Top 18 'Plateau-Busting' Yoga Poses to do for Weight Loss When the Scale Won't Budge
You’ve been doing everything right. You’re eating well, moving your body, and staying consistent. For weeks, the numbers on the scale were steadily dropping, your clothes felt looser, and your energy was soaring. Then, suddenly… nothing. The scale freezes. The inches stop melting away. You’ve officially hit the dreaded weight loss plateau. It’s frustrating, demotivating, and can make you want to throw in the towel completely.
But what if the solution isn’t about pushing harder, but about moving smarter? What if the key to reigniting your metabolism and breaking through that wall is already within you, just waiting to be unlocked? This is where the ancient practice of yoga comes in. It’s not just about gentle stretching and finding your zen; it's a powerful tool for transforming your body from the inside out. Yoga for weight loss isn't just about the calories you burn on the mat; it's about building lean muscle, balancing hormones, and taming the stress that can secretly sabotage your progress.
When your body gets used to the same old routine, it adapts and becomes more efficient, burning fewer calories for the same amount of work. To bust a plateau, you need to introduce a new challenge. These 18 yoga poses are designed to do exactly that. They will challenge your strength, test your balance, stoke your metabolic fire, and calm your nervous system, creating the perfect storm for getting that scale moving again. Let’s roll out the mat and get started.
1. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Often called "fierce pose," Utkatasana is a full-body furnace. It forces the largest muscles in your body—your glutes and quads—to fire up and hold an intense isometric contraction. This builds serious lower body strength, and more muscle means a higher resting metabolism. Plus, holding this pose for 30-60 seconds will send your heart rate soaring, giving you a surprising cardiovascular workout.
How to do it: Stand with your feet together or hip-width apart. Inhale and raise your arms overhead, keeping them parallel with palms facing in. As you exhale, bend your knees and sink your hips back and down as if you’re sitting in an imaginary chair. Keep your weight in your heels (you should be able to wiggle your toes) and draw your navel in to support your lower back.
Pro-Tip: Challenge yourself by holding for five deep breaths, then rising up slightly on an inhale and sinking deeper on an exhale. For an added core challenge, bring your hands to heart center and twist into Revolved Chair Pose (which we’ll cover later!).
2. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
Why it busts plateaus: Warrior II is a true power pose. It requires you to engage your legs, glutes, core, and arms simultaneously. Holding this expansive posture builds endurance and strength in your thighs and ankles. It’s a static hold that feels anything but static; you’ll feel the heat building with every breath, a sure sign your metabolism is kicking into a higher gear.
How to do it: From a standing position, step your left foot back about 3-4 feet, turning the left foot parallel to the back of your mat. Your front (right) heel should align with the arch of your back foot. Bend your front knee so it stacks directly over your ankle, aiming for a 90-degree angle. Extend your arms parallel to the floor, reaching actively in both directions. Gaze softly over your front fingertips.
Pro-Tip: Don’t let your front knee collapse inward. Actively press it toward the pinky-toe side of your foot to engage your outer hip. Stay for 5-8 breaths before switching sides.
3. High Lunge (Ashta Chandrasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Unlike a low lunge, the High Lunge demands constant engagement from your legs and core to maintain balance. Your back leg is fully active, and your front thigh is working hard, building strength and stability. The balance component forces smaller, stabilizing muscles to wake up and get to work, increasing the overall caloric burn of your practice.
How to do it: From a standing forward fold, step your left foot back, coming onto the ball of the foot. Keep your back leg straight and strong as you bend your front knee to 90 degrees, stacking it over the ankle. On an inhale, lift your torso and sweep your arms overhead. Square your hips to the front of the mat.
Pro-Tip: Feeling wobbly? Widen your stance by moving your front foot slightly to the right. To increase the intensity, try pulsing up and down an inch with each breath.
4. Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
Why it busts plateaus: This is the ultimate test of balance, concentration, and full-body strength. Warrior III forces every muscle from your standing leg's foot to your extended fingertips to engage. Your core has to work overtime to keep you stable, and your glutes and hamstrings on the standing leg get an incredible workout. This kind of high-intensity, focused work is a fantastic way to shock your system out of a plateau.
