Yoga for Strength

1.) Plank pose: This is kind of like getting into push-up position then holding it. Start on your hands and knees, making sure your wrists are lined up underneath your shoulders (so your shoulders to your wrists make a nice straight line--this is important). Straighten one leg at a time all the way back, tucking your toes under, so your legs are straight and you're on your hands and toes (the toes should be tucked under so the bottom of them touches the floor). Make sure your butt isn't sticking up in the air (if it is, your shoulders need to move forward to be above your wrists), but also don't let your hips/pelvis drop down towards the floor. You want your body to be a straight, diagonal line. Keep your arms straight and pull your shoulder blades away from your neck. Keep your neck in line with your spine and look down at the floor between your hands. Hold and breathe. Great for arm strength, and also uses the stomach muscles.
*You can see a picture of this pose at http://www.flickr.com/photos/everydayelsie/406501870/in/set-72157594563196997/

2.) Downward facing dog: Another great one for arm strength. Again, begin on your hands and knees with your wrists lined up under your shoulders. Then move the hands about a hand's length forward and spread your fingers. Tuck your toes under, and on an exhale, press up and back through your arms as you lift your knees up and straighten your legs. Lengthen your spine by lifting your sit bones, pressing firmly up and back with the arms (like they're trying to push the rest of your body away from you), pressing back through your thighs and pressing down through your heels. You'll be making a triangular shape. Let your neck and head relax down between your arms and breathe as you hold it. To make this pose even more challenging, you can turn it into one-legged down dog. Step the left foot closer to the right foot, then lift the right leg straight up in the air. Hold it and breathe then lower the leg and do the other side.
*You can see a picture of this pose at http://www.flickr.com/photos/everydayelsie/406502109/in/set-72157594563196997/

3.) Flow between plank and down dog: Begin by moving into plank on an inhale, then on an exhale shift into down dog, lifting your sit bones and lengthening your spine. Then on your inhale, shift back into plank, bringing your shoulders and hips forward and down. Continue moving from one pose to another with your breath.

4.) Boat pose: This one's great for working the stomach muscles. Begin sitting with your legs straight out in front of you and your back straight (this is staff pose--it utilizes the stomach muscles as well). Lift from the low back to keep your spine tall and prevent it from rounding. Take your arms out in front of you, at shoulder level, with the palms facing in. Bend your knees and begin lifting your legs up, keeping the spine long as you do this (you can begin to lean back but don't let your spine round). Bring your legs up so that your calves are parallel with the floor. You may want to stop here initially. Or, if you want more of a challenge, straighten your legs until they make a diagonal line(you'll kind of look like an upside-down triangle).Again, work on lifting through the low back and chest to keep the back from rounding. Hold it and breathe.

5.) High lunge: This one is good for building leg strength. Start on your hands and your knees. Step your right foot forward between your hands, bending your knee, to come into a lunge pose. You can increase or decrease the amount of stretch you're feeling by increasing or decreasing the amount of space between the front foot and back knee. Tuck your left toes under, so the undersides of the toes are on the floor, and lift your left leg as you straighten your knee, coming into a high lunge. Then lift your arms straight up with the palms facing in. In the pose, work on keeping your back leg strong by keeping the knee lifted (don't let it begin to drop down towards the floor), and keep pressing back through the left heel. Hold it and breathe, then take it to the other side.

6.) Chair pose: Also known as powerful pose, this is a great one for leg strength and endurance. Start standing upright, with your feet about hip width apart. Bend your knees, dropping your tailbone and sit bones (the two bones in the middle of your butt) down towards the floor (as if you are getting ready to sit in a chair). Lift the arms up by the ears, with the palms facing in. Keeping the spine long, hold the pose and breathe. As you progress in the pose, work on sinking deeper down into the squat, moving the thighs closer to being parallel with the floor.
*You can see a picture of this pose at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lululemonathletica/3908354984/

7.) Upward facing plank: As well as being strengthening, this pose also provides a great full body stretch.It takes some strength and flexibility to get into it, so it's not for beginners. Start in staff pose, seated with the legs straight out in front of you and the spine long. Have your hands situated on the floor, several inches behind your hips with the fingers pointing forward toward the toes. On an inhale, begin lifting your pelvis and sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of your spine) up, pressing the soles of your feet down into the floor. Keep lifting until your feet are flat on the floor, your arms and legs are straight, and your upper body is slightly arched up. You can then gently drop your neck back, but take care not to hurt or compress it. If you're worried about your neck, don't drop it back and keep your head looking forward. Keep the hips high and your arms strong as you hold it and breathe. You may want to follow this with a forward bending pose (like down dog) to counteract the back bending action of this pose. If you find the full pose too difficult, you can do a less challenging version where your knees stay bent. In this version, start with your knees bent and your feet hip-width distance apart a foot or so in front of you. Then lift your pelvis and sacrum up until you're on your hands and feet in a table shape.

8.) Side plank: Yet another variation on plank pose, this one is a great strengthener for the arms, as well as a bit of a balancing pose. Read over the steps a couple times before trying it, as you'll need to move almost simultaneously into the pose. Start in plank (see above), then move your right hand forward, putting more weight on it, as you turn your torso out towards your left. As you're turning out to the left, bring your right foot onto its side, and stack your left foot on top of it. Lift your left arm straight up from your shoulder, with the palm facing out to the left. Your torso should be facing out to the left--be careful not to let it tilt down towards the floor. Keep the hips lifting away from the floor in this pose. You should be making a diagonal line with the side of your body. Hold and breathe, then take it to the other side.
*You can see a picture of this pose at http://www.flickr.com/photos/loratliff/337871202/

Keep in mind to always work within your particular limitations, listening to your body and moving with care. Yoga is generally a safe exercise activity but injuries can occur (mostly when practitioners are moving recklessly or not listening to their bodies) so be self-aware and careful. Consult your doctor first if you are recovering from an injury, or suffer from high blood pressure.