengthening exercises, side plank using the bottom leg.. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Side Plank: Outer Thigh

Inner Thighs (Adductors)

Leg strengthening exercises for the inner thighs: pressing the foot into the floor in half side split. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Half Split: Arms, Inner Thighs

Leg strengthening exercises, Side plank using the top leg. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Side Plank: Inner Thigh

Spinal Erectors

Locust Pose with arms reaching back but legs on the floor. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Locust Pose: Spinal Erectors, Glutes, Hamstrings

Upper Back

Thoracic Awareness and Upper Back Strength

Lats

Shoulders

Yoga poses for abs, lifting up with legs crossed, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Cross Leg Lift Up: Abs

Arms

Chaturanga Dandasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Chaturanga Dandasana

Eagle Yoga pose involves binding the arms and legs. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Eka Pada Bakasana: Arms, Glutes, Abs

Arm Strengthening Standing Forward Bends
Half Split
Arm Supported Yoga Poses
Bent Arm Strengthening Exercises
Yoga Push Ups
Chaturanga Dandasana
Chaturanga 2
Eka Pada Bakasana
Mayurasana
Dolphin Yoga Pose
Purvottanasana

Strength Photo Index

B Strength Photo Index

Using boat pose (navasana) as a hip flexor strengthening exercise. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Boat Pose: Hip Flexors, Abs

Boat Pose, Strengthening the hips one leg at a time. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Boat Pose: Hip Flexors, Quads, Abdominals

Yoga poses for abs, boat pose variation with one foot on floor and one leg lifted, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Boat Pose: Abs

Bound angle pose sitting upright with arms behind for support, Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Bound Angle: Glutes, Outer Thighs

Bridge Yoga pose with hands clasped. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Bridge Yoga Pose: Glutes, Spinal Erectors

Leg strengthening exercises for the glutes: pushing one foot into the floor and lifting the other foot while in bridge pose. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Bridge Pose with Leg Lifted: Glute, Hip Flexor

C Strength Photo Index

Chair pose or Utkatasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Chaturanga Dandasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Chaturanga Dandasana

Chaturanga Dandasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

yoga poses for abs, chaturanda dandasana, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Crocodile: Abs

Yoga poses for abs, lifting up with legs crossed, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Cross Leg Lift Up: Abs

D Strength Photo Index

A dance of shiva arm internally rotated arm position used to strengthen the shoulders. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Dance of Shiva Shoulder Exercises

yoga poses for abs: dead dog 2, activated abs to lift pelvis and upper back off of floor. Neil Keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Dead Dog Reach: Abs

deep squat with butt to heels and arms lifted. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Dog Pose Knee Lift: Abs, Hip Flexors

Dolphin yoga pose with forearms parallel and heels slightly lifted. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Dolphin Yoga Pose

Downward Facing Dog Viewed from the front. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Downward Facing Dog

Yoga poses for ab, down dog with abs engaged, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

E Strength Photo Index

Eagle Yoga pose involves binding the arms and legs. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Eka Pada Bakasana: Arms, Glutes, Abs

F Strength Photo Index

Hip flexor strengthening exercise, bending forward while standing on one leg and pullin the lifted leg forwards. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Forward Bend On One Leg: Hip Flexors

Yoga Poses for abs, standing forward bend with balancing on one floot with both hips actively flexed and abs engaged, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Forward Bend on One Leg: Abs

Leg strengthening exercise, reaching one leg back while standing. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Foot Touch: Quads, Calfs, Hamstrings, Glutes

G Strength Photo Index

Galavasana arm balance, also known as the flying pigeon arm balance Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Galavasana: Arms, Glutes, Abs

H Strength Photo Index

Half moon is a balance pose with weight on one leg and the same side hand touching the floor. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Half Moon Pose: Feet, Hips

Yoga poses for abs, half moon pose with bottom side abs engaged to help hip flexors pull chest towards thigh, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Half Moon: Abs

Leg strengthening exercises for the inner thighs: pressing the foot into the floor in half side split. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Half Split: Arms, Inner Thighs

High Lunge. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

High Lunge: Hip Flexors

Leg strengthening exercises for the hamstrings and glutes, pressing your legs down while doing a seated forward bend and reaching your arms forwards. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Hurdlers Stretch: Hamstrings

