Yoga is an incredibly versatile form of exercise able to be adapted for multiple desired outcomes. From the spiritually healing and mentally invigorating meditative aspects of the practice to the intense full-body engagement of challenging poses and constant breathwork, yoga can help you to create a healthier version of you both inside and out.
This series of yoga poses is specifically designed to get your heart rate up for a refreshing calorie burn that can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Throughout the workout, you will be able to target every major muscle group and part of your body.
A quick reminder before you begin, just because yoga involves a lot of stretching poses doesn’t mean you can skip your standard stretches and warm up. If you want to keep your practice purely yoga, try our 15 Minute Morning Yoga Routine as a warmup or do a few quick sun salutations.
Revolved Triangle Pose
The revolved triangle pose, also known as Parivrtta Trikonasana, is a full body stretching and strengthening pose that targets your legs while opening your chest, relieving tension in your back, and building a sense of balance, both literally and metaphysically.
- Start in a mountain pose, or Tadasana, standing tall at the top of your yoga mat with your feet together and your hands down at your sides, palms facing forward.
- Step your left foot back so that your feet are between three and four feet apart letting your left foot turn out for balance but keeping your heels in line with each other and your right knee aligned over your right ankle.
- Lift your arms up to the sides, palms facing down, so that your arms are parallel to the ground and in a straight line from fingertip to fingertip.
- Bend from your hips as you rotate your upper body to the right and allow your left hand to sweep down towards your right leg as you press down through your left heel.
- Reach your right arm up to the ceiling as you lengthen through both sides of your torso as you keep your head neutral or let it tilt upwards to gaze at your right arm.
- Hold this pose for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Drive through your back heel as you rotate and lift your upper body back to a standing position and then bring your feet back together to return to the start position.
- Repeat the pose with the opposite foot in front.
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Tree Pose
From the mountain pose you end in with the last yoga sequence you can move directly into Vrksasana or tree pose. The tree pose helps to improve posture and create space in your spine after long hours of sitting as well as to strengthen and stretch your legs from your ankles to your glutes. The pose engages your core as well to help strengthen your posture and your breathing.
- From a mountain pose, root both of your feet into the floor and feel your weight press into the ground through your feet as you bring your hands together at your heart’s center.
- Slowly shift your weight onto your right foot as you gently bend your left knee and raise your left foot to rest the sole on the inner thigh of your right leg.
- Press into the connection between your left foot and right thigh to keep your hips squared and your lower body engaged, this will also help with balance as will finding a focal point to rest your eyes on.
- Hold this pose for as long as possible up to a minute.
- Slowly return your left foot to the ground.
- Repeat the pose with your feet in the opposite roles.
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Warrior 2 Pose
The warrior two pose, or Virabhadrasana two, is one of the most common and iconic yoga poses. This pose burns all over as it tests your endurance and works nearly every muscle group at once including nearly all aspects of your core, a massive portion of your back and shoulders, the bulk of your legs muscles, and even your hip flexors and ankles. This pose is excellent if you want to build strength in your knees as well.
- From where you ended in the last pose, turn sideways and move so that you are standing in the middle of your yoga mat facing the long edge.
- Find a wide stance with your feet parallel to each other and bend your knees slightly as your raise your arms up and out to the sides, palms facing down.
- Rotate your right foot out at a 90-degree angle so that your toes and knee are pointing toward the top left-hand corner of your yoga mat and bend your right knee so that it is stacked over your ankle.
- Press down through your right heel and the outside edge of your back foot and you lengthen through your crown and align your shoulders over your hips.
- Keep your shoulders and back engaged as you gaze forward and reach through your arms.
- Hold the pose for up to a minute.
- Straighten your legs and bring your feet back together as you turn back to the long edge of your mat and return to the start position.
- Repeat the pose with your left leg leading this time.
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Bridge Pose
For these final poses, we will take our practice down to the mat. Bridge pose, also known as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, helps to lengthen and strengthen your lower back and helps relieve and prevent the pain that comes with sitting for long stretches. It also stretches your abs and chest as well as some of the harder to reach parts of your shoulders and strengthens your legs from your ankles to your glutes.
- Make your way onto your back with your head at the top of your yoga mat and your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the ground about hip-width apart.
- Inch your feet back so that your heels are as close to your buttocks as possible.
- Press down through your heels as you inhale and lift your hips off the ground and drive your pelvic bone toward the ceiling.
- Wiggle your shoulders under you a bit as you pull your arms together and clasp your hands underneath your back to help drive your pelvis even higher.
- Take a few breaths here then exhale as your release your hands and bring them back out to the sides to allow your torso room to return to the floor.
- Repeat the bridge pose yoga sequence 3-5 times.
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Dolphin Pose
We’ll close out our practice with dolphin pose. As an inverted pose, very similar to downward facing dog, dolphin helps with a number of physical and mental aspects including relieving stress, alleviating menstrual cramps as well as menopause symptoms, improving digestion, lessening the effects of headaches, fatigue, back pain, insomnia, and even depression, and even imparting benefits for people with high blood pressure, sciatica, asthma, and osteoporosis. If all of that isn’t reason enough, dolphin pose also stretches the backs of your legs including the arches of your feet and your shoulders while strengthening your arms and legs.
- Start by making your way onto your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and your knees in line directly under your hips, use a pillow or towel under your knees for added comfort if needed.
- Lower down onto your forearms, then tuck your toes under your feet and exhale as your lift your knees off the mat and drive your tailbone toward the sky.
- Press down through your forearms as you lengthen through the spine and work slowly towards having flat feet on the ground and straight legs without rounding your back, this will take time and should not be forced.
- Hold this pose for 30 seconds to a minute.
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