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    10 Insanely Challenging Yoga Poses That Build Serious Strength

    There’s no shortage of hard yoga pose #inspo on the net these days. But what if you’re actually inspired to try one yourself? Where would you even start? Megan Hochheimer, founder of US-based Karma Yoga Fitness , USA who frequently posts her own impressive “physics experiments” (her words), shares the benefits of pushing the boundaries of your practice, the requirements for nailing next-level poses, and of course, 10 hard yoga poses to set your sights on along with some pro tips. (Note that many of these tricky poses have a variety of names; the ones included here are what Hochheimer calls them.)
    First and foremost, have fun with it: “Where else can you be a grown-up and get to be barefoot and roll around on the floor and breathe as loud as you want? In your yoga practice, all those things are welcomed, so there’s no reason why some of these tricky poses can’t be a fun adventure.”

    The Benefits of Hard Yoga Poses
    You’ll learn more about your practice.
    “Sometimes I’ll see something in a picture and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, definitely I could do that.’ But then I end up laughing at myself because there’s no way,” says Hochheimer. On the flip side, with good prep work and practice, she’s nailed poses she never thought she’d be capable of. “It’s cool to find where those nuances are in your own body. That self-study is something that is so encouraged in yoga.”
    You’ll hone functional strength.
    “When you build that strength to get up and down off the ground, balance on one foot or balance on your hands, you’re honing those parts of your physicality that are going to help make all the rest of your activities of daily living so much more enjoyable,” says Hochheimer.
    You’ll finesse your proprioception.
    Other perks include working on your proprioception which, when dull, can lead to balance issues. “In most of these tricky poses there is this element of balance, whether one knee is on the ground, one foot is on the ground, you’re arm balancing, or you’re in an inversion,” explains Hochheimer. “When you start to build that, you’re building concentration and proprioception.”

    The Hard Yoga Pose Prerequisites
    Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously.
    Some poses could take years to master while you may be able to do others right away. “What’s really important is that we don’t take ourselves too seriously about any of it,” says Hochheimer. “If you’re going to approach this in a really competitive way, sometimes that invites injury. Whereas if you approach it in a playful way, and just stay with yourself through the process, I think that it’s a very healthy exploration.”
    Bail Like A Kid.
    Know this: You’re going to fall out of arm balances and inversions. “All of us who have learned how to do them fall in one way or another, so the more you can understand your body mechanics and how you do that, the safer you can be when you do have to bail.” When you’re a little kid, you’re riding your bike, you fall off, you roll into the grass and you’re not hurt that badly. So, before attempting any of these poses, just do some cartwheels and rolls on the ground to get back in touch with that part of yourself and practice safely falling.
    Really, Really Warm Up.
    The better you warm up, the better you’ll be able to get into these poses. And not for nothing, Hochheimer notes that they’ll look more aesthetically pleasing to boot. A 10-minute vigorous flow should get your heart rate up and muscles warm, but be sure to specifically target the areas you’ll use in each pose as well.
    Take Videos or Photos.
    “Sometimes in my head I thought things were going to look one way, but then they look a different way in a picture or video,” Hochheimer says. “Viewing them afterwards helps me to make tiny adjustments or understand that I need to do my homework and develop more triceps strength with decline push-ups, or foam roll, or whatever it is. That helps you learn because you’re not just then repetitively going back into these patterns of failure.”
    Practice—And Consider Pro Help.
    Remember: These are hard yoga poses! “With all yoga, a lot of it is practice so just keep coming back to it,” advises Hochheimer. Working with an experienced teacher can help you to more safely and quickly nail them.

    1. Camel Variation

    Expert Tip: Camel Pose is such a great opening of the front of our body that sometimes gets tight with a lot of our more strenuous Vinyasa. The arm variation here is a big shoulder stretch. Be sure to warm up your shoulders extra well before trying it.

    2. Peacock Pose

    Expert Tip: Remember that your legs are just as strong when you get upside down as they were when you were standing on them—keep them super active in this pose.

    3. Tripod Headstand Variation

    Expert Tip: Work on you scapular mobility before you try this one. To do so, hold a yoga block overhead between the hands on its widest angle. With straight arms, try to “push” the block towards the ceiling without shrugging your shoulders up around your ears. As you “pull” the block back down, don’t bend the elbows but do use the back muscles to create the sensation of the pull. Keeping squeezing the block between the hands through both phases of the movement. Repeat several times for scapular mobilisation.

    4. Eight Angle Pose

    Expert Tip: This one grows out of that Baby Grasshopper. Work on your Chaturanga or tricep push-ups as prep work and focus on squeezing your inner thighs in the pose.

    5. Baby Grasshopper

    Expert Tip: Sit on the floor with the right leg extending out in front. Step the left foot over the right leg and twist the torso to the right so that both hands come to the floor in line with the left foot. Press into the hands and bend elbows into chaturanga (upper arm parallel to the floor). Practise engaging the inner thigh to lift the right leg up (or use a block under the right hip to get lift off). Lean towards the right inner arm and use core muscles to hold the body still as the left hand grabs right big toe.

    6. Baby Crow Pose

    Expert Tip: If there’s a pose here to try first, it’s this one. It’s deceptively tricky-looking, but not as hard for most people to accomplish. It’s almost like a flying Child’s Pose. Start in a forearm plank, then walk your feet a little wider and start to tippy toe in until you feel your knees touch the backs of your arms. Then, come into a Cat spine, look forward, and shift your weight forward.