How to do it: From High Lunge, bring your hands to your hips and begin to shift your weight forward onto your front foot. Hinge at your hips, lifting your back leg until it is parallel to the floor. Your torso should also be parallel to the floor, creating a "T" shape with your body. Flex your lifted foot and keep your standing leg strong but not locked. Extend your arms forward for the full expression of the pose.
Pro-Tip: If you're struggling with balance, place your hands on blocks under your shoulders or practice near a wall for support. The key is to keep your hips level—imagine a teacup resting on your lower back.
5. Plank Pose (Phalakasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Plank is the quintessential full-body strengthener. It seems simple, but it targets your arms, shoulders, chest, back, core, and even your legs. Building a strong core is fundamental for a healthy metabolism, as it's the powerhouse for almost all movement. Holding a plank for an extended period creates a metabolic demand that continues even after you come out of the pose.
How to do it: Start on all fours. Step your feet back one at a time until your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders. Press the floor away from you, slightly rounding your upper back to engage your serratus anterior muscles. Engage your quads, glutes, and core.
Pro-Tip: Avoid letting your hips sag or pike up. A proper plank is a straight line. If a full plank is too much, drop to your knees. To advance it, try lifting one leg off the floor for a few breaths.
6. Side Plank (Vasisthasana)
Why it busts plateaus: While a standard plank hits the front of your core, Side Plank hones in on the obliques—the muscles along the sides of your waist. Strengthening your obliques not only helps sculpt your waistline but also improves spinal stability. This pose is another balance challenger that recruits a wide range of muscles to keep you lifted.
How to do it: From Plank Pose, shift your weight onto your right hand and the outer edge of your right foot. Stack your left foot on top of your right. Lift your hips high and extend your left arm to the ceiling. Keep your body in one long, diagonal line.
Pro-Tip: For more stability, stagger your feet or drop your bottom knee to the mat. To make it harder, try lifting your top leg (this is known as "Star" pose).
7. Boat Pose (Navasana)
Why it busts plateaus: If you want to feel your core burn, look no further than Boat Pose. This pose is an intense workout for your abdominals and hip flexors. Building this deep core strength is metabolically expensive, meaning your body has to burn more calories to maintain that muscle. It also improves posture, which can make you look leaner instantly.
How to do it: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Lean back slightly, keeping your spine straight, and lift your feet off the floor until your shins are parallel to the ground. You can keep your hands behind your knees for support or extend them forward, parallel to the floor. To intensify, straighten your legs into a "V" shape.
Pro-Tip: Focus on lifting your chest and keeping your spine long. Don't let your back round! It's better to bend your knees and maintain good form than to straighten your legs with a collapsed spine.
8. Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Dolphin is a fantastic strengthening pose for the shoulders, arms, and upper back—areas often neglected in standard workouts. It also provides a deep stretch for the hamstrings and calves while demanding significant core engagement to maintain the inverted "V" shape. It's a great preparation for more advanced inversions and builds heat quickly.
How to do it: Start on your hands and knees. Lower your forearms to the mat, ensuring your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Interlace your fingers or press your palms flat. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back, just like in Downward-Facing Dog. Let your head hang freely and walk your feet in closer to your elbows to deepen the stretch.
Pro-Tip: Press actively through your forearms to take the pressure off your head and neck. To turn it into a dynamic, plateau-busting move, try "Dolphin Push-ups" by shifting your weight forward to bring your chin toward your hands, and then pressing back.
9. Sun Salutation A (Surya Namaskar A)
Why it busts plateaus: This isn't a single pose, but a dynamic sequence that links breath with movement. Flowing through Sun Salutations elevates your heart rate, builds full-body heat, and improves cardiovascular health—all essential for breaking a weight loss stall. It’s a metabolically demanding flow that warms up every major muscle group and gets your energy moving.
