20 Advanced Yoga Poses That Are Here to Challenge Your Body, Balance and Breathwork
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Can you Tadasana like a pro? Reverse warrior with your eyes closed? Down dog in your sleep? If the answer’s yes, it might be time to step up your game with a new crop of advanced yoga poses—think, those gravity-defying holds your 6 a.m. front row is known for. For a mix of moves that will challenge your strength and flexibility, I checked in with two of my favorite yoga instructors at Alo Moves, Briohny Smyth and Ashley Galvin. To help you further your practice, here are 20 advanced yoga poses they love to do, including step-by-step instructions, helpful modifications, holistic benefits and expert tips.
Meet the Experts
Know Before You Flow
A proper warm-up is required before attempting any of these advanced yoga poses. I suggest giving them a try during or after an active flow. Start slow and ease your way into each move, listening to your body and incorporating modifications as needed. These poses are for intermediate or advanced yogis only. If it’s your first time on the mat, check out our roundup of restorative yoga poses instead.
12 Types of Yoga Explained: How to Find the Right Style for You
1. Handstand Pose (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From a standing split position, place your palms on the mat directly below your shoulders and gaze at the space between your hands. Stack the standing foot directly below your hip with a slight bend in the knee. Engage your core and kick up with control, drawing the thigh up and into the hip socket to lead with the standing leg. Reach the lifted leg straight up and engage through your toes. Bring your legs together with your big toes touching and heels slightly separated.
Tips and Modifications:
“This is my favorite pose ever," Smyth shares. "I love the empowerment and confidence that's built through a handstanding journey. It's one of the best learning experiences you'll ever have.” To master this pose, engage your core and tuck your ribs and navel in to avoid banana back (overarching your spine). Also, make sure your spine is aligned when you’re in your prep position and use your standing leg to kick up, rather than your lifted leg. “Pro tip: Reach your lifted leg up towards the ceiling," Smyth says. "When you hop, bring your kicking knee in towards your chest and heel towards your butt.” This will stop your lifted leg from leaning too far backward.
Benefits of Handstand Pose:
Builds upper body strength
Strengthens core muscles
Boosts energy and mood
Increases circulation
Improves balance and stability
2. Twisted Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From a sphinx pose, extend your right arm forward. Crawl your left arm over to the opposite side and come down onto your elbow. Make sure that your elbow is lower than your shoulder. Curl your legs up and in as you reach your toes toward your back. Reach back with your right hand and grab hold of the left foot. Reach back with your left hand and grab hold of the right toes. Kick your left foot into your right hand as you lift your knee up to help lift your chest, head and shoulders off the ground.
Tips and Modifications:
“Twisted Bow is a great yoga pose for the shoulders," Smyth says. "It's a fun variation from Dhanurasana or bow pose. The key to this pose is to use your elbow as a kickstand. Push down through your arm and lift your chest up.”
Benefits Of Twisted Bow Pose:
Stretches your front body and hip flexors
Builds strength in your back muscles
Opens your chest and shoulders
3. Crane Pose (Bakasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From garland pose, place both hands on the mat directly below your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide with the middle fingers pointing forward. Lift the pelvis up slightly and bend the elbows while rotating your forearms in towards your midline. Lightly press your knees high against your triceps, near your armpits. Gaze down toward the mat just beyond your fingertips. Spread your shoulder blades wide and slowly shift your weight into your hands and engage the core. Keep shifting your weight forward to lift your feet off the mat. Point your toes and kick your heels toward your butt to engage the hamstrings. Straighten your arms to complete the pose.
Tips and Modifications:
“Crane pose is a wonderful way to get yourself started and learn the foundations of arm balancing," Smyth says. "My two favorite drills to achieve it involve crow kickbacks and using your yoga blocks as support,” either beneath your feet or at the crown of your head. You can also put a pillow or blanket beneath your head if you’re afraid of falling.
Benefits of Crane Pose:
Strengthens your entire upper body
Improves your core strength
Aids in digestion and detoxification of internal organs
4. Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From half monkey pose, shift your torso up and place your fingertips directly below your shoulders. Flex your front foot and engage your quad to protect your knee. Begin to slide the back knee back and the front heel forward until your front sit bone connects with the ground. If it does not touch the ground, grab a block, a bolster or a folded-up blanket to prop it up. Square your hips as much as possible by rolling the inner thigh of the back leg up. Inhale to lengthen the spine and exhale to fold over the front leg drawing your ribs and navel in. For extra support, keep your hands down at your sides. For an added challenge, reach your arms up above your head.
Tips and Modifications:
Blocks, bolsters and blankets are your friends here. Use them for support wherever needed. Hip openers and hamstring lengtheners will also help build up your flexibility. “Splits are great for stretching your entire lower body. When practiced regularly, they can greatly improve your hip mobility,” Smyth says.
