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Woman practices Crow Pose, and advanced yoga pose

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Ready for a Challenge? Add These 10 Advanced Yoga Poses to Your Practice

Take your yoga practice to the next level with these challenging poses.

By Elizabeth Millard3 February 2025

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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.

Woman practices Lotus Pose

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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: 

  1. Sit on the floor or your mat, with legs straight. This is sometimes easier for getting into the pose compared to a cross-legged position.

  2. Bend your right knee and hug it in toward your chest to engage the hip muscles.

  3. Bring your right foot onto your left thigh, with the right ankle in toward the left hip crease. 

  4. Bend your left knee and bring it in toward your chest. Usually, you'll need to tip backward slightly for a moment.

  5. Cross your left ankle over to the right thigh, with the left ankle in toward the right hip crease. 

  6. Sit up fully with shoulders relaxed. Hands can go in toward your feet or extend to your knees.

  7. Hold the posture for 30 seconds to a minute, or longer if you're using the posture for meditation.

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.

Kirra Michel doing Crow Pose

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: 

  1. Place palms on the mat about shoulder-width apart as you come into a crouch position.

  2. Shift your weight slightly forward as you lift your hips and round your upper back.

  3. Place knees on your triceps and keep your arms slightly bent (straightening your arm turns this into Crane Pose).

  4. Lift one foot off the floor and then the other.

  5. Look toward the ground to keep your neck in line with your spine. 

  6. Hold for five to 10 breaths while pressing firmly into your hands.

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 Pose

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: 

  1. Stand with feet at shoulder distance apart and arms stretched straight over your head.

  2. Load your weight into your right foot and take the left off the ground as you tip forward, making your body into a T-shape on one leg.

  3. Bring your left hand down toward the ground so you're twisting toward your right side while keeping the left leg extended behind you. 

  4. Hold the pose for five breaths, then come back to standing and switch sides.

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.

Woman does a handstand, how to do a handstand

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: 

  1. Begin in Downward-Facing Dog with hands shoulder-distance apart and fingers spread wide to establish a good base of support.

  2. Start walking your feet in toward your hands to get your spine in line with your shoulders; when you can't walk any more without tipping forward, lift one leg up and engage your core muscles.

  3. Keep hips square to the ground as you lift the other leg. It may help to bend the knee and kick up gently to use momentum. Then straighten the leg.

  4. Press down into your hands and look at the ground.

  5. Hold for five to 10 breaths.

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.

Woman practices Wheel Pose

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: 

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.

  2. Place your hands next to your ears with your palms facing down and fingers pointing toward your shoulders.

  3. Push yourself up halfway up until your head rests on the mat and your hips are off the ground.

  4. Press down into your hands and feet, and lift up into the pose until your arms are straight, keeping a slight bend in the knees.

  5. Hold the pose for five to 10 breaths.

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.

Kristin McGee demonstrates Compass Pose in yoga, an advanced yoga pose

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: 

  1. Sit cross-legged, then bring your right knee toward your chest.

  2. Slide your right arm underneath the bent knee and grab onto the right foot with your left hand.

  3. Straighten the right leg while still holding on with your hand.

  4. Tuck the leg behind the right shoulder, and bring your right arm out to the side on the mat for stability.

  5. Hold this position for five to 10 breaths, then come out of the pose and switch sides.

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.

Kirra Michel demonstrates a split stretch

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: 

  1. Start by kneeling on the ground with a straight back.

  2. Bring your right leg out in front with knee slightly bent and foot flexed, with hands on either side of the right knee.

  3. Begin sliding your left leg back as you lower toward the ground.

  4. Once both legs are straight, you can release your hands and sit up tall so your spine is in line with your hips.

  5. Hold for five to 10 breaths.

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.

Kirra Michel demonstrates King Pigeon, an advanced yoga pose

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: 

  1. Start in Downward-Facing Dog with hands shoulder-width apart.

  2. Lift your right leg as high as you can and bring it through to the front with your right knee behind your right wrist. Make sure your hips are squared to the front of the mat and your left leg is long behind you.

  3. Sit up tall as you bend the left leg at the knee.

  4. Open your chest as you arch your back, coming into backbend and reaching your hand up and over your head to grab the left foot. Your elbows should be pointed at the ceiling.

  5. Hold for five to 10 breaths, then release and do the other side.

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.

Kirra Michel demonstrates Bird of Paradise, an advanced yoga pose

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: 

Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts demonstrates how to practice Bird of Paradise
  1. Start in a Forward Fold with feet slightly wider than hips.

  2. Place all your weight on the ball of the right foot, and put the right shoulder along the inside and slightly behind the right knee.

  3. Thread your right hand and arm through your legs and up toward your back, bringing the left arm back to meet the right in a bind pose.

  4. Bend your left leg and begin to stand up so you're balancing on that leg. Your right knee will be bent and you'll still be in the bind. 

  5. Straighten your left leg and expand your chest so your shoulders aren't compressed. 

  6. Straighten the right leg to come into the full pose.

  7. Hold for five to 10 breaths and then switch sides.

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: 

  1. Sit on the floor with legs folded under you, knees bent.

  2. Put your hands on the ground on either side of your hips, palms pressing firmly into the mat and fingers facing forward and elbows bent.

  3. Lean into your hands as you straighten your arms and tip forward slightly. Keep your legs tucked as closely into the body as possible. Round your back and squeeze the knees into your chest.

  4. Bring your feet up toward your glutes so you lift off the ground.

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."

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This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.

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Headshot of Peloton instructor Kirra Michel.

Featured Peloton Instructor

Kirra Michel

Kirra is passionate about the mental and physical challenge yoga brings and tries to make each of her classes an experience in authenticity.

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