How to do it: A classic Sun Salutation A flows from Mountain Pose -> Upward Salute -> Forward Fold -> Half Lift -> Plank -> Chaturanga -> Upward-Facing Dog -> Downward-Facing Dog. You hold Downward Dog for five breaths before stepping back to the front of the mat and reversing the sequence.
Pro-Tip: Aim to complete 5-10 rounds at the beginning of your practice. Focus on a smooth, steady breath. As you get more comfortable, you can pick up the pace to increase the cardio challenge, which is a core principle we teach here at the Goh Ling Yong blog for maximizing results.
10. Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
Why it busts plateaus: Chaturanga is the ultimate yoga push-up. It builds incredible strength in the triceps, shoulders, chest, and core. Mastering this pose requires so much muscular engagement that it significantly revs up your metabolism. Consistently practicing Chaturanga will build the kind of lean upper-body muscle that torches calories around the clock.
How to do it: From Plank Pose, shift your weight slightly forward onto your toes. As you exhale, lower your body halfway down, keeping your elbows tucked in by your ribs and bent at a 90-degree angle. Your body should remain in a straight line from head to heels.
Pro-Tip: This is a tough one! Most people lower down too far or let their shoulders droop. It's much better to practice on your knees to build strength with proper form. Think of hugging your elbows into your midline.
11. Revolved Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)
Why it busts plateaus: This pose takes all the leg-burning, heart-pumping benefits of Chair Pose and adds a deep twist. Twisting poses are thought to aid in digestion and detoxification by "wringing out" the internal organs. Improved digestion means your body can more efficiently absorb nutrients and eliminate waste, which is crucial for weight loss. The combination of strength and twisting makes this a metabolic powerhouse.
How to do it: Start in Chair Pose with your hands at heart center. On an exhale, twist your torso to the right, hooking your left elbow on the outside of your right thigh. Press your palms together to help deepen the twist and open your chest. Keep your hips level and sink them low.
Pro-Tip: Glance down at your knees. Most likely, one has jutted forward. Pull that knee back so both are in line, ensuring your hips stay square.
12. Crow Pose (Bakasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Don't be intimidated! Even just practicing an arm balance like Crow Pose is a plateau-buster. It requires immense core strength, upper body power, and mental focus. The concentration needed to hold the pose takes you out of your comfort zone, and this type of new stimulus is exactly what your body needs to change. The thrill of getting airborne, even for a second, is a huge confidence booster, too.
How to do it: From a low squat, place your hands on the mat about shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows slightly and create a shelf with your upper arms. Place your knees onto the back of your upper arms (your triceps). Begin to shift your weight forward, looking ahead, not down. Lift one foot, then maybe the other, off the floor.
Pro-Tip: Place a pillow or block in front of you to remove the fear of falling. Focus on engaging your core by pulling your heels in toward your glutes.
13. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Bridge Pose is a gentle backbend that activates the entire posterior chain: glutes, hamstrings, and your back. Strengthening your glutes—the body's largest muscle group—is a secret weapon for a faster metabolism. This pose also opens up the chest and stimulates the thyroid gland in your neck, which plays a vital role in regulating your metabolism.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hip-width apart. You should be able to just touch your heels with your fingertips. On an inhale, press through your feet and lift your hips off the floor. Clasp your hands underneath you and roll your shoulders under to open your chest even more.
Pro-Tip: To increase the glute activation, press down firmly through the big toe mound of each foot.
14. Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
Why it busts plateaus: If Bridge Pose is a spark, Wheel Pose is a bonfire. This deep backbend is a massive energy-booster. It requires strength from your arms, shoulders, back, glutes, and legs all at once. Pushing up into Wheel Pose will dramatically increase your heart rate and flood your body with adrenaline in the best way possible. It's a full-body challenge that leaves you feeling invigorated and powerful.
How to do it: Lie on your back in the same starting position as Bridge Pose. Place your hands on the mat by your ears, with fingertips pointing toward your shoulders. On an inhale, press firmly into your hands and feet, lifting your head and hips off the floor. First, come to the crown of your head, then press up all the way, straightening your arms as much as you can.
