Celebrities like Ashley Judd, Jenifer Aniston, Adam Levine, Madonna, and LeBron James have long known that an intense yoga class builds arm strength, stamina, and improves focus. But as a modified yoga instructor for twenty-two years, I know the truth. It’s not just a strenuous, muscle-building yoga class. Modified yoga will constantly build your arm strength and participants will feel refreshed, in almost every way possible. Modified yoga, like a strenuous mat class, uses isometric force, which means; it will use the force of the body against itself, to develop strength, stamina and resistance. In a simple example. A modified push up uses your body weight against your triceps and shoulders. There are many exercises to strengthen the arms in modified yoga. Participants who consistently practice these exercises will see and feel an improvement in the overall tone of their arms.

We can also use straps to create resistance and build strength. So to start with the strap options. Here are items you can use. A strong cloth karate belt. It’s usually best if it’s at least three or four feet tall. A normal leather belt, but make sure it’s durable. You can use a long towel that you roll lengthwise to make a makeshift strap, or roll a pillowcase lengthwise. Use only one option.

I’m going to describe a wall push-up, a diamond push-up that you can do kneeling on the mat, and an exercise where you use the strap for a resistance exercise. Use all or one of these techniques in your daily practice.

To do a wall push-up, stand facing a wall, just over an arm’s length from the wall. First, to find the correct placement of his hands, place them on the sternum of his chest. If you take your arms straight off that bone and place your hands on the wall, your hands will be at chest height on the wall. Since you are standing at a little more than arms length, you will have a slight lean, which will cause more resistance and isometric force in your arms. Rest your palms on the wall or your fists on the wall if you have carpal tunnel in your wrists. When placing your palms on the wall, if you want easier pressure, the distance between your palms could be six to eight inches. For a more challenging press, place your hands in the center and angle your fingertips with your wrists and elbows pointing to the sides.

To start, keep your knees slightly bent when you do the wall press. Your tailbone and lower back will be against the wall. When you move towards the wall, bend your arms and lean over, your body will move as a unit, like a plank of wood. As you approach the wall, you will keep your body straight and bring your nose within an inch of the wall. To do this pose well, don’t push your neck forward. You must move your body as a unit. Hold the pose for five seconds to fifteen seconds. Then relax for another five to fifteen seconds. As you progress, adjust how long you hold the pose, or adjust the number of repetitions you do, as you gain strength. When you’re just starting out, you can do three to eight repetitions of five to fifteen second time-outs.

To work on a leash. This can be done sitting or standing. If you are standing, keep your knees bent and stand with your feet hip-width apart for balance. Take the leash in your hands and leave a space between your hands of ten to twelve inches. Start with your hands, holding the strap at chest height. First try to slowly pull the leash and arms apart. Of course, you will not be able to break the leash or belt. This pull causes an isometric force against the triceps and shoulders. Then continue to pull apart as you extend your arms forward. Hold them extended for five to fifteen seconds. Bring the strap back to your chest for another five seconds, then push them forward once more. Chill out. You can do three to eight repetitions.

Next, hold the strap ten to twelve inches once more. Lower the strap close to your hips or legs and in front of you. Try to separate the strap and slowly lift the strap up, keeping your arms straight. If you are concerned about your shoulders, you can leave the strap and arms at chest level. Maintain the position and lower yourself to the starting point with your legs. Continue trying to separate the strap and lift it up again. If you don’t have shoulder problems, you can loop the strap over your head and keep your arms straight. Hold for five to fifteen seconds. Again, the repetitions of poses can be from three to eight rounds. Relax and breathe. You can do any or all of the variations that I suggest here.

Last one, we’re going to start with the strap over your head. When you hold the strap over your head, the width of your arms will open up more. The space between your hands can be fifteen to twenty inches wide. We open our arms more above the head, to accommodate the natural way in which the body is built. Without the leash, if you were to put your arms straight over your head, they don’t go straight, they open out more like a “V”. We want to have minimal tension in the shoulders, so it’s easier to open the arms wider to accommodate the body.

When you hold the strap, you don’t need to separate it, because the movement itself will cause isometric resistance. It is relatively simple. Let’s imagine a channel, which sways from side to side above our head. When holding the strap fifteen to twenty inches apart, bring your arms all the way to the right (into the channel or groove above your head) and hold for five to fifteen seconds, then move them all the way to the left and hold. Do three to five repetitions. Put your arms down and rest.

The last pose is the most challenging. The diamond press. This requires you to kneel for a few moments on the mat. If you have knee problems, you can place a thick towel under your knees to support and cushion your knees. Kneel on all fours. Your hands and your knees. Place your hands directly under your sternum, as close to that point on your sternum as possible, place your hands on the mat.

To position your hands correctly in the diamond press, you’ll start with the index fingers of each hand touching. Open your hands out to the sides and bring the tips of your thumbs together. The empty space between your hands will now form a triangle. Place your palms, triangle side down, in the center of the mat. Position your body on your hands and your elbows point out to the sides. Tuck your tailbone and hips down, and bend your arms, lowering them halfway toward your hands. Hold the diamond press for five to fifteen seconds. If you have stamina, you can do three to five and move on. Four, five or six repetitions.

Modified yoga will make a difference in your arm strength, stamina, and focus. Many of you will find these poses to be an exercise. But I can assure you that they will be much easier than a strenuous mat class. As you get stronger, you can always work your way up through reps or classes. Focus on what you can do. But for me, my modified yoga gives me and my clients everything we need.