Strengthening and Restorative Yoga Poses for Full Body Health

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Strengthening and Restorative Yoga Poses for Full Body Health

By 05/09/2024

6 Min Read

Yoga is well-known as a practice to help you connect more deeply with your body. Our guide covers restorative techniques for better balance, core health, and whole-body well-being.

Why Yoga?

Yoga as we know it, derives from practices that seek to unite a person’s body, soul, and mind. The philosophy of yoga that is described in the Yoga Sutras includes eight limbs, to be practiced in order. The first two limbs, in particular, are about principles by which to live your life (the namas and niyamas, which include ideas like ahimsa (non-harming) and svadhyaya (self-knowledge)). 

We’ve mostly adopted the practices of asana (poses) and pranayama (breath work) in yoga classes here in the US, even though they are technically only the third and fourth limbs. Limbs five through seven are primarily focused on meditation techniques, leading to the eighth limb, samadhi–freedom from the pain of attachment to worldly concerns. 

Within the umbrella term of yoga, there are several different modalities that have developed over time. Instead of breaking down every single style type or pose, I want you to find useful information that will help you connect with your body. 

Why is all of this background information on yoga philosophy in an article that promises to be about how to feel better in your body by practicing yoga? While some of the philosophical aspects of yoga that are rooted in Hindu traditions are less prevalent in many yoga studios, the combination of mindfulness, breathwork, and movement remains central to yoga. Some studies have shown this combination may provide health benefits such as reducing anxiety, depression, stress, and inflammation in the body. But the reason this combination works so well is that it’s rooted in the principle that we can ease our suffering by being deeply present. 

So when you step onto your mat to move, take a moment to allow yourself permission to experience movement as something worth paying attention to; not because it will give you an aesthetic result, but because paying mindful, loving attention to your movement practice allows you to feel more at home in your body.

yoga-poses

Enhancing Core Health with Yoga Poses

When I experienced a severe back injury, I benefited from practicing restorative yoga as part of my rehab routine. The asanas (poses) in this article draw on a variety of yoga traditions, including restorative and hatha practices, and I now incorporate these kinds of movements into my online programs Restore Your Core® and RYC® Fit. Moving mindfully, rather than cutting back on movement, is an essential part of rehab for all kinds of injuries. 

Because of the way that it integrates mind and body, yoga is a useful practice to incorporate into exercise routines designed to restore function to your core, pelvic floor, and more. My special area of expertise is in core and pelvic floor rehab. As it turns out, this kind of healing is best accomplished through a whole-body approach that includes mindfulness. By prioritizing moving safely and dynamically, you can continue to engage in movement even while you heal from core and pelvic floor issues. We’re going to practice a few poses that focus on:

  • Building strength while stretching
  • Maintaining good alignment and form
  • Wise and dynamic sequences that challenge you but do not break you
  • Learning ways to be mindful and present as you move from dynamic to restorative poses
  • Restoring a sense of peace and home in your body

General Cues For Moving Mindfully

As you perform the sequence below, notice whether you’re focusing on making each movement perfect or whether you can simply be present to how the movement feels in your body. Make sure that you’ve been cleared to exercise by your doctor before attempting this sequence, especially if you have an injury that may be aggravated by exercise.

When you breathe, use a calm, three-dimensional breath. Notice as you inhale that your ribcage expands to allow air into your lungs, and as you exhale, your core corsets in to support your movements. If that kind of breathing pattern feels weird to you, give this video a try.

It may take some time to learn to breathe three-dimensionally, so as you practice this sequence, just notice whether there are times when you feel like you want to hold your breath or push down when you breathe; choose to gently release that tension instead.

9 Key Yoga Poses for Health and Wellness

My program Restore Your Core® is designed to teach people how to help their bodies become more reflexive and responsive in daily activities such as lifting, walking, and standing. Posture, breathing mechanics, and how you move your body throughout your day are crucial to full body health and wellness. These nine key yoga poses, all of which make an appearance in the program, can help you develop a strong, resilient body by giving you the opportunity to move in a variety of ways. In order to do so, you will need to use both restorative and strength-building poses. The first several poses are performed while standing and are strengthening poses. Once you come down to the floor for cat-cow, you’re in a more restorative frame of mind. 

At the same time, even a standing pose can be done with a restorative lens–think about using a chair or blocks to support the weight of your body instead of relying on your legs and arms alone. Ultimately, the goal is to gently increase the movement available to you.

I want you to think about these yoga poses as more than just more exercises: these poses can help you learn to drop into somatic exploration from a place of curiosity and compassion.

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1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Poses like mountain pose and downward facing dog help you practice your steady, grounded presence, like when your toddler is screaming and you just want to drink your coffee in peace. Tadasana promotes a sense of grounding and stability.