Using Hurdlers stretch as a hip flexor strengthening exercise. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Hurdlers Stretch: Hip Flexors

K Strength Photo Index

Leg strengthening exercise, touching a knee to the floor in a lunge. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Knee Touch 1: Quads

Leg strengthening exercise, touching a knee to the floor while standing, without touching the foot to the floor. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Knee Touch 2: Quads

L Strength Photo Index

Yoga poses for abs, standing hip flex with flexed hip knee straight, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Leg Lift: Abs

Locust Pose with arms reaching back but legs on the floor. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Locust Pose: Spinal Erectors, Glutes, Hamstrings

Yoga poses for abs, L-sit, lifting up with legs straight and hips and legs lifted, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

L Sit Lift Up: Abs

Lunge Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Lunge: Hip Flexors

Yoga poses for abs, bending lumbar spine forwards with abs engaged, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Lumbar Flexing: Abs

M Strength Photo Index

Mayurasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Mayurasana: Arms, Abs

P Strength Photo Index

Pistol squat. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Pistol Squat: Foot, Knee, Hip, Hip Flexors

Using plank pose as a hip flexor strengthening exercise. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Plank: Hip Flexors

Chaturanga Dandasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Yoga Push Ups: Shoulders, Arms

Reverse plank or purvottanasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Purvottanasana: Arms, Hamstrings

Pyramid pose forward bend (parsvottanasana). Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Parsvottanasana: Hamstrings, Hip Flexors

Hip flexor strengthening exercises, activating the quadriceps and hip flexors in front triangle standing yoga pose. (Quads and hip flexors relaxed). Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Front Triangle: Hip Flexors

R Strength Photo Index

Reverse plank or purvottanasana. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Reverse Plank: Arms, Back of the Body, Legs

Revolved or twisting triangle yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Revolved Triangle: Hips and Spine

S Strength Photo Index

Strengthening the hip flexors in seated forward bend Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Seated Forward Bend: Hip Flexors

Leg Strengthening exercises, lifting the hips using one leg while seated. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Seated Get Up: Quads, Calfs, Hips

Leg Strengthening exercises, lifting the hips and then the bottom leg while seated using the strength of one leg without the help of your hands. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Seated Get Up Leg Lift: Quads, Calfs, Hips

Yoga poses for abs, seated twist with hands in prayer and using abs to turn ribcage relative to pelvis, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Seated Twist: Abs

Side angle yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Side Angle Pose, Thighs

Yoga poses for abs, side angle pose with both hands reaching past the head to exerise the abs, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Side Angle: Abs

Balancing in side plank with bottom knee and elbow straight and with top leg lifted. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Balancing in Side Plank: Foot

Side plank. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Yoga poses for abs, side plank pose with top leg lifted and knees straight, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Side Planks: Abs

Leg strengthening exercises, side plank using the bottom leg.. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Side Plank: Outer Thigh

Leg strengthening exercises, Side plank using the top leg. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Side Plank: Inner Thigh

deep squat with butt to heels and arms lifted. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Standing forward bend, grabbing a yoga mat to strengthen the arms while doing a standing forward bend. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Standing Forward Bend: Arms, Shoulders, Lats, Glutes and Hamstrings

Hip flexor strengthening exercise, standing knee lift. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Standing Knee Lift: Hip Flexors

Yoga poses for abs, standing twist using abs to turn ribcage, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Standing Twist: Abs

T Strength Photo Index

Table top yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Table Top Yoga Pose: Shoulders

Yoga poses for abs, triangle yoga pose with arms reaching past the head to actively stretch the abs, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses

Triangle Pose: Abs

Triangle yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Triangle Yoga Pose: Hips, Waist

Yoga poses for abs, triangle twist with bottom hand lifted using abs to twist ribcage, neil keleher, sensational yoga poses.

Twisting Triangle: Abs

U Strength Photo Index

Upward facing dog. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Upward Facing Dog: Arms, Back of the Body, Legs

Triangle yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Utthita Trikonasana

W Strength Photo Index

Warrior 2 yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Warrior 3 yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Wheel yoga pose. Neil Keleher, Sensational Yoga Poses.

Wheel Pose: Legs

Using wide leg seated side bend to strengthen the hip flexors. Neil Keleher. Sensational Yoga Poses.

Wide Leg Side Bend: Hip Flexors, Abs