Yoga Poses For Toned Legs
Practicing yoga has so many benefits, mentally and physically. Yoga can bring you peace as well as building strength in your body. If you’re looking to tone up your legs a bit, then add these simple and fun yoga poses into your practice!
Chair Pose
The chair pose, or utkatasana, is a great pose to strengthen and tone your legs. First inhale and raise your arms over your head, keeping your palms facing each other. Make sure your feet are hip width apart and parallel.
Then you will exhale and slowly bend your knees as they pass slightly over your feet and your torso leans forward. Imagine you are sitting down in a chair and try to get your thighs parallel to the floor.
Remember to keep your tailbone tucked under so you will continue to have length in your back. Try and hold this for about 30 seconds, staying in connection with your breath as you start to feel your legs getting stronger! You can come onto your tiptoes for an advanced option (shown in the photo below).
Tree Pose
Next on our list of yoga poses is the tree pose. This pose is great for toning your calves and strengthening your ankles! First, you will want to stand with your feet hip width and parallel, keeping your core engaged and standing strong.
Then you will bring your ankle to your hand and set it on the inside of your thigh on the standing leg. Raise your arms to the sky and connect to your breath. To keep your balance try to keep your eyes focusing on one thing in front of you while remembering to breathe.
If you really want to challenge your balance, try closing your eyes or waving your arms above you like tree branches in the wind. Hold this pose for a few breaths and repeat with the opposite leg.
Warrior 1
Warrior 1 is a great pose that strengthens your thighs as well as your calves and ankles. Begin in mountain pose, standing with your feet hip width and parallel.
Connect to your breath and bring your right foot back behind you at about a 45° angle with the leg straight. Being your left leg to about a 90° angle if you can.
Then raise your arms up above you with your palms touching, trying to keep your hips in line and facing forward. Connect to your breath and hold this pose for a few moments before switching to the other side.
Warrior 2
Warrior 2 is very similar to warrior 1 with just a few changes in your body position. You can flow into warrior 2 from warrior 1.
You will want to bring your legs to the same position as shown in warrior 1, but then extend the arm forward that is on the side of your 90° angle leg and the other arm back with both palms facing down.
When you do this you can open up your hips and bring your gaze softly in front of you. Hold this for a few breaths before repeating on the other side. These yoga poses (warrior 1 and warrior 2) can be done together on one side before switching to the other, evening everything out.
Goddess Pose
The last of our yoga poses will strengthen your entire lower body, as well as opening up your chest and stretching everything out. Start in mountain pose, standing with your feet parallel and your core engaged.
Connect to your breath and bring your feet out wider then your hips with your toes turned out. Your feet should be at about a 45° angle. Then bend your knees and sink your seat to about knee level.
Bring your arms up to the sky, opening up your chest but keeping your core engaged and spine long. Hold this for a few seconds and release. This pose will bring out your inner goddess! (You can also come to your tiptoes for an extra challenge, which is shown in the photo below).
