These 23 Advanced Yoga Poses Take Balance, Strength, and Flexibility to a New Level

Getty Images | SergeyChayko
Getty Images | SergeyChayko

If you've ever had a super-advanced yogi next to you in class or been on the yoga corner of TikTok, there's a good chance you've seen someone pulling off moves you never even thought to attempt. Whether they're balancing on their head, hands, or toes, or putting a leg behind their head, you can't help but ogle a little at their strength, composure, and flexibility. It's inspirational, and it gives a little insight into what years of practice can lead you to. But let's face it: some poses are simply out of the question — whether because of your level of yoga practice or your natural anatomy. Many of us will never do advanced yoga poses, and that's completely OK.

The good news? You don't need to do advanced yoga poses to reap the plentiful mind-body benefits of a yoga practice. The most basic Vinyasa flows or gentle restorative poses are just as much a yoga practice as something that looks acrobatic or makes you sweat. Still, it can be fun to check out advanced yoga poses, whether for inspiration or just to see what other people can do. If you're interested, keep reading — and get ready to be wowed when you see these amazing advanced yoga poses.

Note: If you're thinking of trying any of these difficult yoga poses, consult a certified yoga instructor for help. They're not something to mess around with!

Advanced Yoga Poses

  1. Handstand Scorpion
  2. King Pigeon Pose
  3. Iron Cross Headstand
  4. Chakra Bandhasana
  5. Peacock
  6. Half Lotus Crow
  7. Sleeping Yogi
  8. Hummingbird
  9. Big Toe Bow
  10. Scorpion With a Broken Tail
  11. One-Legged Staff
  12. Dropback
  13. Standing Flying Crow
  14. Locust Scorpion
  15. Lifted Thunderbolt
  16. Headstand Bow
  17. Frog
  18. Headstand Lotus
  19. Pinching Shoulders Headstand
  20. Handstand Lotus
  21. Eight Crooked Limbs
  22. Sage Visvamitrasana
  23. King Pigeon Splits

—Additional reporting by Lauren Mazzo

01
Advanced Yoga Pose: Handstand Scorpion
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: Handstand Scorpion

Learning how to do a handstand is hard enough — throw an intense backbend in there, and you're challenging your flexibility as well as your hand-balancing skills even more. To approach this pose, you'll need to master your handstands as well as Scorpion Pose on its own.

02
Advanced Yoga Pose: King Pigeon
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: King Pigeon

You're probably familiar with regular Pigeon pose as a relaxing hip-opener that's typically done at the end of a yoga class. King Pigeon, however, looks completely different, requiring tons of back and hip flexibility.

03
Advanced Yoga Pose: Iron Cross Headstand
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Iron Cross Headstand

The Iron Cross Headstand is one extreme inversion! This advanced yoga pose is definitely not for everyone, but if you're up for a challenge, you can attempt this pose after you've mastered headstands. Then, practice slowly, walking one hand at a time out to the cross position.

04
Advanced Yoga Pose: Chakra Bandhasana
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Chakra Bandhasana

Most people just can't bend that way, and it's totally fine. This deep back-bending yoga pose can be reached by starting in Full Wheel and slowly walking your hands toward your heels, and then up onto your calves. You can also start from standing, if that's more your style.

05
Advanced Yoga Pose: Peacock
Thinkstock

Advanced Yoga Pose: Peacock

Although gorgeous, Peacock pose isn't for everyone. This one requires extreme arm-balancing skills, back and core strength, and — as you're learning it — a willingness to fall on your face.

06
Advanced Yoga Pose: Half Lotus Crow
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Half Lotus Crow

If you're confident in your Crow pose, this advanced yoga pose is something that you can actually do. You'll need to start in a standing Figure Four stretch, and then lower onto your palms for Crow, per usual, this time balancing your legs slightly differently on your elbows. Engage that core, and you've got this!

07
Advanced Yoga Pose: Sleeping Yogi
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Advanced Yoga Pose: Sleeping Yogi

Sleeping Yogi may look peaceful, but it requires an intense stretch in both your hips and back. No hard feelings if you'd rather stick to Happy Baby
.

