Yoga to Tone from Head to Toe

Posted on June 9, 2016 Updated on June 22, 2016

To the casual observer, yoga is a gentle movement, a series of stretches. But to the practicing yogi, yoga postures, or asanas, are so much more than a simple stretch.

Yoga soothes and strengthens the back and firms, tones, and sculpts the entire body from head to toe. As you move through the poses being cued, you’ll use your big muscles for full body bends and stretches as well as many smaller muscles you may not think about day to day. With regular practice, whether you attend classes or build a home yoga practice, you will work every muscle in your body.

A full sequence of yoga asanas strives to work all sides of the body equally, with the goal of bringing balance from front to back and left to right. Yoga allows us to build strength by engaging particular muscle groups while keeping the mind relaxed and the breath flowing. We tone and sculpt the muscles by adding intelligent mindful movement. And we challenge ourselves to the point of fatigue but never pain.

A well-rounded asana practice consists of an equal number of forward, backward, and side-to-side stretches and at least one each of the following:

A warm-up pose
A balance pose
A spinal twist
An inversion
A back-bending pose
Deep breathing
A cooldown pose
Relaxation and meditation

Most poses work a range of muscles, engaging more than one muscle group and opening up a range of motion. Learn how to work at your own pace, modifying the poses to meet the needs of your body that day. You’ll always have the opportunity to spice up the pose with modifications.

Over time you’ll be able to challenge yourself in new and surprising ways and increase your endurance, strength, and flexibility. And you’ll experience the myriad other mental and emotional benefits of a yoga practice.