This 20-Minute Power Yoga Workout Will Strengthen and Stretch From Head to Toe

By Kemoy March 12, 2022 Post a Comment

"Power yoga" is basically the lovechild of strength training and stretching.

Yoga is a great addition to any fitness routine. Unlike your high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts or weight-lifting sessions, yoga is often slow, and it focuses more on being mindful and stretching out the body—two things that come with huge benefits. It's totally possible, though, to incorporate strength training into a yoga workout too.

The combo of an intense strength-training workout and slow, mindful yoga is referred to as "power yoga." It's my favorite type of yoga. For a long time, I always felt like something was missing from the yoga classes I took. Yes, I know there is value in taking it slow and using a restorative yoga class to calm your mind and body. But I've always just felt like I needed something more to be able to leave class feeling accomplished. When I discovered this hybrid type of yoga, I was thrilled. While bringing weights into the yoga studio is certainly not for everyone, it's a great fit for me, and my guess is that there are plenty of other people out there who would agree.

Lara Gobins, a certified yoga instructor and studio manager at CorePower Yoga's new New York City studio, tells SELF that for a lot of people, this combo of strength training and peacefulness is exactly what they need. "What I love about strength training and yoga is you get to ground yourself," she says. It can be hard to go from a hectic day straight into a workout, so I actually look forward to the pause I get at the beginning of a power-yoga class. "Power yoga has you starting off with an intention and slowing down your body and mind to set you up for success." It's for those of us who crave results-oriented workouts but need that relaxing peacefulness too—whether we want to admit it or not.

To help you discover the magic of power yoga, Gobins put together the 20-minute workout below. She modeled it on CorePower's Yoga Sculpt class, which mixes yoga sequencing and cardio with strength-training moves like squats, lunges, and bicep curls. "In New York, Sculpt has been our most popular class," Gobins says. Sounds like I'm not the only one around here who prefers my meditative stretching with a side of booty burn.

The below routine takes only 20 minutes and will give you a total-body workout with strengthening and stretching benefits. If you don't have a set of dumbbells (anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds should be good, depending on your current strength), you can do all the moves with just your body weight. Gobins also offers ways to modify the moves to make them a little easier, so this can really be adapted for all levels.

The workout starts off with some light stretches to get your body ready. Then it goes into strength moves and ends with more stretching.

In between each of the strength moves—starting with weighted squats and ending with leg lifts—Gobins suggests flowing through Sun Salutation A. (If you're not familiar with Sun Salutation A, learn how to do it here.). This will help you smoothly transition between exercises, and it serves as active rest between strength sets. If the sun salutation is a little too much for you, then pause in Downward Facing Dog for about five breaths between each strength exercise.

Here's what the workout includes:

Child's Pose — 5 breaths (One breath means a complete breath in and out.)
Downward Facing Dog — 5 to 6 breaths
Rag Doll — 5 to 6 breaths
Sun Salutation A — 3 reps
High Plank — 10 to 15 seconds
Chaturanga Push-Ups — 3 reps
Upward Facing Dog — 1 full breath
Weighted Squats — 1 minute
Weighted Lunges With Biceps Curls — 12 reps each side
Lawnmower Rows — 12 reps each side
Oblique Twists — 16 reps
Glute Bridges — 8 reps each side
Chest Fly — 10 reps
Weighted Crunch With Oblique Twist — 20 reps alternating sides
Leg Lifts — 12 reps
Figure Four — 30 seconds each side
Reclined Spinal Twist — 30 seconds
Savasana — 30 seconds to 2 minutes

Here's how to do the moves:

Child's Pose — 5 breaths

Starting in Child's Pose gives you a moment to ground yourself and set an intention for the workout ahead, Gobins says. Your intention is what you want to get out of the workout, whether that's getting sweaty, feeling stronger, stretching out some tight spots, or whatever else you're after. "Remove distractions and calm the mind," Gobins advises. Stay here for at least five breaths, she says.

Kneel on your mat with your knees hip width apart and your feet together behind you. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, lay your torso over your thighs.
Try to lengthen your neck and spine by drawing your ribs away from your tailbone and the crown of your head away from your shoulders.
Rest your forehead on the ground, with your arms extended out in front of you.
Hold for at least five breaths.

Downward Facing Dog — 5 to 6 breaths

This move helps you stretch your calves, hamstrings, and feet, open your shoulders, and get blood flowing throughout the body, Gobins says. "It's just an allover reset to connect a little more to your body."

From Child's Pose, keep your hands on the floor, sit up on your knees, and then lift your butt and press back into Downward Facing Dog.
Spread your fingers wide. 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 at least five or six breaths.

Rag Doll — 5 to 6 breaths

"This stretches your hamstrings, legs, and spine," Gobins says. Go ahead and bend your knees as much as you need to. "I always bend my knees," Gobins says. "Allow the low back to release, and allow the day or week to just trickle off your spine."

