I Teach Yoga and Do CrossFit, and These Are the 18 Yoga Poses I Swear By For Strong Arms

Updated on 2/28/2019 at 3:45 PM

Louisa

I like to lift heavy sh*t, but I also like to hold myself upside down in a 98-degree room while sweat drips from my nose onto my yoga mat. Both CrossFit and yoga have been integral in helping me gain strength and flexibility in my upper body. I couldn't do one without the other. But when I'm not pressing a barbell overhead and slinging kettlebells, these are the intense yoga poses I love to do to sculpt and strengthen my arms.

Downward Facing Dog Pose

Begin on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees should be underneath your hips.
Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. Then exhale to lift your hips, coming into an upside down "V" shape called Downward Facing Dog.
Spread your fingers wide and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground. Relax your head between your arms and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. Hold for five breaths.

Not sure you're doing it correctly? Here's what not to do in Downward Facing Dog.

Plank

Begin on your hands and knees.
Inhale to straighten the legs and hold the body in one straight line, shoulders over the wrists, abs pulled in, for five complete breaths.

Chaturanga

Begin in plank position with straight arms and straight legs.
Bend your elbows straight behind you, brushing them against the sides of your body, lowering into Chaturanga.
Keep your body parallel to the ground and your shoulders parallel with your elbows. Draw your navel toward your spine to protect your lower back, holding for five breaths.

Quarter Dog

From Downward Facing Dog, lower your elbows to the mat for Quarter Dog. This variation is easy on the wrists, but tough on the upper body.
Keep pressing your heels toward the floor, holding here for five deep breaths.

Extended Tabletop

From Down Dog, step both feet together so your big toes are touching. Keeping your left heel on the mat, raise your right leg in the air, coming into Three-Legged Dog.
Bend your knee, coming into Arching Three-Legged Dog.
Slowly lower your right foot to the floor behind you as you simultaneously raise your right arm in the air. You're essentially rotating your body 180 degrees so your belly is pointing up toward the ceiling. Readjust your feet so they are parallel and slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Press firmly into your feet to lift your hips high, engaging your glutes and hamstrings, and extend your right arm over your face.
Hold here for five complete breaths, gazing at your extended hand or up toward the ceiling.
Repeat this pose on the other side.

Intense East Pose

Begin sitting on the floor with your legs extended straight out in front of you. Place your palms behind your hips about six to eight inches away, with your fingers pointing toward your toes.
As you inhale, press into your hands and feet firmly, lifting your hips into the air. Raise them as high as you can so your spine is in a long line. Slowly release your head back, looking behind you and opening through your throat.
Stay here for five deep breaths, then lower your hips to the floor.

Side Plank

Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching.
Move your right hand over to the left so it's at the center of your mat (still at the top of your mat). Roll over to your right side and plant your right heel down so you are balancing on the outside edge of your right foot, stacking your flexed feet.
Reach your left arm up above you and gaze up at your palm. Stay here for five deep breaths, trying to keep your core strong and the pose steady.
Lower your upper hand to the mat and repeat this pose on the other side.

Sage

From Side Plank on the left side, lift your right leg up and hold on to your big toe with your first two fingers and thumb of your right hand.
Stay here for five deep breaths, trying to keep your core strong and the pose steady.
Lower your upper hand to the mat and repeat this pose on the other side.

Dolphin Plank

Begin in Down Dog. Lower onto your forearms and walk your feet out. Your body should be in one straight line with your shoulders directly above your elbows.
Hold Dolphin Plank for five breaths. If it's too difficult, lower one or both knees to the floor.
For more of a challenge, and to strengthen the upper body and core even more, do a few Dolphin Dives.

Elbow Side Plank

From Dolphin Plank, roll onto the left elbow. Balance on the outside edge of your left foot and raise your right arm overhead.
Stay here for five breaths, or do some hip dips. Then roll over and repeat this pose on the right side.

Crow

Begin in a Wide Squat. Place your palms firmly on the ground in front of you with fingers spread wide. Straighten your legs slightly and place your knees as high up onto your triceps as possible, toward your armpits.
Shift forward onto your hands, lean the weight of your knees into the backs of your arms, and lift your feet off the ground.
Touch your toes together and hold this arm balance for five breaths.

Side Crow

From a Wide Squat, walk your feet together. Twist your torso to the right, and place both hands on the floor so they're parallel with your thighs and shoulder-width apart.
Place your outer right hip onto your right elbow and your outer right knee onto your left elbow.
Shift weight into your palms, and lift your feet off the floor, coming into Side Crow. Hold here for five breaths, and then release your feet to the floor, coming back to a low squat position.
Rotate your torso to the left, and repeat this pose on the other side. After five breaths, come back to a low squat.

Wheel

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the ground (heels as close as possible to your bum). Bend your elbows and place your palms flat on the ground above your shoulders, fingertips facing your feet.
Inhale, press into your palms and lift your head, shoulders, and hips off the mat, straightening your arms and legs. Try to walk your hands and feet a little closer together.
Stay here for five deep breaths and then slowly lower your body down.
Eventually you want to do this pose for a total of three times. You can also do backbend push-ups to target your upper back and triceps.
Hug your knees into your chest to release your lower back.

Bound Headstand

Begin with your hands and knees on the mat. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace your fingers, bringing your lowest pinky in front of the other pinky, forming a semi-circle with your hands.
Place the back of your head against your palms and the top of your head on the mat, so your skull is vertical with the floor. Once your head and forearms feel stable, straighten both legs and walk your feet toward your face as far as you can.
Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep your elbows planted firmly on the mat. Lift both legs into the air, holding the headstand for as long as you can. I like to do a couple minutes, and practice lowering and raising my legs to work my core.

Forearm Stand

Come into Quarter Dog, and then move into Forearm Stand Split with your right leg lifted.
Once you're balancing with your legs in split position, slowly scissor them together, balancing with your feet above your hips in Forearm Stand. Tuck your tailbone and ribs in to help you stay balanced and keep your arms parallel.
After five breaths, lower your feet into Quarter Dog Pose and try coming into this pose with the left leg lifted.

L-Stand

Place your hands one leg length away from the wall.
Step your feet on the wall so your shoulders are stacked over the wrists and your hips over your shoulders, with the legs parallel to the floor.
Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.

Handstand Against the Wall

Place your hands six or so inches away from the edge of a wall.
Kick your feet up, press the top of your head against the wall, and move your legs away. This will get your body in the correct alignment with your hips and shoulders stacked.
Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.

Eight Crooked Limbs

Sit on your butt with your legs straight in front of you.
Bend your right knee and hold your right foot with your left hand. Bring your right arm underneath your right leg, and use your left hand to help push your right knee as high as you can on top of your upper right shoulder.
Plant your palms on the floor, and bend your right elbow slightly to keep your knee in place.
Cross your left ankle over your right.
Press into your palms firmly, engage your abs, and lift your hips off the floor.
Straighten your legs out to the side and lower your chest so it's parallel with the floor, holding for five breaths.
Sit up and repeat on the other side.