Poses for Your Legs
From yoga squats to Chair, these key poses sculpt strong, lean legs and build strength.
Latest in Poses for Your Legs
6 Poses to Stretch (and Strengthen) Your Inner Thighs
We know you love your hip openers. But it's easy to overdo a good thing. Here's how to find that elusive balance of stretching and strengthening.
This Is the Secret to Preventing Low Back Pain
Your lower back does enough. Here's how to move more efficiently in your practice—and in life.
Reverse Plank | Upward Plank Pose
Purvottanasana counteracts the effects of Chaturanga by stretching the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and anterior deltoids.
Tree Pose
A classic standing posture, Vrksasana establishes strength and balance, and helps you feel centered, steady and grounded.
Bound Angle Pose
Bound Angle Pose, or Baddha Konasana, opens the deepest part of the hip muscles.
Warrior 2 Pose
Named for a legendary warrior, Virabhadrasana 2 strengthens your quads, shoulders, and core—not to mention your stamina and inner resolve.
Staff Pose
It might look straightforward, but there's more to Dandasana than meets the eye.
Legs Up the Wall Pose
There's a general consensus among modern yogis that Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall Pose may have the power to cure whatever ails you.
Pyramid Pose | Intense Side Stretch Pose
Parsvottanasana encourages balance, body awareness, and inspires confidence.
6 Yoga Poses That Will Tone Your Entire Body
Trade in your gym workouts for these postures, which shape stronger legs, arms, and core.
Handstand
Adho Mukha Vrksasana boosts energy and confidence, and can literally give you a new perspective on life.
Warrior 3 Pose
A standing posture centered around balance, Virabhadrasana III will strengthen your legs, ankles, and core.
Supported Headstand
Standing on your head in Salamba Sirsasana strengthens the whole body and calms the brain.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
One of yoga's most widely recognized poses, Adho Mukha Svanasana strengthens the core and improves circulation, while providing a delicious, full-body stretch.
Easy Pose
Don't let the name fool you. If you're used to sitting in chairs, Easy Pose (or Sukhasana) can be quite challenging.
Extended Triangle Pose
Extended Triangle Pose is a quintessential standing pose that stretches and strengthens the whole body.
Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana can be whatever you need—energizing, rejuvenating, or luxuriously restorative.
Chair Pose
Utkatasana powerfully strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs, but it also stimulates the diaphragm and heart.
These 7 Yoga Poses Will Improve Your Golf Game
Start aiming for par with these poses.
Extended Side Angle Pose
Find length in your side body, from your heel to your fingertips with Extended Side Angle Pose.
Skip the Gym. These Are the Best Yoga Poses for Strength
Suddenly, your practice just became a lot stronger (literally).
Revolved Triangle Pose
As a counterpose to Utthita Trikonasana and preparation for seated forward bends and twists, this pose is key to a skilled practice.
Mountain Pose
It seems so simple as to hardly be a pose. But this basic posture contains the secrets of how to hold yourself in countless other poses.
Revolved Side Angle Pose
This revolved variation of Utthita Parsvakonasana requires a lot of flexibility to twist so deeply and ground the back heel.
Firefly Pose
Want to fly? Fire up your core. Firefly pose is an arm balance pose that requires more core strength than arm strength.
8 Yoga Poses for Tight Calves
Our calf muscles regularly get overused. It's time to treat them with care.
All It Takes Is 5 Minutes of Stretching to Soothe Shin Splints
Hobbling around the house? These stretches will help relieve your discomfort (and feel good, too).
6 Yoga Stretches for a Tight IT Band
These yoga stretches can relieve iliotibial band syndrome, IT band pain, and hip pain.
5 Calf & Quad Stretches to Enhance Your Yoga Practice
These classic stretches help release stress and muscle tightness in your leg muscles, so you can move more effectively.
Free Your Side Body: A Flow for Your Fascia
Do you practice yoga regularly but still feel “stuck” in certain spots? Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Allison Candelaria created this muscle-and fascia-freeing flow to tune up the lateral sides of your body.
9 Poses for Strong and Toned Glutes
Work your glutes (and legs) with these poses from Leah Cullis.
11 Calf and Forearm Openers for AcroYoga, Climbing + More
NASA rocket scientist/yoga teacher Scott Lewicki balances a highly technical day job with creativity on the mat. Use this innovative practice to find new space in often forgotten muscles.
Claire Missingham’s Flow to Balance Your Lower Chakras
Looking to boost your confidence? Try this sequence from yoga teacher Claire Missingham to open your hips and balance your lower energy centers.
Achieve Uttanasana the Safe Way
Kathryn Budig's Modifications for Safe Alignment in Standing Forward Bend
5 Steps to Master Standing Forward Bend
Kathryn Budig shares her instructions to get into Uttanasana. Plus, reap the benefits and avoid these mistakes.
How Yogis Do Squat: Malasana
Sculpt strong, lean legs and focus your intention with Malasana.