From Downward Facing Dog, slowly step forward to the top of your mat. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
Straighten your legs out as much as you can (keeping them slightly bent is OK if it's more comfortable) and let your torso hang down.
Tuck your chin in toward your chest, relax your shoulders, and extend the crown of your head toward the floor to create a long spine.
Interlace your arms together. Hold here for Standing Forward Bend, or swing your arms and head back and forth gently for Rag Doll.
Hold for five to six breaths.

First Half of Sun Salutation A — 3 reps

This flow is meant to warm up your body, and specifically your spine, Gobins says.

Start in Mountain Pose, standing up straight with your feet together, arms stretched out overhead.
Bring your hands together and down to your chest as you fold forward, bending your knees slightly as you bring your head down toward your knees. Straighten your legs and place your fingertips on the ground.
Lift your chest a bit, your head in line with your spine, to Halfway Lift position.
Tuck your butt underneath you and bring your knees in toward your face. Shift your weight onto your toes and curl your spine.
Place your heels back on the ground, lift your butt, and stand back up straight to Mountain Pose.
Do this three times. On the third one, instead of standing back up at the end, place your feet out behind you and get into High Plank. (More on that next.)

High Plank — 10 to 15 seconds

A plank, Gobins says, works way more than just your core. "You're strengthening your arms, pecs, core muscles, butt, and fronts of the legs. So it's important that you focus on activating your entire body rather than just resting into your shoulders or arms."

Place your hands on the floor directly under shoulders and straighten your arms, pushing through your palms.
Extend your legs behind you, and push through your heels.
Squeeze your core, butt, and quads tightly the whole time. This will help your hips stay lifted; you don't want them to sag and cause your back to arch. (Ideally, your body will form a straight line from head to toe, but it's OK if your butt is a little bit lifted if that's more comfortable on your lower back.)
Look down toward the floor to keep your neck in line with your spine.
Hold this position (don't forget to breathe and squeeze!) for 10 to 15 seconds.

Chaturanga Push-Ups — 3 reps

Chaturanga Push-Ups, or triceps push-ups, are really hard. The triceps are the small muscles on the backs of our arms, and they're usually a lot weaker than the chest and back muscles you use to do a regular push-up. Gobins says to make sure you keep your core and quads activated, like you did during the plank. She's demoing a modified version on her knees. If you can't do the triceps push-up without arching your back, you should do it this way too.

From High Plank, place your knees on the ground in a modified push-up position.
Place your hands slightly closer than shoulder width apart.
As you lower yourself down and back up, keep your elbows close to your torso so that they skim your ribs. This makes sure you're using your triceps to initiate the movement.
Do three reps. After the third, drop your hips to the floor and get into Upward Facing Dog. (More info on the next slide.)

Upward Facing Dog — 1 full breath

"Upward Facing Dog is a great counter for Chaturanga Push-Ups and High Plank holds, as it stretches your abs and pecs," Gobins says.

From the modified push-up position, drop your hips to the ground and hold your chest up high.
Push with your arms to lift your thighs off the mat. Keep your core tight and shoulders pulled back so that your chest can open.
Hold this for one complete breath, then push back into Downward Facing Dog for a few breaths to reset your body.

Weighted Squats — 1 minute

The strength-training portion of the workout starts with squats, which work your glutes, your legs, and even your core. Adding weights, like Gobins suggests, increases the amount of resistance you're working against, so you'll feel the burn even more. Keep your core tight throughout, and keep your squats slow and controlled so you can focus on maintaining proper form. You can also do this without weights if you want to keep it simple.

Stand with feet hip width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand and resting them on your shoulders.
Bend your knees and hips to lower your body into a squat. Lower down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as far as you can go comfortably.
When you push back up, raise your heels off the floor. This adds an extra balance challenge and is more work for your calves.

Weighted Lunges With Biceps Curls — 12 reps each side

To do this right, Gobins says you should think about moving your torso straight up and down, versus forward or backward. Keep your core engaged and shoulders back throughout.

Get into Crescent Lunge by stepping your right foot forward, bending the front knee at a 90 degree angle, and keeping the back leg straight. Keep your hips square to the front of the mat.
Pick up a pair of dumbbells. Holding the weights at your shoulders, stand up and straighten both legs.
Then, bend both of your knees into a lunge as you bring the weights down to do the first part of a biceps curl.
When you stand straight up again, curl the weights back up to your shoulders. That's one rep.
Do 12 reps on each side.

Lawnmower Rows — 12 reps each side

You can grab heavier weights for this one if you want to, because your back muscles are usually pretty strong, Gobins says. She likes this move because it helps strengthen the muscles we need to have healthy, strong shoulders and good posture. "Make sure to keep your shoulders back and pull your belly in throughout the exercise," she adds.