Benefits of Monkey Pose:
Strengthens and stretches your hamstrings, quads and groin muscles
Increases hip flexibility when practiced regularly
Stretches the lower back muscles
5. One-Legged King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From downward-facing dog, lift one leg high off the ground and bend it at the knee. Shift forward and bring the lifted leg to the mat behind your hands, laying your shin down perpendicular to your body. Flex the ankle to protect the bent knee. Untuck the back toes and lower down to the mat, ensuring that your back leg is extended in a straight line behind you. Square off your hips and bend your straight leg to a 90-degree angle. Knit your shoulder blades together and down to draw the chest forward as you slowly gaze up toward the sky. Extend your arms high and back, reaching for your foot as you lengthen out your neck. To deepen the hip stretch, release your foot and fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you or coming down onto your forearms.
Tips and Modifications:
One-legged king pigeon is a deep backbend and hip-opener that requires a lot of flexibility. Listen to your muscles and only go as far as feels good in your body to avoid overstretching.
Benefits of One-Legged King Pigeon Pose:
Opens your chest and shoulders
Stretches your thighs, groin, hip flexors, abdomen and neck
Stimulates the abdominal organs
6. Forearm Hollow Back Pose (Pincha Mayurasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From feathered peacock pose, bend your knees coming into a pike shape. Point your toes and actively press your heels back towards your butt. Begin to drop your head, pushing down firmly through the entire forearm. Bring your head and your chest through the gateway of the arms. Reach your butt back and knees in the opposite direction, creating a counterbalance, extending one foot down towards the ground while the other hovers above your hips.
Tips and Modifications:
“Forearm hollow back is a challenging pose with many therapeutic benefits,” Smyth shares, including stress relief and mood enhancer. Keep your heart open and your spine long to avoid over-rounding or falling into your lower back.
Benefits of Forearm Hollow Back Pose:
Strengthens arms, back and shoulders
Stretches chest, neck and abdomen
Improves balance
7. Scorpion Handstand Pose (Vrschikasana B)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin in a handstand with your legs together. Bend one knee while maintaining a straight leg overhead. Drop your chest and lift your head up and back to create a mini backbend while simultaneously shifting the toes of your bent leg toward your head. Now, bend the straight leg and bring your toes to touch. Reach both toes toward the ground as your continue to lift your head up and back.
Tips and Modifications:
If you’re looking to learn some advanced inversions, scorpion pose is a great place to start. This pose requires a solid handstand practice, so master pose number one in this list before moving on to scorpion.
Benefits of Scorpion Handstand Pose:
Stretches your front body and opens your heart
Builds deep core strength
Increases strength and stability in your upper body
Improves balance and coordination
8. One-Legged Crow Pose (Eka Pada Bakasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From crow pose (similar to crane pose, but the elbows are bent), point your toes and pull your heels in towards your butt, engaging your hamstrings. Draw your navel in and spread your shoulder blades wide. Pull your right knee in toward your chest. Begin to shift your weight forward as you extend and straighten your right leg at a diagonal up towards the sky.
Tips and Modifications:
“One-legged crow pose is an advanced arm balance that requires great strength and coordination. It is a challenging variation of crow pose. Remember to maintain the correct hand position when in your set-up and to engage (like really, really engage) your core and hamstrings,” Smyth explains.
Benefits of One-Legged Crow Pose:
Strengthens wrists, shoulders and core
Improves balance
Energizes your whole body
9. Flying Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Galavasana)
Alo Moves
How To Do It:
From standing, lift your right leg and cross your ankle over your left knee in a figure four position. Keep the right foot flexed. Bend your left leg and lower down to place your hands on the mat directly below your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide with the middle fingers pointing forward. Without shifting your weight, press your right shin into the tops of your triceps with the flexed foot wrapping around the left arm. Gaze down at the mat just beyond your fingertips and rise up onto the ball of your back foot. Engage the core, bend your elbows and shift forward. Push energetically through the back foot and lift the leg up towards the sky, straightening and pointing as you balance and hold.
Tips and Modifications:
For first-timers, wedge a yoga block between the ground and your forehead for additional support as you build up strength and stamina.
Benefits of Flying Pigeon Pose:
Opens your hips
Strengthens upper body and core
Improves balance
10. Eight-Angle Pose (Astavakrasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
From a seated position, bend one leg and grab the pinky-side edge of your foot with the opposite hand. Lift the foot high to reach your free arm underneath the leg. Place the knee high on top of your shoulder. Hugging the lifted leg in towards the midline, place hands shoulder-distance apart on the mat next to your hips. Spread your fingers wide with the middle fingers pointing forward. Engage the core and root down through your hands to lift your hips up off the ground. Draw the bottom leg into the hip socket and shift the hips back to lift the legs. Cross your bottom ankle over the top ankle to anchor the pose. Extend your legs out to the side and squeeze your bicep with the inner thighs. Bring arms to Chaturanga by bending halfway down to the ground.
