What muscles does this yoga workout target?

The primary focus here is hips, glutes, shoulders. You will also feel work in your quads, spine — I designed these 17 movements across 25 minutes so each body area gets attention without rushing through transitions. The sequencing follows a natural flow that lets your body warm into deeper ranges gradually. Perfect for yoga poses for beginners. Great for anyone interested in yoga poses names. Great for anyone interested in yoga for lower back pain.

What equipment do I need for this workout?

You'll want mat. Don't have one? A thick towel, carpet works fine — I've taught this sequence with improvised props more times than I can count. The movement matters more than the equipment.

Is this workout suitable for beginners?

Yes. Absolutely. No prior experience needed. Every exercise includes form cues, and there are modifications throughout. Here is what I tell new students: if something feels wrong — sharp pain, dizziness, strain in your neck — back off. Yoga should challenge you, not punish you.

How long is this workout?

About 25 minutes, start to finish. That includes warm-up and cool-down — I never skip those, and neither should you. The main work covers 17 movements. Some days that flies by. Some days minute 20 feels like an hour. Both are normal.

Are there modifications available for this workout?

Yes. Modifications are cued throughout. Examples: Hold the stretch longer on one side if desired; Hand to lower back; Hand to inside of thigh — I've been teaching long enough to know that the 'full expression' of a pose isn't the goal. The goal is finding the version that challenges YOUR body without breaking it. Use every modification offered. That's not weakness — that's intelligence.

Do I need yoga experience for this class?

Yes — I built this for women who are either starting fresh or coming back after a break. Every exercise includes form cues, and there are modifications throughout. Here is what I tell new students: if something feels wrong — sharp pain, dizziness, strain in your neck — back off. Yoga should challenge you, not punish you.

How often should I do this yoga workout?

Two to three times per week is the sweet spot for most women. Daily is fine too if your body responds well — yoga is forgiving that way — I've seen better results from consistent shorter sessions than from one heroic weekend marathon. Pair it with a different movement style on alternate days — a walk, some light strength work, even just stretching at your desk.

Can yoga help with Pelvic Floor?

There is clinical evidence supporting yoga for Pelvic Floor. The mechanism: pelvic floor strengthening — I want to be honest though — movement is one piece. It's powerful, but it works best alongside sleep, nutrition, and stress management. If Pelvic Floor is significantly impacting your quality of life, talk to a specialist. This workout can be part of your plan, not your entire plan.

Why is breathing so important in yoga?

Breathing is not decoration. In yoga, your breath literally determines how deep you can go into a movement and how your nervous system responds. Exhale on effort, inhale on release — that's the basic pattern. But here is what most instructors don't say: if you can't breathe smoothly in a position, you've gone too far. Your breath is your honest feedback system. The diaphragmatic breathing in this session activates your parasympathetic nervous system — the 'rest and digest' mode that most women in their 30s and 40s desperately need more of. This session is particularly effective as a yoga for stress relief option.

Yoga Balance For Hips And Glutes — Session 5

Exercise Breakdown

17 exercises in Session 5

Warm-up3 exercises

2m 28s

0:00

Energizing Breaths and Wrist Circles

“Inhale, lift the arms up, and on your exhale, rotate the wrists down.”

wristsarms

low

1:01

Finger Flicks

“Flick the fingers as fast as you can.”

forearmswrists

medium

1:31

Intuitive All-Fours Circles

“Shifting the body weight forward onto your wrists, spread your palms out.”

wristshipsshoulders

low

Strength3 exercises

3m 49s

5:41

High Lunge with Winged Arms

“Sending the arms back like wings, and then lifting up to the top.”

quadsgluteship flexorsshoulders

medium

13:00

Malasana (Yogi Squat) Flow

“Pushing through the heels, coming up nice and slow.”

hipsglutesquadspelvic floor

medium

19:40

Curtsy Lunge to Leg Extension

“Coming down a bit deeper every time, pointing through the toe.”

glutesquadsouter thighs

medium

Flexibility4 exercises

5m 27s

7:01

Low Lunge to Half Splits Flow

“Slowly lower the back knee down. As we do that, we push the hips down.”