From lunge position, transition your legs to Warrior II position: Place your left (rear) foot flat on the mat with your toes turned out. Align your feet so the front heel is perpendicular to the middle of the back foot. Bend your right (front) leg 90 degrees.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge forward at the hips and keep your back flat. Rest the weight in your right hand on your right thigh. Reach the one in your left hand toward the inside of your front knee.
Pull the weight in your right hand toward your body to do a Lawnmower Row, twisting your torso as you pull the weight back close to your side. Row the weight back to the inside of your knee. That's one rep.
Do 12 reps on each side.

Oblique Twists — 16 reps

These twists target your core, specifically your obliques (side abs). Plus, standing in this position works your inner and outer thighs while you're at it.

Start in Horse Pose: Take a wide stance with your feet angled out and knees bent, with your knees over your ankles like the beginning of a sumo squat.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Press the weights together in front of your body, elbows pointed out to the sides.
Keeping your hips still, use your obliques to twist your torso to one side, back to center, and then to the other side. That's one rep.
Do 16 reps.

Glute Bridges — 8 reps each side

There are a few different ways to do a glute bridge, which is an amazing move for your butt. The one Gobins is demoing above is the most advanced: The weights add extra resistance for your butt to work against, and lifting one leg makes it more challenging since all of the movement is initiated by one side of the body. If this is too hard, you can ditch the weights and/or keep both feet planted on the floor. Gobins suggests keeping both feet on the floor if you feel any tension in your lower back.

Lie on your back with your feet hip width apart and your heels near your butt. Hold two dumbbells at your hips.
Lift one leg straight up into the air, toe flexed. Drive through your heel to raise your hips off the floor.
Pause at the top and slowly lower back to the mat.
Do 8 reps on each leg, or 16 total if you're doing the move with both feet on the mat.

For an added bonus, after each eighth rep, hold your leg straight in the air for 5 seconds and then make tiny circles for another 3. "This targets the small muscles of the outer thighs," Gobins says.

Chest Fly — 10 reps

Yes, it's possible to show your chest some love without doing push-ups. Gobins says a chest fly is a great exercise because you don't have to worry about stabilizing the rest of your body, so you can really focus on feeling the work in your pecs. Make sure to keep the movement slow and controlled.

Lie on your back with your feet hip width apart and heels near your butt. Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your body, palms facing in, elbows bent slightly.
Keeping your arms relatively straight, pull the weights down and apart until your hands reach chest level. Your palms should be facing up.
Raise your arms back up to start position.
Do 10 reps.

Weighted Crunch With Oblique Twist — 20 reps, alternating sides

The extra resistance of holding a weight at your chest, plus the twist at the top, makes this harder than a standard sit-up. It also works into your obliques a lot more.

Lie on your back, feet flat on the ground, holding a weight in each hand at your chest.
Curl your torso all the way up to do a sit-up. At the top, twist your torso to one side, holding the weight firmly in front of your body.
Twist back to center and lower back down. That's one rep. On the next rep, twist to the opposite side.
Do 20 reps, alternating sides.

Leg Lifts — 12 reps

If you can keep your lower back on the ground as you lift and lower your legs, feel free to stick with the double-leg version she's doing above. But if for any reason your back keeps lifting off the ground, or if you just have a sensitive lower back, Gobins recommends doing one leg at a time instead. "Feel free to bend your knees a bit if your hamstrings are tight," she adds.

Lie on your back, arms by your sides, with legs together and extended toward the sky.
Keeping your lower back glued to the mat, lower your feet toward the floor in a slow and controlled fashion. Pause a few inches above the floor.
Keeping your core tight, bring your legs back up to start.
If you feel it in your hip flexors, turn your toes out a little bit. You can also try putting your hands under your hips for added support if your lower back keeps popping off the floor.
Do 12 reps. If you're doing one leg at a time, do 6 reps on each side.

Figure Four — 30 seconds each side

Time for the cool-down! This pose is great for stretching out your glutes and sides of the legs.

Lie on your back.
Cross your left foot over your right quad, and bend your right knee.
Hold the back of your right leg and gently pull it toward your chest.
When you feel a comfortable stretch, hold there for 30 seconds.
Switch sides and repeat.

Reclined Spinal Twist — 30 seconds

Gobins calls this a "back reset" that helps let your spine and body know that you're slowing down. In other words, your heart rate will start to come down, and your back muscles should start to relax.

Lie on your back. Bring your knees in toward your chest, and then drop them over to one side, keeping your knees and hips in line with each other.
Keep your shoulders on the mat, chest facing the ceiling. Turn your head to the opposite side as your legs, and extend that arm.
Hold for 30 seconds, and then repeat on the other side.

Savasana — 30 seconds to 2 minutes

Of course, every good yoga workout ends in Savasana. Gobins suggests lying here for up to 2 minutes, depending how much time you have. "It lets you relax your entire body and mind before you get back into reality," she says.

Lie on your back, with legs extended and arms out by your sides.
Close your eyes. Relax. Breathe.

ZDNET