  1. Come to stand at the front of your mat with your feet pelvis-width apart
  2. Allow your arms to rest by your sides
  3. Notice where your pelvis is in relation to the rest of your body–find a place of balance where your pelvis is neutral and your spine has its natural curves
  4. Stand here for a few breaths, noticing how your feet are supporting your legs, your legs support your pelvis, your pelvis supports your torso, your torso supports your head
  5. Start to tune into your breath, noticing how on your inhale, your ribcage expands
  6. Allow your exhale to follow naturally from your inhale, with your ribs gently relaxing toward the end
  7. Continue breathing slowly and mindfully until you feel your body begin to feel steady and settled on your mat

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Downward facing dog pose stretches and strengthens the shoulders, while stretching the hamstrings and calves. This position can also increase blood circulation, helping you feel more energized. 

Because this pose can be challenging to people with less shoulder mobility or strength, it may help to start by facing a wall or chair and using that surface for your hands instead. If you choose one of those options, keep your feet flat on the floor and walk back to find a similar pose.

  1. From tadasana, inhale and raise your arms. Slowly exhale as you hinge at your hips to place your hands on the mat and step your feet back a few steps into downward-facing dog
  2. Gradually shift your pelvis back, keeping your spine neutral. Imagine lifting your sitbones toward the top of the wall behind you
  3. Your knees will probably be slightly bent
  4. Don’t tuck the pelvis under; if you feel your spine begin to round, bend your knees a little more deeply or shorten your stance
  5. Press your hands into the mat as you imagine pressing your heels toward the floor while keeping your sitbones high, and your knees softly bent
  6. Hold for a few breaths, noticing how it feels to rest in this position, then step your feet forward (or walk your hands back) to a forward fold, maintaining a soft bend in your knees
  7. Slowly come up to stand again

3. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

Plank pose is well-known as a core-strengthening exercise, when performed correctly. If you don’t have a solid core engagement strategy, practice with your knees down, or at a wall.

Plank And Woman On A Living Room Floor For Home Workout

As you get stronger, you might enjoy integrating plank and downward dog in a sun salutation.

  1. Come onto all fours with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips
  2. Exhale as if blowing out 100 candles, then stretch one leg straight back with your toes tucked under
  3. Stretch the other leg back to meet the other leg
  4. As you step your legs back, try and minimize your body shifting, you should feel your core working to stabilize the spine
  5. Your body should be in a line: pelvis and spine neutral
  6. Hold for a breath or two, then bring your knees back down to the mat

4. Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2) 

Dynamic poses like Warrior 2 help you learn to move your body through space and build mobility, stamina, and strength.

Woman Standing In Yoga Position, Warrior 2

Once you’ve found steadiness in your Warrior 2, you can practice Triangle Pose on the same leg before switching sides.

  1. Stand with feet wide on your mat
  2. Turn your right foot out and your left foot straight ahead
  3. Bring your pelvis as neutral as you can–don’t let one hip hike up too far compared to the other
  4. Bend your right knee so the right knee is in line with the centerline of the foot–keep your shin vertical
  5. Lift your arms out to the sides with your palms facing up like you’re gently balancing a plate on each hand
  6. Turn your head to look over your right hand
  7. Press your front foot into the mat as if you want to straighten the leg, and allow yourself to feel the push of your right foot into the ground while your left foot stays steady behind you
  8. Hold this pose for a few breaths
  9. Slowly relax your arms and straighten your leg

5. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

This pose challenges your balance and stability, improving coordination and proprioception. Focus less on trying to side bend as far as possible; instead, notice where you feel your core stabilizing you and pause there.

  1. Stand with your feet as you did for Warrior 2
  2. Shift your hips very slightly to the left as you hinge to the right side
  3. Left arm reaches up toward the sky; right arm reaches down, with your right hand in front of your knee or shin. If your leg is not easily within reach, you might rest your hand on a block or a stool
  4. Gently rotate your chest to face forward–you might imagine that instead of your collarbones pointing toward the ground, they’re shifting to look at the wall in front of you. Keep the side of your waist long
  5. Hold for a few breaths, noticing what feels particularly challenging here–keeping your feet pressing into the ground Remembering to breathe?
  6. Come up slowly
  7. Repeat with your left side

6. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Balancing poses like Tree Pose will help you learn to respond to uneven loads, like bringing in a load of groceries.

Tree pose also gently encourages hip stability and mobility. 

  1. Stand with your feet steady on the ground, pelvis and spine neutral
  2. Shift your weight to your left foot without shifting your hips to the side; if your hips do shift, take a moment to notice how that feels: do you feel more or less grounded? How can you find a deeper sense of balance that comes from your whole leg?
  3. Lift your right foot and gently place it on your left calf or inner thigh. Do not force your foot any higher than it wants to go
  4. Press down through your left leg, feeling the connection between your foot and the ground
  5. Inhale while lifting your arms above your head toward the ceiling
  6. Optional: bring your palms together. Another option is to bring your palms together in front of your chest
  7. Stay here for a few breaths–and don’t worry if you fall out of the pose!
  8. Gently release your right foot to the floor
  9. Repeat with the opposite leg

7. Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat/Cow)

This dynamic pose gently warms up the spine and improves spinal flexibility. I like to imagine that the spine in cat/cow is like a string of pearls, gently undulating as I move.