Allison Williams’ 3 Barre Poses Every Yogi Needs
The Girls' star is a big fan of yoga and bodyweight exercises to tighten, strengthen, and lengthen her muscles.
Bringing Balance to the Legs
Sage Rountree offers advice to ensure the upper and lower leg work together evenly, which can prevent a variety of injuries from ankle sprains to hip problems.
Stand Strong Grounding Sequence
Find steadiness inside and out with this powerful leg-strengthening sequence.
Balancing the Lower Legs
A combination of stretching and strengthening through yoga asana can balance sore and tired lower legs.
Let Go and Say Ah
Check out YJ Editors's author page.
Twist Up To Unwind: Eagle Pose
Twister, anyone? The pose that ties you up in knots also loosens up your mind, as you ride the wave of wobble.
Give Yourself Props in Hero Pose
Grit your teeth and curse your teacher or give your body the support it needs to get more out of the pose.
Sciatica Soothers
Check out Katherine Griffin's author page.
Get Strong and Shine On: Half Moon Pose
Once you find balance in Half Moon Pose, radiate and extend in all directions to strengthen your legs, hips, and core.
Master an Essential Pose: Extended Triangle
Learning the fundamentals of this key yoga pose sets a strong foundation for the rest of your practice.
The Most Versatile Backbend: Bridge Pose
One of yoga's most versatile backbends, Bridge Pose can fire you up or cool you down depending on what you need.
Flexibility? This Standing Forward Bend Is the Secret
Frustrating as it can be, Parsvottanasana is key for increasing hamstring and shoulder flexibility. Learn how to work it.
Must-Know Yoga Pose: Downward-Facing Dog
The perfect microcosm of yoga, Downward-Facing Dog Pose can change your entire practice—maybe even life.
Got Tight Quads? Yes, You Can Still Enjoy Supta Virasana
Don't let tight quadriceps keep you from one of yoga's most relaxing poses: Supta Virasana.
More Than a Pushup: Get the Most Out of Chaturanga Dandasana
"Four-Limbed Staff Pose" says it all. This pose becomes much easier when the rest of your body pitches in. Learn how to get the most out of this challenging pose.
Warm Up and Cool Down: Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend
Prasarita Padottanasana is not only the perfect prep for standing poses but for your cool-down, too.
Stand Strong in Warrior II Pose
Richard Rosen tells the story of Virabhadra and how you can use Warrior II to improve balance and build strength.
High Lunge
Counteract the effects of Modern-Day Sitting Syndrome by lengthening your hip flexors in High Lunge.
Recommended Poses for Parkinson’s Disease
Check out Peggy van Hulsteyn's author page.
Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose
Can you practice Wheel with straight arms and Headstand without strain? Then, you're ready.
Garland or Squat Pose
An excellent facilitator of good pelvic floor health, Garland Pose, called Malasana in Sanskrit, stretches the ankles, groins, and back while stimulating proper digestion. No worries if your heels don't reach the floor—simply rest them on a folded blanket.
Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose
In Extended Hand-to-big-toe Pose, maintaining solid grounding through the standing foot helps keep you steady.
Big Toe Pose
This pose gently lengthens and strengthens even stubbornly tight hamstrings.
Half Frog Pose
Ease up into Half Frog Pose, called Ardha Bhekasana in Sanskrit. This pose strengthens the back while gently opening up the shoulders, chest, and thighs—a loving treat for the entire body.
You Have to Be Nice to Your Hamstrings to Lengthen Them
Flexible, strong hamstrings are key to any yoga practice. But they're often stubbornly tight. These five hamstring stretches gently lengthen and strengthen them.
Balance Effort & Ease: Supta Padangusthasana
Relax yet remain alert, balancing the restorative and the active in Supta Padangusthasana.
Feathered Peacock Pose | Forearm Balance
You may know Pincha Mayurasana or Feathered Peacock Pose by one of its common aliases: Forearm or Elbow Balance.
Expand Mind + Body: Extended Triangle Pose
Embrace the stability and expansion of Triangle Pose to ground your body and steady your mind.
The Long and Short of Legs
Check out Julie Gudmestad's author page.
Dancer Pose | Lord of the Dance Pose
Dance with cosmic energy in this challenging yet graceful balancing pose that relies on equal parts effort and ease.
Feel Whole in Warrior I
After making alignment adjustments in Warrior I, let go and feel the wholesome integration of your entire body.
Loosen Up Your Calves
Tight calves can interfere with your practice in ways you might not suspect, but frequent stretching can improve calf flexibility.
Seek Out Sattva: Prasarita Padottanasana
This forward fold restores a sense of balance by grounding the body so the mind can become tranquil.
Wide-Angled Seated Forward Bend
Upavistha Konasana is good preparation for most of the seated forward bends, twists, and the wide-leg standing poses.
Wheel Pose | Upward-Facing Bow Pose
Need an energy boost? Urdhva Dhanurasana can help—and strengthen your arms, legs, abdomen, and spine in the process.
Find Your Seat of Power: Chair Pose
This is no easy chair. Sit back and power up in Chair Pose.