3 yoga poses to tone arms

It’s crunch time!  If you haven’t been exercising or keeping up your yoga and barre workouts then you’re late!  They say Summer bodies are made in the Winter but if you are just now rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, I’ve got an awesome arm hack for you.

My arms never saw definition until I started doing yoga on a regular basis.  And mind you I was dancing at least 8 hours a week and picking up heavy trays at the restaurant.  I love the way yoga incorporates one’s own body weight in such a dynamic way that it builds muscle strength, bone density and flexibility.

So here are my best picks for really toning up the arms for your summer dresses and tank tops!

Down Dog

Make sure your hands and feet start from plank pose.  Then rock back into down dog.  If your legs are tight and you find a lot of weight is in your arms then bend your knees so you can push your chest to the thighs.  It’s important to externally rotate the arms in down dog so you can really engage the triceps.

 

Side Plank

Often times students put their hand too far above their shoulder to gain any real strength.  So start in plank pose with your shoulders directly over your hands then turn to one side and stack your feet on top of each other to form one long line.  Use your inner thighs and core to keep your hips up and in line between your shoulders and feet.

 

Chaturanga 

Oh the illustrious chaturanga!  One of the most challenging arm positions in yoga. In this pose you want to keep your elbows in line with your wrists and do not round your upper back and dump your shoulders below your elbows!  As you get stronger you can bring your knees up off the ground!

 

Have fun and practice these for 3x at least 20 seconds each time.  Then we’ll wave to each other with no flapping in the wind!