You've mastered the Sun Salutation, as well as balance favorites like Tree and Dancer, and now you're looking to start hopping into one of the many Peloton Focus Flows with advanced yoga poses. Here are some poses you may encounter, along with what muscles they work, and some tips for building up to that greater challenge. 

Why Do Advanced Yoga Poses?

Before diving into specific poses, it's helpful to consider why you may want to add them to your practice in the first place. Although a particularly difficult pose might take time to work toward, it's worth the effort for the many benefits they bring, according to Peloton Yoga instructor Kirra Michel. 

"An advanced yoga asana (pose) is one that requires dedication over a prolonged period of time," she says. "These poses typically involve a combination of concentration and focus, control, balance, strength, flexibility, and mobility."

They can also improve proprioception, she adds. That's the sense of how your body is positioned and the way it moves. Research has linked better proprioception to improved results for a variety of athletic pursuits because it's a booster for muscle activation, stability, and speed.  

All of that adds up to better movement overall, and a sense of progress in your yoga practice. With that in mind, here are 10 options for advanced yoga poses, including tips for how to work up to each.

Lotus

Also called Full Lotus or Padmasana, this pose involves placing each foot on the opposite thigh, making the knees look like the petals or leaves of a flower, with the upper body resembling a central bud or bloom. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: This may seem like a pose for the lower body, but it's actually a whole-body pose because you're focusing on keeping the spine straight. Because of that, you'll be working your core and back muscles as well as your hips and quads.

Tips for working toward the pose: Try doing a Half Lotus first, in which you bring just one foot into your hip crease. After 30 seconds, switch sides. You can also use blocks or other props under each knee, to alleviate tension in the legs and hips.

Crow

Also called Bakasana, Crow Pose is known as an arm balance, but it requires strength in a combination of muscles to lift yourself up and hold the pose. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: Your arms and shoulders will definitely get a workout here, but in order to balance well, you'll need to fire up your core muscles as well.

Tips for working toward the pose: Using a block can help you transition toward this pose, either by standing on one to lift your hips more easily, or by putting the block under your forehead so you don't tip forward too much. Also, focusing on holding Plank Pose for longer can help you build arm and shoulder strength for Crow.

Revolved Half Moon

Considered a more advanced variation of Half Moon Pose, this puts a twist (literally) into your balance mix. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: Your core always fires up for balance poses, and this is no exception. But because you'll be putting all your weight on one leg here, you'll also be working your quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.

Tips for working toward the pose: Since Revolved Half Moon involves many elements—balance, twisting, and lower-body strength—poses that have those factors are helpful here. For example, try doing a traditional Half Moon pose with a block under your hand to hold the pose for longer, as well as putting more twisting postures into your practice.

Handstand

Also called Adho Mukha Vrksasana or Downward-Facing Tree, Handstand Pose is an inversion, which means your head will be below your heart. It can also feel intimidating since it flips your perspective and challenges your strength and balance. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: Like all balance poses, this will be a core burner, but will also engage your upper body for strength and stability, particularly your shoulders, biceps, triceps, and traps.

Tips for working toward the pose: If you're nervous about doing a handstand in the middle of the room, start by facing a wall and then coming into the pose, so if you tip backward, you'll have support. Gradually, build up to touching the wall as little as possible.

Wheel

An advanced backbend, Wheel Pose is also known as Urdhva Dhanurasana or Upward-Facing Bow, and it can help open the chest and shoulders as well as improve spinal flexibility. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: Wheel requires full body engagement as you press into the hands and feet to stay elevated. You'll be working your arms, shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings the most.

Tips for working toward the pose: Creating strength in the lower body is key for this pose even though it seems like an upper-body posture. Because of that, practice doing Bridge Pose more often to create the sensation you need of pushing upward with the hips and legs.

Compass

While this is a deep hip opener, Compass also requires flexibility in the shoulders and hamstrings to come into the full pose. Also called Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana, here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: You'll feel Compass most in the hamstrings and hip muscles, but to hold the pose, you'll also be engaging your core and shoulders.

Tips for working toward the pose: Because compass requires both mobility and greater range of motion in the hips especially, working on poses that build those is key. That includes Pigeon, runner's stretch, Side Angle Pose, and Lizard. Even advancing in Lotus Pose can be a big help here.

Splits

Also called Hanumanasana or Monkey Pose, the Full Splits can seem intimidating, but if you've been working on poses that bring more mobility to your hamstrings, glutes, and groin muscles, it's worth playing around with this one. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: The main muscles involved in splits are hamstrings, hip flexors, and adductors, although your glutes and quads will also engage when you're in the full pose.

Tips for working toward the pose: Getting your hips and groin muscles primed for this pose is essential, and you can work toward that with poses like Frog, Lizard, Standing Splits, and Pigeon. You can also put a block or towel under your front thigh, and then gradually reduce the amount of propping you need to do as you work toward Full Splits.

King Pigeon

Pigeon Pose is a common part of many yoga flows as a way to relax the hips, but King Pigeon—also known as Eka Pada Rajakapotasana—is an advanced variation that's more about strength than release. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: Pigeon is already a boon for the muscles by engaging the hip flexors, glutes, piriformis, and back muscles. This advanced variation adds more muscle engagement, particularly in the shoulders, quads, and chest.

Tips for working toward the pose: Try doing a Half Lotus first, in which you bring just one foot into your hip crease. After 30 seconds, switch sides. You can also use blocks or other props under each knee, to alleviate tension in the legs and hips.

Bird of Paradise

Another advanced pose that combines balance and strength, Bird of Paradise—also called Svarga Dvijasana—takes its name from the flower, with your standing leg as a stem and an outstretched leg as the central bloom. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: This pose strengthens one side of the body while bringing flexibility to the other; muscles engaged include biceps, hamstrings, glutes, core, and back extensors.

Tips for working toward the pose: Blending hip openers with balance can help you work up to Bird of Paradise, particularly Half Moon Pose and Warrior 3. Other poses that are helpful are Extended Side Angle and Triangle held for longer periods, which can prep your hips for the advanced version. You can also use a strap or towel or if your hands don't meet in the full bind.

Pendant

Also called Lolasana or Swinging Pose, Pendant is one of the few advanced poses that looks deceptively easy. However, it requires significant core and arm strength to achieve. Here's how to do it: 

Muscles worked: Because it's an arm balance, Pendant will engage the upper body as you're holding it, including your biceps, triceps, lats, traps, and delts. But as with any balance, your core will also be firing to keep you stable.

Tips for working toward the pose: Similar to other arm balances, you can use blocks to work up to Pendant, by keeping your feet on the block as you lift. Also, since this requires so much arm strength, consider doing more poses that build muscles there, such as Plank, Side Plank, and One-handed Down Dog.

Top Tip: Take Your Time

Although it can be thrilling to get into an advanced pose and be able to relax into it, keep in mind that it's crucial to work up to poses gradually to prevent the risk of injury. 

"Advanced postures have taken me a huge amount of time and dedication, as well as fine-tuning my approach, to achieve them," says Kirra. "Remember that there's no 'finish line.' You can keep evolving your practice as your skill progresses, while giving yourself grace and patience along the way."