Tips and Modifications:
Smyth's top three tips for this advanced yoga pose? "First, get your top knee behind your shoulder and nestle it in. Then, lift your hips up high off the floor. Finally, cross your ankles and bend your elbows into a Chaturanga-like posture. The lower your center of gravity, the easier it is to balance."
Benefits of Eight-Angle Pose:
Tones your core
Improves balance and focus
Strengthens upper body and wrists
11. King Dancer Pose (Natarajasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin in a standing position with your feet together. Draw the left leg up and in towards your chest and begin to root down through all four corners of your standing foot. Lift the kneecap to engage the standing leg quadriceps and squeeze your glutes to stabilize the pelvis. Grab the ankle of your left leg with the same side arm. Bring the left knee down in line with the standing leg, foot back toward your butt. Begin to tip forward and reach the left foot up and back behind you. Take your free arm and reach it back behind you, grabbing onto the outside of the lifted left foot. Kick the foot up as you press the chest forward and straighten your standing leg.
Tips and Modifications:
“King dancer pose is a beautiful balancing pose that opens your entire front body,” Smyth says. Give it a try if you feel like your posture could use a refresh. To maintain your balance, don’t look down. Focus on a stationary object at eye level a few feet in front of you.
Benefits of King Dancer Pose:
Opens your chest, shoulders and hips
Strengthens legs and ankle muscles
Improves balance and flexibility
12. Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose (Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin on your back with your knees bent, feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward and shins straight. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up off the ground while raising your arms above your head. Plant your palms next to your ears with your fingers pointing in. Push down through your hands and feet to lift your torso and lightly come onto the crown of your head. Lower one forearm down at a time and interlace your fingers behind your head. Make sure your elbows are directly in line with your shoulders and squeeze everything (inner thighs included) in towards your midline. Push down through your elbows and lift your head up off the ground, opening your chest and pressing out through the gateway of your shoulders. To shorten and deepen your stance, inch your feet closer to your hands. For the one-legged variation, balance on one foot while reaching your other foot high towards the sky.
Tips and Modifications:
“Two-legged inverted staff is a dynamic pose that gives you a deep backbend stretch. Be sure to warm up before attempting this pose," Smyth warns. Flow through bridge and wheel pose to loosen up your spine and shoulders.
Benefits of Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose:
Opens your chest, shoulders and hips
Strengthens and tones your upper and lower body
Improves lung capacity and digestion
13. Firefly Pose (Tittibasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin in a standing forward fold with your feet wider than hip distance. Snuggle your shoulders or forearms behind your knees, depending on flexibility. Bend your knees enough to place your hands on the ground behind your feet with your fingertips facing forward. Slowly begin to transfer your balance, placing your weight into your hands and out of your feet. Lift your core in and up and press through your arms. Straighten your legs out in front of you with your toes pointed. Keep your quads, core and upper arms engaged.
Tips and Modifications:
If flexibility is an issue while entering the pose, keep a soft bend in your knees. You can also place your hands on two yoga blocks to help elevate your hips and ease yourself in.
Benefits of Firefly Pose:
Increases flexibility in the hip flexors and hamstrings
Strengthens core
Strengthens shoulders
Mental awareness
Full body stability and control
14. Revolved Half Moon Pose (Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin in a Warrior 3 pose (standing on your right leg with your left leg extended out behind you with your shoulders, hips and back heel in one straight line). Keeping your hips square to the mat, begin twisting only through the torso. Take your left fingertips to the mat and raise your right arm towards the ceiling.
Tips and Modifications:
If flexibility is an issue, place your bottom hand on a yoga block to help lift your chest.
Benefits of Revolved Half Moon Pose:
Builds strength in the ankles, core, glutes and lower back
Stretches your chest, arms and torso
Deep spinal twist
Promotes digestion and detoxification
15. Upward Rooster Pose (Urdhva Kukkutasana)
fizkes/Getty Images
How to Do It:
Begin in a seated lotus pose bringing your right foot to your inner left hip crease and your lift foot to your inner right hip crease. Snuggle your heels in as close to the body as possible and try to keep your knees drawing down towards the mat. Round your upper back creating a hollow body shape, drawing your core in and up. Place your hands on the ground about shoulder with apart. Press into your hands, utilizing your core to lift your knees as high up the back of your arms as possible. Once your knees are even with your triceps begin to straighten your arms and slightly shift forward so your shoulders and center of gravity are above your fingertips.