Pro-Tip: This is an advanced pose. Always warm up thoroughly with poses like Bridge and Camel first. Focus on pressing your chest forward through your arms to create a more even arch in your spine.
15. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
Why it busts plateaus: Camel Pose provides a profound stretch for the entire front of your body—your hip flexors, abs, and chest. Tight hip flexors (from sitting all day) can lead to poor posture and lower back pain, hindering your workouts. By opening them up, you improve your functional movement. Like Bridge and Wheel, this backbend also stimulates the thyroid and adrenal glands, helping to balance hormones related to metabolism and energy.
How to do it: Kneel on your mat with your knees hip-width apart. Place your hands on your lower back, fingers pointing down. On an inhale, lift your chest and begin to arch your upper back, keeping your hips pressed forward over your knees. You can stay here, or if it's accessible, reach back and take hold of your heels.
Pro-Tip: Keep your neck in a neutral position or gently let it drop back if that feels okay. The key is to lift up and out of your lower back, not to crunch into it.
16. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
Why it busts plateaus: While it may look simple, Triangle Pose is a fantastic multi-tasker. It strengthens the legs and core while providing a deep stretch for the hamstrings, hips, and side body. This lateral stretch stimulates the oblique muscles and can aid digestion by compressing and releasing the abdominal organs. Better digestion and a stronger core are a winning combination for weight loss.
How to do it: Start in the same foot position as Warrior II, but with both legs straight. Hinge at your front hip, reaching forward as far as you can. Then, bring your front hand down to your shin, ankle, or a block. Extend your top arm to the ceiling, creating a straight line from hand to hand.
Pro-Tip: Avoid collapsing your torso forward. Imagine you are pressed between two panes of glass, keeping your chest open and your body in one plane.
17. Revolved Side Angle Pose (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)
Why it busts plateaus: This is one of the most challenging and detoxifying standing poses in yoga. It combines a deep lunge, a powerful twist, and a balance challenge all in one. The muscular effort required to hold this pose is immense, creating a significant metabolic effect. The deep compression and twisting action is believed to stimulate circulation and aid the body's natural detoxification processes.
How to do it: Start in a High Lunge with your right foot forward. Bring your hands to heart center. Hinge forward and twist to your right, hooking your left elbow to the outside of your right knee. Press your palms together to leverage the twist. Keep your back leg straight and strong.
Pro-Tip: If this is too intense, drop your back knee to the floor. Focus on lengthening your spine on the inhale and deepening your twist on the exhale.
18. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
Why it busts plateaus: This might be the most important pose on the list, and it requires the least effort. Why? Because it directly combats stress. Chronic stress leads to high levels of the hormone cortisol, which tells your body to store fat, particularly around the belly. This restorative pose calms your nervous system, lowers your heart rate, and helps reduce cortisol levels. By managing stress, you are directly tackling a major hormonal roadblock to weight loss.
How to do it: Sit on the floor with one hip against a wall. Gently swing your legs up the wall as you lie back onto the floor. Scoot your hips as close to the wall as is comfortable. Let your arms rest by your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
Pro-Tip: Place a folded blanket or bolster under your hips for extra support. Stay here for at least 5-15 minutes at the end of your practice or before bed to promote restful sleep—another key ingredient for a healthy metabolism.
It's Your Move
Hitting a weight loss plateau is a sign that your body is calling for a new challenge, not a sign that you have failed. As my own mentor, Goh Ling Yong, often says, "True transformation happens when you step beyond what you already know." By incorporating these 18 poses into your routine, you are doing just that. You are building muscle in new ways, boosting your metabolism, balancing your hormones, and, most importantly, managing the stress that can undermine even the best efforts.
Don’t try to master them all at once. Pick three or four that resonate with you this week. Hold them, breathe in them, and notice how your body responds. The scale is just one measure of progress. Pay attention to how you feel—stronger, more energetic, and more at peace. That is the true victory.
Now I want to hear from you! Which of these poses are you most excited to try? Or do you have another favorite plateau-busting pose? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
Stay updated with the latest posts and insights by following on your favorite platform!