7 Amazing Runners World Show

This pose burns mega calories because it requires major muscle groups to be engaged, including your abs, shoulders, and glutes, while forcing your body to resist gravity. “You can increase the calorie burn further with variations like raising one foot an inch or two off of the mat,” says Ingber. The longer you stay in the pose—anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes—the harder it is.

How to: Get into tabletop position by planting your hands shoulder-distance apart in front of you. Make sure your shoulders are directly over your wrists, then jump your feet back and ground your toes into the floor. Squeeze your glutes and core and make sure they stay lifted so your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet. Keep your neck in a neutral position by staring at a spot on the floor in front of you. Hold for three to five breaths.

To do this move, you have to activate the largest muscles in the body—the glutes—which automatically burns lots of calories, says Kristin Lewis, instructor at Y7 studio in New York City. “Chair pose is safe and easy for all yogis to perform,” she adds.

How to: Begin by standing in mountain pose with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Then, bend your knees and send your hips back so your thighs are parallel to the floor, pressing your heels down to maintain stability. Your knees should go over your toes and your torso should have a slight forward lean. Push your shoulders down and back and then raise your arms above your head.

This classic yoga sequence is basically like holding the low part of a push-up, and when done properly, it requires you to engage most of your major muscle groups. “Your core has to be contracted, your legs engaged, and your arms working to maintain a 90-degree angle in the elbows,” says Lewis. “It’s incredibly challenging and forces even the most advanced practitioners to be mindful and move with control.”

How to: Get into a plank position on a yoga mat so your shoulders are directly above your wrists. Slowly lower your body to the mat, shifting your bodyweight forward in plank to pull your upper body up. Keep your thighs lifted up and away from the floor. Don’t stick your butt up or let your shoulders get lower than your elbows. Pin your back muscles to your shoulder blades, then bend your elbows and hug them close to your lower ribs. Lengthen your tailbone and keep your neck long. This pose is known as an upward-facing dog.

Wheel is an aspirational pose, and one that you need to work up to and warm up for. It requires attention to form and alignment, “opens” the heart, and stretches the entire front of the body. “Wheel pose engages the legs, buttocks, shoulders, and arms, as well as the heart and lungs,” says Ingber. “You may get your heart rate up higher if you perform wheel in a heated room after a long warm up.”

How to: Lie on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor, hip-distance apart. Inch your feet closer to your butt on the mat. Bend your elbows and bring your palms by your shoulders with your fingertips pointing towards your feet. Press your palms and feet down on the mat as you lift your shoulders and butt off the floor. Bring the crown of your head to the mat and make sure your elbows are parallel. Then, press up and lift your head off the floor, straightening your arms.

Chances are you’ve seen this pose in lots of different workouts besides yoga, since it works the whole body (though it’s especially good for the Health & Injuries). “High lunge is also a strengthening pose,” says Lewis. “It requires a bit of balance as you’re high up on the ball of your back foot, and whenever you add balance to any pose, your body is forced to work harder.”

How to: Stand on a mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Come to a standing forward bend, so your fingers touch the floor. Then, step your right foot back with the ball of your foot on the mat. Bend your left knee so it forms a 90-degree angle. Lay your torso on your left thigh and then lengthen it as you lift your upper body up and raise your arms overhead. Be sure to keep your right leg straight and press your right heel to the floor. After holding for three to five breaths, repeat on the other side.

Really a series of 12 poses strung together, sun salutations activate the cardiovascular system while engaging the abs, glutes, calves, shoulders, biceps, shoulders, and triceps. “They energize, strengthen, and stretch the muscles, fusing breath with movement,” says Ingber. “Inhales are generally on the expansive pose and the exhales on the contraction. The series oxygenates the blood and strengthens the lungs.”

How to: Start in mountain pose with your feet together. Lift your arms overhead and then come to a standing forward bend. Next, get into a half standing bend by straightening your elbows and pushing your torso away from your thighs. Lift your sternum away from the floor. From here, step into a high lunge before getting into a downward-facing dog. Then, transition into a plank position and finish off with Chaturanga.

Dolphin is similar to downward dog, but your forearms are on the mat. “I love dolphin because it is a pose that both strengthens the body—the arms, core, and legs—as well as stretches it, since it opens the shoulders and chest up,” says Lewis. “Plus, having your forearms on the mat fully engages your triceps, too.”

How to: From downward-facing dog, bring your forearms and hands to the floor in front of your knees. Keep them shoulder-distance apart. Lengthen your forearms away from your elbows and press down on your inner wrists to help you stabilize. Avoid letting your shoulders move behind the elbows and keep them stacked over the elbows.