Tips and Modifications:
"This advanced yoga pose requires a lot of upper body and core strength," Galvin explains. "While there are no modifications, you can increase your strength by working through exercises like chaturanga pushups and crow/crane pose."
Benefits of Upward Rooster Pose:
Increases flexibility in your inner and outer hips
Strengthens arms
Strengthens core
Builds full body awareness and control
16. Two Limbed Plank Pose (Dwi anga Plankasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin in a tabletop position with your shoulders above your wrists and your hips above your knees. Find a slight hollow body in your core by drawing your navel up to your spine and slightly tipping your pelvis forward so your frontal hip points draw up to your bottom ribs. Press through the arms to lift your knees off the mat. Think about engaging every muscle in the body, as if you’re stiff as a board. Start to release some of the weight from your right hand, coming onto the fingertips and then fully reaching your arm forward. Next, lift your left leg up. You should now only be on your left arm and right leg. Feel how the balance shifts between the two limbs and do your best to keep your hips and shoulders square to the mat.
Tips and Modifications:
To modify this pose, skip the plank and begin on all fours, reaching one arm forward and one leg back (like a bird dog). Slowly incorporate the full plank and practice lifting one limb at a time.
Benefits of Two Limbed Plank Pose:
Total body awareness
Core stability and control
Strengthens and tones the entire body
Mental strength
17. Scale Pose (Tolasana)
Nitat Termmee/Getty Images
How to Do It:
Begin in a seated lotus pose bringing your right foot to your inner left hip crease and your left foot to your inner right hip crease. Snuggle your heels in as close to the body as possible and try to keep your knees drawing down towards the mat. Place your palms on the floor halfway between the hips and the knees. Round your back, press into your hands and lift your entire lower body up off the floor, engaging your core the entire time.
Tips and Modifications:
You can try this pose in a simple seat (Sukhasana) or with your legs out straight to practice lifting just the hips, or the hips and one leg at a time.
Benefits of Scale Pose:
Increases core strength, stability and control
Strengthens wrists and core
Flexibility in the inner and outer hips
Full body awareness
18. Standing Compass Pose (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin standing, then shift your weight into your left foot. Pick up your right foot with your left hand, supporting your right knee with your right hand as you cradle your right shin parallel to the ground, drawing it close to the body. Snuggle your right shoulder or forearm as far under your right knee as possible (if it helps with balance, bend your standing knee). Supporting your lower right leg with both hands, lift your right shoulder, bringing your right leg up behind it. Use your left hand to straighten your right leg. Extend your right arm out to the side.
Tips and Modifications:
Practice this pose seated or take the gentler bird of paradise version.
Benefits of Standing Compass Pose:
Strengthens the core muscles
Stretches the shoulders, chest and hips
Improves balance and coordination
Increases spinal flexibility
Improves posture
19. Headstand Pose (Sirsasana)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin kneeling. Measure out the appropriate elbow width by placing opposite hands at the inside base of your upper arms. Keep your elbows in this position as you place them down on your mat. Bring your hands together to create a triangle shape with your forearms. Interlace your fingers, opening your palms and thumbs. Place the tips of your pinky fingers together so that the bottom of your hands have a more stable base. Place the top of your head on the mat inside your hands. Lift your hips and straighten your legs, keeping your feet on the ground. Walk your feet in toward your head, bringing your hips directly above your shoulders. Gently bring your knees in toward your chest. Hold this position for five seconds. Slowly straighten your legs up toward the sky.
Tips and Modifications:
"Work with a spotter until you feel comfortable on your own and avoid this pose if you have any neck or back issues," Galvin says. Once the crown of your head is on the mat, practice lifting one foot at a time (heel to your butt) before lifting all the way up.
Benefits of Headstand Pose:
Calms the mind
Alleviates stress
Activates the pituitary and pineal glands
Stimulates the lymphatic system
Strengthen the upper body, spine and core
Enhances lung capacity
Stimulates and strengthens abdominal organs
Boosts digestion
20. Visvamitrasana (no English name)
Alo Moves
How to Do It:
Begin in a lizard pose with your right foot forward. Snuggle your right shoulder behind your right knee planting your right hand next to your right foot. Ground your back left foot to the mat (sole of your foot to the floor). Lift your right heel up off the ground, wrapping it around your right forearm. Place all of your weight in your back left foot and front right hand. Reach your left arm up overhead to grab your right foot and extend your leg straight.
Tips and Modifications:
Follow the step-by-step instructions, but don’t be afraid to stop where you feel limited by flexibility.
Benefits of Visvamitrasana:
Improves balance and mental focus
Increases flexibility
Tones the back of the body and spine
Strengthens the arms and legs
Improves core strength
Energizes the whole body
Psst...are you loving these advanced yoga poses? Sign up now at Alo Moves to get the full studio experience at home with thousands of classes on demand for mind, body and spirit.
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