According to a small 2016 study, male college athletes who participated in a 10-week, biweekly yoga group increased their flexibility and balance more than the group that didn’t practice yoga.

The researchers concluded that adding a yoga program to traditional training methods helped enhance the athletes’ fitness and sports performance. Reverse the position of your feet and repeat for the same length of time on the other side. Straighten both of your legs. Keep your gaze over your front middle finger.
Actively press your front knee out.
Reach your other arm up to the sky, with your shoulders stacked.
Unless you’re very flexible, there will likely be some space between your heels and the floor — that’s perfectly OK. Your palms should be shoulder-width apart and your heels hip-width apart. Notice if it’s extending beyond your ankle or dropping in toward the midline.
Lift your arms up to shoulder height and extend them out.
How to do this pose:
Begin on your hands and knees. Keep your hands pressed into the floor.


Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Downward-Facing Dog Pose is one of the most recognized yoga poses, especially for beginners.
Benefits: This pose stretches your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and lower back. If possible, put a 90-degree bend in your front leg — that deep bend is what helps to lengthen and stretch your groin and inner thigh muscles. Your body should be in a straight line from your wrists to your shoulders to your hips. It also stretches several muscles in your upper body, including your shoulders and upper back.
Let your hips shift back as you reach your front arm forward and lean into your front leg. Your legs should be straight as well.
Lengthen your tailbone and spine. Align your heels. This allows you to feel the muscles being activated, creating the essential mind-body connection, which makes yoga a mindful form of exercise,” she said.
What makes some yoga postures so beneficial for your legs, says Olney, is that they balance strengthening and stretching — the key to having healthier, stronger, more flexible legs. If your knee can’t reach that far, don’t worry; just go as far as you can without any pain.
Press down through your front heel and feel your quads, hamstrings, and glutes light up.
Press the outer edge of your back foot firmly into the floor.
Look at your toes.
. Keep your arms straight but avoid locking your elbows.
Bring your front fingertips down to the floor, or rest them on a block placed just inside your front foot. Keep your arms extended wide like in Warrior II.

Warrior II Pose
“Warrior II is the ultimate standing pose for toning and lengthening the muscles in your legs,” said Olney.
Benefits: This strong pose energizes your legs, helps you develop better balance and stability, and stretches your hips and groin muscles.
How to do this pose:
Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders, about 4 to 5 feet apart.
“In yoga, it’s not uncommon to hold some of the standing strength and balancing poses until your legs are shaking. Your calf muscles, quads, and hamstrings are now active.
Hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Reverse your feet and repeat for the same length of time on the other side. Notice how your back leg engages more when you seal the outer edge of your foot down. Press both heels toward the mat as far as you can without straining; hold this pose for 1 minute. If your neck feels strained, focus your gaze down toward your front big toe instead.
Engage your back leg by sealing the outer edge of your back foot against the mat, just like you did in Warrior II.
Hold for up to 1 minute. Keep an eye on your front knee.
Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Ways to Benefit Your Legs with Yoga Poses
It’s no secret that practicing yoga can boost your mental, physical, and spiritual health. Engage your core muscles, too. Align your front heel with the center of your back instep.
Let’s get into how yoga can benefit your legs and the poses that can be especially helpful.

How can yoga benefit your legs?
According to Mara Olney, yoga teacher and owner of LÜM Health Studio, your legs will definitely feel the love during a yoga class. You can use a yoga mat for support.
Turn your right toes out to face the short end of your mat and your left toes forward to face the long edge.
Take a deep breath, press your weight into your hands, tuck your toes under, and lift up off your knees. You should also feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.
How to do this pose:
Begin in Warrior II Pose, then shorten your stance a tiny bit. This ancient practice is known for its ability to reduce stress, ease minor pain, relieve anxiety, and improve the quality of your sleep.
But did you know that yoga can also pack a serious punch when it comes to your legs? That’s right: Both standing and supine (lying face up) yoga poses may help improve balance, flexibility, and strength in your lower body.

Triangle Pose
Benefits: Triangle pose focuses on stretching and lengthening the muscles in your thighs, hips, and back. Gaze up at the top of your hand. Your weight should be evenly distributed on both sides of your body.
Deeply bend your right leg while keeping your left leg straight and strong.