Yoga Poses That Tone Up Your Triceps

Nothing targets your triceps quite like repeated (properly done) Chaturangas. Add these yoga moves to the mix to get your arms seriously sculpted.

Upward Facing Plank

From a seated position with legs together and long in front of you, take hands behind you, fingers pointing toward body. Press into palms while lifting hips high. Allow head to fall back if that feels natural for your neck. Press all four corners of the feet into the ground. Stay here for 10 to 20 deep breaths.

Side Plank

From plank pose, transfer weight onto left hand and outer edge of left foot and reach right arm toward the ceiling. Stack right foot on top of left and press hips away from the ground for extra arm benefit. Breathe here for 10 to 20 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Chaturanga Push-Ups

Start in plank pose. Reach back through heels, engage navel to spine, and soften through elbows, reaching them straight back until forearms graze the sides of ribcage. Find long spine, and keep a slight chin tuck. This is Chaturanga. Take a breath here, then inhale back to plank. This is 1 rep. Do as many reps as you can (aim for 5 to 10), and then rest in child's pose.

Reverse Chaturanga Push-Ups

Lie facedown. Take hands to either side of ribcage and make a 90-degree angle with arms, elbows pointing straight up. This is starting position. Tuck toes, firm legs, pull elbows in. Take a big inhale, and use your exhale to pull belly to spine, and lift up to Chaturanga. Take a deep breath here, then control the descent to starting position. This is 1 rep. Do as many as you can, aiming for 5 to 10, and then rest in child's pose.

Peacock Prep

Begin on all fours: knees under hips, shoulders over wrists. Turn hands, palms on the ground, so that fingers are facing knees, and wrist creases are in line with the front edge of the mat. If wrist flexibility doesn't permit that, take wrists to face one another, fingers face away from one another, or anywhere in between those two positions. Bend elbows toward one another and start to lean forward, guiding elbows toward navel. Step feet back to a plank position and breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Dolphin / Dog

Begin on hands and knees with forearms shoulder-width apart and parallel. Tuck toes, lift hips high, drop head, and reach chest back toward shins. This is dolphin. From here, look in between thumbs, press into knuckles of forefingers and thumbs, and simultaneously lengthen both arms into down dog. Take a breath here, then, energetically reach elbows toward one another while lowering forearms slowly and simultaneously to the ground. This is 1 rep. Do as many as you can, aiming for 10. Keep elbows and wrists shoulder-distance apart the entire time, and don't forget to breathe!

Dolphin Push-Ups

Begin on hands and knees with forearms shoulder-width apart and parallel. Tuck toes, lift hips high, drop head, and reach chest back toward shins. This is dolphin. From here, look forward and reach chin toward thumbs on your inhale. Come almost to a forearm plank but not quite. On your exhale, engage navel to spine, and use core to lift hips back to dolphin. Do 10 to 20 reps and then rest in child's pose.

ALL PHOTOS BY  HEIDI KRISTOFFER

source :shape.com       By Heidi Kristoffer