Burn More Calories With These Yoga Pose Variations

POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson
POPSUGAR Photography | Louisa Larson

While many yoga poses are relaxing and calm, there are many poses that get your muscles quivering and your heart rate up, which can make for a big calorie burn. The next time you're on your mat, challenge yourself with these advanced variations.

Extended Standing Straddle
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Extended Standing Straddle

Wide-Legged Forward Bend, with your hands resting on the floor, is an extremely relaxing pose that allows you to stretch your hamstrings and lower back. Make it more challenging by having your legs and core do all the work, and don't allow your arms to rest anywhere in this variation called Extended Standing Straddle.

Lifted Fierce
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Lifted Fierce

Yogic squats are killer moves for your quads and tush, but instead of keeping your heels grounded as shown to the left, lift your heels off the mat and squat a few inches lower to work your calves as well.

Burning Low Lunge
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Burning Low Lunge

Warrior 1 is one of the most popular standing poses in a yoga class. And while it definitely works your quads and glutes, this variation called Burning Low Lunge is way more intense and challenging, which translates to a bigger burn.

Arching Three-Legged Dog
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Arching Three-Legged Dog

If you have a few yoga classes under your capris, there's no doubt you've done your fair share of breaths in Downward Dog. It's definitely an effective way to tone the upper body and increase flexibility in the hamstrings. The next time you're Down Dogging, make the arms work harder, increase flexibility in the spine, and open up the hip flexors in this variation called Arching Three-Legged Dog. Balancing on three limbs instead of four will also work the core more effectively.

Crow
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Crow

Hanging out in a Wide Squat is great for opening tight hips and relieving lower back pain. Make it harder by placing your hands on the floor and balancing your knees on your triceps in Crow. It'll work the core and upper body, and burn more calories too.

Extended Tabletop
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Extended Tabletop

If you want to work the thighs, tush, and upper body, Wheel Pose is one way to do it. Make it even more intense by turning your hands in the other direction and lifting one arm in the air for Extended Tabletop. Just like with Three-Legged Dog variations, standing on three limbs requires your muscles to work harder than when resting on all four.

Dolphin Plank
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson

Dolphin Plank

Instead of doing Down Dog for five breaths, try holding the body in this plank variation instead. It's one of the most intense poses you can do to work your upper body and core.