Malaika Arora shares yoga poses for strength and flexibility
Bollywood fitness icon Malaika Arora shares her go-to yoga poses for building strength and improving flexibility. Her routine includes Bridge Pose, Warrior Pose, and Cat-Cow Pose, which help tone muscles and enhance endurance. Check hee how to perform and benefits.
New Delhi: Bollywood actress and fitness enthusiast Malaika Arora is a testament to the fact that fitness can be achieved and maintained at any age. Regardless of your circumstances, if you decide to stay fit and healthy, you can achieve this with a simple and easy workout routine. The star often shares her videos and photos showcasing her yoga skills to keep her body active and in shape. In a video shared by Malaika Arora, she was doing various yoga poses to build the strength and flexibility of her body.
For strength, building and flexibility, Malaika Arora was seen performing downward-facing yoga poses, boat pose, and other yoga poses that help keep her body and shape. If you think Malaika Arora can be your inspiration, and are looking for some easy yoga poses that can help your body build strength. Check out this guide with correct posture and how to perform those poses for muscle building, strength and flexibility of the body.
Yoga poses for strength-building
Bridge pose
A powerful backbend that strengthens the core, glutes, and legs. Helps build glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. This pose is great for those who wish to improve posture or shoulder strength.
How to perform
- Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart, flat on the floor.
- Place your arms alongside your body, palms facing down.
- Press your feet onto the floor and lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Engage your glutes and core, keeping your thighs parallel.
- Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing deeply.
- Lower your hips slowly back to the floor.
1. Cat cow pose
A gentle flow between two poses strengthens the spine and core. It also increases spinal flexibility and stiffness, helpful for those who get major back ache or shoulder pain.
How to perform
- Start in a tabletop position on hands and knees.
- Cat Pose (Marjaryasana): Exhale, round your back, tuck your chin toward your chest, and draw your belly button in.
- Cow Pose (Bitilasana): Inhale, arch your back, lift your head and tailbone, and open your chest.
- Continue flowing between Cat and Cow for 5-10 breaths.
2. Warrior pose
A powerful set of standing postures that build full-body strength and endurance.
How to Perform Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
- Stand with feet wide apart, turn one foot out, and bend your front knee at a 90° angle.
- Keep your back leg straight and press the outer edge of the foot into the mat.
- Raise both arms overhead, keeping the chest lifted.
- Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then switch sides.
How to Perform Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
- From Warrior I, extend both arms parallel to the floor, keeping the front knee bent.
- Ensure your shoulders are stacked above your hips.
- Gaze over your front hand and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
How to Perform Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
- Shift weight onto one leg and extend the other leg behind while lowering your torso forward.
- Keep your arms extended either forward or by your sides.
- Hold the position for 20-30 seconds, engaging the core for balance.
3. Legs up the wall
A simple yet very effective yoga posture that offers multiple health benefits and also helps to keep your body flexible and your legs off the ground. The pose is associated with relaxation and stress relief. This pose also helps build strength in the lower body, improve body circulation, and enhance overall body flexibility.
How to perform
- Find a wall and sit sideways next to it, ensuring that your hip is touching the wall.
- Lie down on your back and gently lift your legs, resting them against the wall.
- Move your head closer to the wall and deep stretch.
- Rest your arms by the side and with palms facing up and keep your neck relaxed
- Stay in this poster for 5 to 10 minutes, focusing on deep and slow breathing for concentration improvement.
- To come out of the poster, bend, your knees and roll it on one side before sitting up.
Adding these yoga poses to your workout routine can be an effective way to build muscles, and develop endurance, balance and muscle tone. If you are someone who is looking to improve posture and muscle strength, these poses provide a holistic way to achieve fitness, just like Malaika Arora does.