Yoga can Help You Gain Muscle

To gain muscle, joining a gym isn’t the only way out; however, it may be considered an essential step by professionals. Common folks like you and me too aspire to have body some symmetry, muscularity, and conditioning as well.

Whether it is professionals or common people, Yoga can be used as an effective way of building muscles with endurance, flexibility and strength. Yoga isn’t just about some positions which stretch your muscles through grotesque postures; it is a whole world of natural fitness of which muscle building is just a part. Different Yoga postures focus on gaining mass to a specific muscle of the body. For instance, a warrior pose targets muscles in the legs.

Gyms of the western world are flooding with DVD’s, books and special Yoga trainers since it gained popularity in 80s. Yoga has proven to be much more than a bunch of guys taking to light exercise and babbling about spirituality.

How Yoga builds muscles?

Through specific Yoga stretches, you can cut the time you spent on lifting weights and sweating with similar popular practices you follow to build muscle. The fact that Yoga can help develop your body muscles isn’t a conjectural theory anymore. It’s a proven fact.  Some poses of Yoga require a lot of strength and endurance.

Yoga has some specific stretches to help you develop high isometric muscle endurance. These poses are held for longer durations and equal a lot of workout. As a professional bodybuilder, Yoga improves your posing endurance and ability with creativity.

Then, there are some Yoga poses that ask you to lift your own “body weight and position your body” to work your muscles.

Specific Yoga poses to build muscles

Tree Pose

In this pose, the entire body weight is balanced on a single foot, which requires significant strength to control the muscles. Through it, you’ll gain muscles of that specific leg. In this pose one needs to stand straight on the left leg and bend the right leg, and then put the right foot on the inner left thigh. In a correct pose, the right knee points to the right with your hands together above your head.

Warrior I Pose

Warrior I Pose is another effective pose to gain muscles on the legs. In this pose, jump the feet apart, one towards front and one towards backside. Bring the back foot at 45-degrees, and extend your front leg with front foot those points straight ahead. Hold the position while you lift through the core.  Other poses like Warrior II and III are also recommendable to build leg muscles.

Shoulder Stand

Work on lean muscle with Shoulder stand. It requires you to lay flat on the back and inhale. Then, raise both legs straight up without leaving space between them and exhale. The head, neck, shoulders and upper arms holds the weight of the body. The breathing must be gentle while this posture is held. It will build muscles around your back and arm muscles.

However, avoid this pose in case you have been diagnosed with disorders such as osteoporosis or arthritis.

Cobra Pose

The specific stretch strengthens the back muscles along with toning glutes. To perform it, lift the chest, pelvis and belly off the surface while lying on your stomach. It forces a stretch in your shoulders, chest, and abs.

Triangle Pose

Triangle Pose is another pose that strengthens and build muscle mass in the legs, targets lean hip-muscle, and develops the abs. The stretch requires the individual to spread apart the feet between three to four feet sideways. The left foot should point forward while the right foot and the knee are turned outward.  Raise the arms straight to the sides to the shoulder height. Extend the body over the right leg and place the right hand on the floor, and exhale while you lean to the right. Left arm goes overhead and look up toward your hand.

Plank Pose and Side Plank Pose

Through performing Plank pose, you can work on the wrist, arms, spine and also tighten the abdominal muscles, while the side plank pose helps you gain muscle in the core and legs.

Another effective pose to tone the buttocks and strengthen the arms and wrists are Upward-Facing Dog. For building muscles in both the arms and legs, Downward-Facing Dog is recommended by trainers.

Handstand and Supported Headstand

Handstand is tough stretch to perform. You need to rest your feet against the wall without losing the alignment with the hips. It’s only when you build enough arm strength that you can let the wall support your legs in a full handstand. On finer level, you must perform this pose unsupported. It elongates your abdomen; strengthen the arms, wrists, shoulders.

Author Bio

I’m Mike a Health& Fitness Consultant having 5+ years of experience working in clinics, gyms and also Yoga instructor dealing with health, pain and injuries. I provide professional assistance and advice on health issues currently associated with http://www.consumerhealthanswers.com.