    7. Split Pose Variation

    Expert Tip: Work on hamstring, quad, and hip flexor mobility before attempting this pose. You could try Pigeon Pose and half splits with blocks.

    8. Side Plank With Big Toe Grab

    Expert Tip: Here, you’re working internal rotation of one leg, external rotation of the other, core strength, and balance. The prep for balancing in this pose can be found in the Pose of Infinity: Lay on your right side with a yoga strap in your left hand. Rest your head on your right hand or arm. Extend both legs and try to keep the body in a straight line. Reach down and pull the left foot into the strap. Slowly extend the left leg up towards the ceiling. Use the strap in your left hand to control the stretch and hold the left foot up and focus on keeping the torso and right leg stable (try to limit the wobble forward and back). Repeat on the other side.

    9. Bound Forward Fold

    Expert Tip: This one goes in the family of the Kneeling Compass (and it’s a prep for Bird of Paradise). The difference is that this one requires a bind, which means you’re taking double internal rotation of your shoulders. Use a strap in your hands as they come across your back to make it more accessible.

    10. Fallen Compass

    Expert Tip: This tricky “fallen” variation marries Compass and Bridge poses. Warm up the hamstrings and lateral bending as much as possible before attempting.

    The article 20 Hard Yoga Poses That Build Serious Strength And Confidence was first published on Women’s Health.

    READ MORE ON: Difficult Yoga Poses Fitness Tips Yoga More

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    Yoga Moves That Bonnie Mbuli Swears By

    “The quickest way to bring my mind and my soul into alignment is to discipline my body. If I discipline my body, I’m more likely to choose the right meal after I’ve worked out. I’m more likely to go and pray because I feel good. I’m more likely to make a better decision about something I need to do concerning work. I’m highly likely to have more energy to do the things I’m supposed to do. I’m more likely to look at the world in a positive way. So I use exercise as a tool for mastering myself,” enthuses the 42-year-old actress and author. The mom of two boys, who covers our Jan/Feb 2022 issue shares that she’s learnt that mind, body, soul and spirit are all aligned. She adds, “When one is out of whack, all of them get scattered!”
    Here are Bonnie’s go-to yoga moves. Get ready to feel calm, strong, and bendy.
    Downward Dog

    Bonnie’s Take: “It’s a superb hamstring stretcher – and mine are always tight! There’s also something about this position that forces me to fully face myself.” 
    Master It: Start in a high plank. Lift hips up and back, sinking heels toward floor, until body forms an upside down “V” shape. Press shoulders away from ears and relax neck. Spread fingers wide on mat, with palms pressed against the floor. Hold for five slow breaths.

    Headstand

    Bonnie: “It improves circulation and challenges my fears. I used to pull off headstands effortlessly as a child. Now, I can only master them against a wall! I think it’s fear though.”
    Master It: Begin by interlacing your fingers and placing your forearms on the mat, parallel, palms facing each other. Cup the back of your head in your hands, the top of your head on the floor. Take five breaths here. Then, pushing down through shoulders and forearms, lift one foot up into the air, knee bent. Using your core, lift the other to meet it. Brace abs and squeeze glutes and leg muscles, as you slowly straighten legs upwards, pointing toes. Your body should feel like a solid, secure cylinder, with minimal weight on head and neck. Hold for three breaths, then slowly lower legs back down.

    Humble Warrior 

    Bonnie’s Take: “It reminds me to strike a balance between being strong and vulnerable.”
    Master It: Start with legs almost as wide as mat, right foot forward, toes facing straight ahead, left foot back, outside of foot parallel to back of mat (right heel lined up with middle of left inner arch), torse facing left side, and arms at sides. Keep left leg straight while deeply bending right knee until thigh is parallel to mat, then extend arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Gaze should be over front fingers. Hold for three to five breaths.

    Any Hip Openers 
    Bonnie’s Take: “Hips are where we house our trapped emotions and trauma. Hip stretchers remind me to keep my heart open.”
    Master It: Happy baby is a beginner-friendly pose. Start lying on back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms at sides. Draw knees toward chest outside of ribs with legs bent and soles facing ceiling. Bring arms inside of legs and grab big toes with first two fingers and thumb of same hand. Gently pull knees toward floor. Hold for five to eight breaths.

    READ MORE ON: Bonnie Mbuli Downward Dog Headstand Humble Warrior Yoga Yoga Workouts More

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    How To Nail Pigeon Pose And Become More Flexible

    Real talk: There’s no quick way to become more flexible. That’s not to say you should cross it off your list of fitness goals, though, it just means you’ll have to work harder to get there. A great place to start is with yoga. And one move that definitely needs to be added to your practice is […] More

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    9 Best Yoga Apps To Level-Up Your At-Home Practice

    Between Apple’s App Store and Google Play, there are so many yoga apps to choose from right now that it can be overwhelming to pick the best yoga app for you. Don’t let decision fatigue interrupt your flow, though. Instead, check out this list of 9 top-rated yoga apps for iOS and Android devices. It’s […] More

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    We Asked A Yoga Instructor For The Best Poses To Tackle Upper And Lower Back Pain

    The first week of October is National Back Care Awareness Week. The South African Society of Physiotherapists dedicates this week to educate the public on the common causes, risks, complications and prevention of lower back pain. So what causes back pain? Back pain is caused by several conditions: arthritis that affects the lower back and […] More