Developing strong muscles does not necessarily mean spending hours working with weights.
Yoga as pectoral exercises is a great way to build muscles in the chest, shoulders, and upper arms without risking injuries or using complicated equipment.
Benefit of Yoga
Scientific studies are constantly finding new health benefits associated with yoga and meditation exercises. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the goal of yoga is the combination of muscle training and fitness with the awareness of the body, breath, and self.?♀️
It is about focusing the mind on each exercise…?
…so that the body becomes stronger in every way. When individuals incorporate yoga into a personal fitness routine, it can help build muscles in different areas of the body, improve overall endurance, improve muscle flexibility, and improve the overall health of the body. It is beneficial for more than just building up flexibility, especially when the poses and movements are focused on working the chest and arms.
Plank
The plank is a basic move for yoga strength training, particularly in the chest, arms, and core. According to AZCentral.com, the yoga pose builds muscles in the chest, shoulders, arms, legs, and stomach, which is an excellent tool for strength training.
The pose is simple. Start on the hands and knees to get started. Stretch the legs back until they are straight and the toes are touching the floor.?
Heels should lift off the floor
Straighten the arms completely so that they are perpendicular to the floor and shoulders. Pull the stomach tight and the back straight.
The pose looks similar to the pose for push-ups, but it is at the point when the body is raised off the floor. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to one minute before lowering the body to the floor and getting up. It will build up the arms, shoulders, chest, and stomach.
The plank is a good basic pose for any beginner or advanced practitioner of yoga
Since it is simple and does not require flexibility, it is a good way to build muscles without worrying about focusing on flexibility.
Cobra Pose
COBRA POSE IS ANOTHER BASIC POSE in yoga that is appropriate for beginners and more advanced practitioners.
In the cobra pose, the purpose of the pose is to improve the flexibility in the back while opening up the chest. It works on building endurance, strength, and flexibility in the pectoral muscles as well as the upper and lower back.
The pose is not challenging. Start by lying flat on the floor with the stomach facing the yoga mat. Place both hands on the side by the stomach and pull the shoulders, head, and stomach off the floor. Open up the chest and look up at a 45-degree angle.
Hold the pose for roughly 30 seconds and then slowly lower the body back to the mat
In cobra pose, only stretch the back until it has a comfortable stretch. Do not push to bend the back farther because it can result in pain. Allow the muscles to become more flexible over time rather than trying to force flexibility on the first try.
Bow Pose
The bow pose is exactly what it sounds like: making the body look like a bow. YogaJournal.com states that the arms represent the string of the bow while the legs and chest represent the bow. The pose is designed to help open up and stretch the chest muscles while improving overall flexibility and balance.
During bow pose, start with the body flat on the yoga mat with the stomach facing downward. Bend the knees at a 90-degree angle and reach the arms back to grasp the ankles. Lift the head, shoulders, and chest off the floor to reach the ankles and allow the chest to open up and stretch.
Hold the pose for 20 to 30 seconds and then release it, slowly lowering back to the mat.
The pose helps build up muscles in the chest while working on flexibility
YOGA IS NOT LIMITED to building up flexibility. It can also help improve the strength of the muscles, even in the chest, shoulders, and arms.
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Sources:
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3193654/
(2) http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/pectoral-yoga-1891.html
(3) http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/finder/anatomical_focus/chest
