Yoga Postures for Flabby Arms

If your arms aren’t as toned as they could be, yoga poses can help strengthen flabby arms for a smoother, more defined look. Along with incorporating more arm-focused poses into your practice, you can also hold poses for additional breaths to provide extra resistance-building time. During yoga classes, opt out of resting poses if you’re not feeling tired so you can focus on building arm strength. For example, you can hold Downward-Facing Dog instead of moving into a resting Child’s pose until the class moves on.

  1. Sun Salutations for Strength

    • Sun Salutations are an effective way to warm up your body for yoga practice, but also provide opportunities for strengthening flabby arms. Start in Mountain pose, pressing your feet into the mat as you raise your arms up to the sky. Hinge at the waist, pressing your palms into the floor in a forward fold. Step back with the right foot and left foot into Plank pose, keeping your body at an approximately 45-degree angle with the floor. Bend slowly in both elbows, lowering the body to within inches of the yoga mat while keeping your elbows pressing into your rib cage. Inhale, straightening your arms as you lift your sternum. Then, press your palms into the floor and push your hips toward the ceiling, straightening your legs into Downward-Facing Dog. Repeat several times, or until your body feels warm.

    Upside-Down Arm Strength

    • If you don’t yet have the arm strength to complete Handstand pose without props, practice near a wall for additional support. Engage your core muscles, plant both palms within 6 inches of the wall and then kick your legs up so that your feet lightly press into the wall. Practicing removing one or both feet away from the wall, keeping your neck in neutral position. Breathe deeply, allowing arm strength to build.

      For Headstand pose, kneel on the floor and interlace your fingers. Place them on your mat and nestle your head into the space created by the interlocked fingers. Straighten your legs and walk your feet closer to your elbows. Lift your left leg, keeping the knee bent so that the thigh is parallel with the floor. Do the same with your right leg. Then, slowly straighten both legs. Use your arm strength to keep the body stable in this inversion.

    Use One Arm

    • Focus on using one arm at a time to increase intensity for that arm; then switch to the other side. For example, in Downward-Facing Dog you can try lifting one arm at a time to more strongly develop the grounding arm. To enter Side Plank, begin in a kneeling position and then drop your right knee to the ground. Place your right palm directly beneath your right shoulder on the mat. Extend both legs out to the side, pointing your right hip to the floor and your left hip to the ceiling. Reach your left arm toward the ceiling. Switch to the other side.

    Keeping Your Arms Extended

    • Develop arm strength even during leg-focused postures by keeping your arms actively reaching out or upward. For example, in Warrior II, firmly extend your arms in opposite directions to work the neck and shoulders. In Mountain pose, reach with intensity toward the ceiling and keep your biceps engaged to tone flabby arms even in simpler poses.