hamstringship flexorsspine

medium

9:41

Standing Hip Circles

“Give me a circle with the right leg... opening this right hip.”

hipsglutes

low

14:21

Lizard Lunge with Knee Taps

“Think of a very strong back leg. Can we lower down onto the forearms?”

hip flexorsquadsinner thighsforearms

medium

22:30

Pigeon Pose

“Notice how you feel lowering onto the forearms... maybe you can rock side to side.”

gluteshipsouter thighslower back

low

Balance3 exercises

3m 17s

4:41

Knee Hug to Leg Extension Balance

“Squeeze your core in, hug your right knee into the chest.”

corequadshipsankles

medium

8:31

Warrior III

“Shift your weight forward, and then gently lift the back leg.”

gluteshamstringscoreankles

high

17:31

Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

“Walk the fingertips forward, and gently lift the back leg up. Flex the foot.”

glutescoreanklesouter thighs

high

Cool-down1 exercise

1m 7s

25:50

Standing Backbend and Cool-down

“Hands down to your lower back, roll the shoulders back, push the hips forward.”

spinechestshoulders

low

yoga3 exercises

3m 18s

2:31

Downward Facing Dog

“Melting the chest down a bit more, squeezing the biceps, lifting the tailbone a little higher.”

hamstringsshouldersspinecalves

medium

3:21

Standing Forward Fold with Twist

“Bend your right knee, lowering the right hand in front of the right foot. Straighten your left leg.”

hamstringsshouldersspinehips

low

16:20

Warrior II to Reverse Warrior

“Look under the left hand. Index and middle finger touch.”

quadsshouldersspinehips

medium

Muscles Targeted

Primary

hipsglutesshoulders

Secondary

quadsspinehamstrings

Equipment & Modifications

Equipment Needed

Don't Have Equipment?

You can substitute with:

thick towelcarpet

Available Modifications

Hold the stretch longer on one side if desired
Hand to lower back
Hand to inside of thigh
Interlace hands behind back
Stay on hands instead of forearms
Bend back knee and hold foot (Chapasana)
Stay on forearms
Extend arms fully and lower forehead

Coaching Highlights from StarFit

“Bend your right knee, lowering the right hand in front of the right foot. Straighten your left leg.”
Form

“If you can bend the back knee, hold your foot and kick this foot up into our hand.”
Modification

“It pumps the blood into the forearms... so during our planks and chaturangas, we feel a lot stronger.”
Motivation

“I believe movement should feel good first and challenge you second. When I design a stretch sequence, I'm thinking about the woman who's been hunched over her laptop for eight hours, the one whose shoulders live somewhere near her ears. We start gentle. We earn the deeper stretches.”
Form

Health Benefits

Women navigating Pelvic Floor, anxiety will find this session particularly relevant. The focus on hips and glutes addresses the specific tension patterns and movement deficits that often accompany these conditions. No prior experience needed — every movement has a modification.

pelvic floor weakness

90% relevant

pelvic floor strengthening; core stability; breathwork

anxiety

90% relevant

parasympathetic activation; cortisol reduction; GABA boost via rhythmic movement

insomnia

90% relevant

melatonin support via relaxation; nervous system downregulation; muscle tension release

low libido

90% relevant

pelvic floor strengthening; blood flow to pelvis; body reconnection; parasympathetic activation

depression

90% relevant

endorphin release; BDNF increase; serotonin boost; dopamine via goal completion

Relevant For

back painbalancecore strengthflexibilityhip painjoint painpelvic floorposturesciaticastress

Frequently Asked Questions

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From: Yoga Body Balance

Exercise Breakdown

Muscles Targeted

Primary

Secondary

Equipment & Modifications

Equipment Needed

Don't Have Equipment?

Available Modifications

Coaching Highlights from StarFit

Health Benefits

pelvic floor weakness

anxiety

insomnia

low libido

depression

Relevant For

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Workouts & Topics

More from Yoga Body Balance

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About the Trainer

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