  1. Begin on hands and knees, with wrist under shoulders and knees under hips
  2. Cat: Exhale to slowly tuck your pelvis under and round your spine, moving from your tailbone to the top of your head; imagine the string of pearls is draping over your spine
  3. Cow: Inhale and reverse the movement, untucking your pelvis and lifting your collarbones; the string of pearls extends, with each end reaching away from the other end
  4. Notice whether your spine wants to collapse in cow and bring a little more control into the movement
  5. Go back and forth from cat to cow several times, ending with a neutral spine

8. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

Child’s pose is a restful posture that encourages pelvic floor relaxation. It can also help to calm the mind and soothe the nervous system.

Pregnant Woman Doing Yoga Asana Balasana Child Pose

This can be a great pose to insert in between more challenging positions. 

  1. On all fours, bring your big toes together to touch
  2. Sit your butt back toward your heels, widening your knees as needed to accommodate your body
  3. Lower your head down toward your mat. You can also use a block or bolster to rest your head
  4. Place your hands close to your side or stretch them out in front of you
  5. Rest here for several breaths, allowing your pelvic floor to relax (imagine your sitbones gently widening–but don’t force them). Notice how your pelvic floor gently responds to your breath
  6. Balasana is another wonderful pose in which to feel your ribcage expand with the inhale: notice how your back body makes space for the air coming into your lungs
  7. When you’re ready to come out, gently press your hands into the ground to sit up

9. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

Savasana is a relaxation pose that allows the body and mind to fully relax and integrate the benefits of the yoga practice.

Women Relaxes In Yoga Asana Savasana

It helps reduce stress, promote deep relaxation, and cultivate a sense of inner peace.

  1. Come to lie on your back in a comfortable position
  2. Bolster any parts of your body that need additional support, such as the back of your head or under your knees
  3. Optional: cover yourself with a blanket if you tend to get cold
  4. Allow yourself to close your eyes if you wish
  5. Focus on the feeling of your breath: notice your inhale and exhale without trying to change anything about how you’re breathing. Just stay with your breath
  6. Your focus may shift; that’s normal. Bring it back to the breath
  7. When you’re ready to get up, begin by gently moving your fingertips and wrists and your toes and ankles, then take a full-body stretch
  8. Roll to one side and pause before sitting up

When you’ve completed your practice, check in with your mind and body. Notice what feels different. When you begin adding a regular mindful movement practice to your life, it’s important to be patient–you may not see the results you expect right away. 

How to Keep Going

There are many yoga modalities available to you today. It’s not always easy to decide which one works best for you. I incorporate both restorative yoga and strengthening poses into Restore Your Core®–it’s a powerful combination of mindful movement with a deep understanding of the mechanics of pelvic floor and core function. We regularly use blocks, bolsters, and straps to help your body find better alignment without tension. 

Beyond the physical benefits, practicing yoga encourages self-reflection, self-acceptance, and self-compassion, and may help you cultivate a deeper, kinder relationship with your body. And that’s always my goal with Restore Your Core®.

If you are looking for a program designed to release stress in your body, restore your body’s natural function, and encourage better posture and body alignment, then consider looking into our 12-week program. We’d love to have you! Connect with over 10,000 other people who are getting curious about their bodies, managing their core and pelvic floor injuries, and celebrating intentional progress and healing!

FAQ

1. Can yoga help me with core and pelvic floor problems?

Yes! Yoga can significantly benefit your core and pelvic floor health by integrating mindful movement, strengthening exercises, and breath work, which can improve muscle tone, stability, and function.

2. What is the philosophy behind yoga, and why is it relevant to physical exercise?

Yoga originated from practices aimed at uniting the body, soul, and mind. Its philosophy, as described in the Yoga Sutras, includes eight limbs, with the first two focusing on principles of living, such as non-harming and self-knowledge. Understanding this philosophy helps practitioners connect deeply with their bodies and minds, enhancing their yoga practice beyond just physical exercise.tervention.

3. How does yoga contribute to overall well-being?

Beyond the benefits that any form of exercise provides, yoga has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, stress, and inflammation in the body. If you participate in group yoga classes, the connections you make with your fellow students can be life-long.

4. What should I look for in a yoga class?

You might want to experiment with several of the different styles of yoga that are available. The pacing and cueing of the class matter; you’ll want a class that feels easy to follow along with, instead of one where you don’t know which part is moving. Make sure that your instructor has a good sense of how to adapt the movements you’re making for the individual bodies in the room.

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