Most of us can't even find our lats. That's okay. Yoga doesn't require you to know where they are, because the back work is built in. A hint on how to get ripped where it's hard to reach: "Recruit the upper back muscles between the shoulder blades when you transition into Upward Facing Dog,'' says Michael Lechonczak, cofounder of Intelligent Yoga in New York City. "Then you are getting into that deep, deep fascia, and you'll get results."

Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Muhka Svanasana)


This will crop up often in class as part of the flowing Sun Salutation, but do it alone here to isolate those back muscles. Lie face-down, tops of your feet on the mat. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor beside your lower ribs. Now push up, straightening your arms, without locking your elbows, and lifting both your legs and upper body into the air. Arch your chest upward, lifting the sternum. Keep elbows in, close to your sides. Hold this for 5 to 10 breaths, then slowly lower yourself back down. Do one set of 10, and try to work up to 15 over time.

Wheel (Urdhva Dhanurasana)


Start by lying on your back, knees bent, with the heels of your feet drawn up as close to your butt as possible. Squeeze a block or pillow between your thighs. Reach back and place your hands by your ears, fingers facing your feet. Now lift your pelvis off the ground, keeping your feet hip-width apart and parallel. As you lift, inhale and raise your head off the mat, tilt it back, and place the crown of your head back down on the mat. Pause there. Move your hands out a little wider than your shoulders, lift your head off the ground, and push up to extend your arms fully. Come into a full upward arch, your body forming the shape of a half-wheel. Breathe slowly, evenly, and deeply. Avoid squeezing your butt, lifting or moving your feet, or collapsing into your wrists. Hold for 10 breaths, then carefully lower yourself back down. Rest, then do two more reps. If you feel pain in your lower back, this exercise isn't for you.

Extra credit: PushUps in Wheel


Grab two foam or wood yoga blocks and wedge them against a wall, roughly shoulder-width apart. Get in Wheel starting position, but instead of placing your hands by your ears, take hold of the blocks. Now push up into your full extension. Inhale and lower your upper body slowly downward until the top of your head touches the mat, then press back up, repeating three to five times. Now that's the way to a titanium bod.

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