How yoga asanas can help you build muscles too

Yoga can beautifully blend strength training and functional movement.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a classic text on yoga, explains that practising asanas traditionally makes the body lean rather than bulky.

Written by: Asheesh Pal

3 min readNov 10, 2024 05:24 PM IST First published on: Nov 9, 2024 at 02:21 PM IST

While yoga traditionally gives you a lean and toned body, it can support muscle growth when poses are held for longer periods and combined with a proper diet rich in protein. It can beautifully blend strength training and functional movement that tones muscles, enhances stability and develops endurance.

Yoga and muscle mass

Yoga helps build muscle mass by engaging the muscles through various poses that use body weight as resistance. Unlike traditional weight training, which isolates specific muscles, yoga engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, allowing the body to work as a unified system. Holding poses requires sustained muscular engagement, which builds endurance and strength in targetted areas. Additionally, these poses work on muscle fibres.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a classic text on yoga, explains that practising asanas traditionally makes the body lean rather than bulky.

Here are key asanas that target different muscle groups, along with steps to perform each effectively:

Legs

1. Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

Stand with feet together, bend the knees, and lower the hips as if sitting on a chair. Stretch arms overhead, palms facing each other. Hold for 30-60 seconds, feeling the quadriceps and glutes engage.

Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

2. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

Step one leg back, and bend the front knee to form a 90-degree angle. Keep the back leg straight, stretching the arms overhead. Engage the thigh muscles and hold for 30 seconds on each side.

Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose)

3. Vashishthasana (Side Plank Pose)

From the plank, shift weight to one arm and stack the feet. Lift the opposite arm and hold for 20-30 seconds on each side.

Vashishthasana (Side Plank Pose)

4. Purvottanasana (Upward Plank Pose)

Sit with legs extended, place hands behind, and lift hips upward. Engage glutes and chest, holding for 20-30 seconds.

Purvottanasana (Upward Plank Pose)

5. Setubandhasana (Bridge Pose)

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet hip-width apart. Lift the hips while squeezing glutes and hold for 20-30 seconds.

Setubandhasana (Bridge Pose)

6. Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)

Lie on your stomach, place your hands under the thighs, and lift your and legs off the ground, engaging the lower back. Hold for 15-20 seconds.

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)

7. Naukasana (Boat Pose)

Sit, lean back, lift your legs off the ground, extending arms forward. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Best for your core.

Naukasana (Boat Pose)

Scientific backing for yoga in muscle-building

A 2016 study published in the International Journal of Yoga found regular yoga practice increases muscular strength and endurance across various age groups. Another study in Complementary Therapies in Medicine showed that holding poses like plank and chair for longer periods significantly improves muscle activation, resulting in hypertrophy over time.

While yoga may not bulk up the muscles as quickly, it offers benefits like joint stability, functional strength and improved flexibility.

(Asheesh Pal is Master Trainer, Sri Sri School of Yoga)

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