08
Advanced Yoga Pose: Hummingbird
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Hummingbird

Graceful yet bold, this arm balance requires amazingly open hips, as well as upper-body strength. Save this one for after you've mastered Crow.

09
Advanced Yoga Pose: Big Toe Bow
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Big Toe Bow

You've likely tried Bow pose at some point, but this advanced variation (where you hold your toes instead of your ankles) encourages and even deeper backbend.

10
Advanced Yoga Pose: Scorpion With a Broken Tail
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Scorpion With a Broken Tail

Forearm Stand is a toughie, and bending your knees and resting your feet on your head in Scorpion is even harder, but this creative variation adds yet another layer of challenge.

11
Advanced Yoga Pose: One-Legged Staff
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: One-Legged Staff

This headstand and backbend variation is no joke. Work on your headstands and One-Legged Wheel
, then come back to try this advanced yoga pose.

12
Advanced Yoga Pose: Dropback
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: Dropback

If Wheel pose is no problem for you, try dropping back into it from standing. Get comfortable with this, and Chakra Bandhasana is your next conquest!

13
Advanced Yoga Pose: Standing Flying Crow
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Standing Flying Crow

It's hard to see, but in this extreme arm balance pose, your right foot is planted on your right triceps — that's what makes it a "Standing" Flying Crow. It takes incredible strength and hip flexibility to pull this one off.

14
Advanced Yoga Pose: Locust Scorpion
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Locust Scorpion

This difficult yoga pose looks like a move right out of Cirque du Soleil. This Locust variation is all about spinal flexibility, and it's not for the faint of heart.

15
Advanced Yoga Pose: Lifted Thunderbolt
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: Lifted Thunderbolt

Channel the energy in your backbends straight up to the sky in this Lifted Thunderbolt pose, a cross between King Pigeon and standing Thunderbolt.

16
Advanced Yoga Pose: Headstand Bow
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Headstand Bow

One part headstand, one part backbend, this pose will test your back flexibility as well as your neck strength and stability.

17
Advanced Yoga Pose: Frog
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: Frog

It looks painful, but Frog pose is actually a great way to stretch out your quads and hip flexors. The good news is that your feet don't need to go quite that far down to score the benefits and feel a satisfying release.

18
Advanced Yoga Pose: Headstand Lotus
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Headstand Lotus

Headstand is a rather advanced yoga move on its own, but folding your legs into Full Lotus while upside down makes it even trickier. You'll need flexible, mobile hips, coordinated feet, and a lot of upper body and core strength.

19
Advanced Yoga Pose: Pinching Shoulders Headstand
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Advanced Yoga Pose: Pinching Shoulders Headstand

At first glance, this may look like a simple headstand; however, the simple act of lifting up your hands and "pinching" your shoulder increases the stability and balance challenge even more.

20
Advanced Yoga Pose: Handstand Lotus
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: Handstand Lotus

Similar to Headstand Lotus, Handstand Lotus requires you to be so steady balancing on your hands that you can fold your legs into Full Lotus without lifting a finger. Talk about multitasking.

21
Advanced Yoga Pose: Eight Crooked Limbs
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

Advanced Yoga Pose: Eight Crooked Limbs

Defying gravity it seems, this arm balance is also an extreme twist. Look closely: You're not balancing your legs on top of your arms, like in Crow pose; instead, your legs are wrapped around your right arm. Wild, right?

22
Advanced Yoga Pose: Sage Visvamitrasana
Getty Images | SergeyChayko

Advanced Yoga Pose: Sage Visvamitrasana

Something that looks like a levitating split, Sage Visvamitrasana is a challenging balancing pose that requires flexibility in your hips and shoulders and plenty of strength in your core and arms.

23
Advanced Yoga Pose: King Pigeon Splits
Getty Images | Koldunov

Advanced Yoga Pose: King Pigeon Splits

From a full split
, bend your back knee and lift your foot toward the sky while simultaneously arching your back to catch your toes. This advanced yoga pose, a mix between King Pigeon and Splits Pose, is sure to open up your hips.