Yoga Abs Workout
This ab workout is designed to strengthen and shrink your midsection using core-focused yoga moves to define trimmer, tighter abs.
Showing posts with label ab workout with yoga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ab workout with yoga. Show all posts
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Video - Ab-Trimming Yoga Workout
This 10-minute yoga workout features poses and exercises focused on strengthening and tightening your core muscles to trim that waist and strengthen your midsection. The awesome thing about yoga is that it actually works your entire body, even while focusing on certain areas, so your whole body can get stronger and leaner even just in a short workout. Do this a couple of times a week to build a strong core and back, improve your posture, and flatten your abs. Some of these exercises are fairly challenging, so be sure to use the modifications where suggested if you need to, and be careful of your lower back if you have had problems in that area. Once you get your core stronger, you'll be able to do the full versions of the exercises.
Yoga Abs Workout
This ab workout is designed to strengthen and shrink your midsection using core-focused yoga moves to define trimmer, tighter abs.
Yoga Abs Workout
This ab workout is designed to strengthen and shrink your midsection using core-focused yoga moves to define trimmer, tighter abs.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Yoga for Women: How to Gain a Shapely Waist through Yoga
The size of the waist is an indication of overall fitness for many people. Most health experts agree that a smaller waist is healthier than a big one. The reasoning behind this is that increases in fat around the waist and abdominal region usually result in increased health risks such as diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure.
In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But doing endless workouts of crunches alone will not allow you to achieve that Venus-like waist of your dreams. You will need to supplement specific waist-orientated exercises with ones from various disciplines.
Specifically you will need to work the inner girdle of muscles - commonly known as the core muscles - with slow abdominal exercises that work very deep into these muscle groups - and also incorporate some cardiovascular exercises that help your body shed fat.
While usually associated with building flexibility, some specific exercises from yoga-based workouts also target the underlying core muscles around the waist - and many can help with weight loss as well.
So, how can yoga help reshape your waist? In simple terms, by requiring you to move - and hold - your torso muscles as a unit. Rather than isolating your abdominal muscles as you do in crunches, yoga poses help to lengthen your overall torso, creating a feeling that is both centered and strong.
Think of your torso as a long vessel through which numerous muscles interact to keep you looking lean. Your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle, works with the others to hold in your lower belly. Your erector spinae, the muscles that attach on your spine, straighten your posture and can make you feel (and appear) taller, while your rectus abdominis and obliques are the strong and flexible muscles that allow your limbs to move freely.
In holding most yoga poses, you are strengthening all of these muscles at once, without even thinking about it. This is one of the reasons I love yoga so much - it's a full-body workout, so that your whole body gets stronger as a unit, avoiding the imbalances that can often be caused by working muscles in isolation.
Here are a couple of great exercises for the abdominal and waist area to get you started:
WARRIOR III POSE:
Start in the Mountain Pose with the heels slightly apart, big toes touching, legs straight, chest lifted, pelvis in a neutral position. Placing hands on hips, step back with your right foot so just your right toes touch the floor, keeping all of your body weight on your left foot.
Keep your right leg extended in a straight line as you start to lean forward from your hips. Balance the length of your body over your left leg until your torso is parallel to the floor. Keep your weight evenly distributed through inner and outer heel, with hips level. Begin with 5 breath cycles and progress to 15. As you get stronger, progress into the full pose by extending your arms up past your ears, so you are one long line from toes to fingertips.
Lift your torso up and return to the Mountain Pose; repeat on the other side.
PLANK POSE, INTO SIDE-PLANK POSE:
Begin on your hands and knees, hands directly under shoulders, knees under hips. Move feet back until the legs are straight and you're balancing on your toes, feet together. Keep the shoulders pulled back and down, arms straight. This is the Plank Pose.
Squeezing the ankles together, roll onto the outer edge of the left foot, keeping feet stacked, legs straight. Lift the right hand toward ceiling then look up at it. Let your abs support your body without bending or crunching. Then lower right hand to floor, rolling down toward the right, and return to the Plank Pose. Repeat on other side. Hold each pose for 5 breath cycles.
In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist signifies youth and vitality. But doing endless workouts of crunches alone will not allow you to achieve that Venus-like waist of your dreams. You will need to supplement specific waist-orientated exercises with ones from various disciplines.
 |
| Muscles of the trunk (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
While usually associated with building flexibility, some specific exercises from yoga-based workouts also target the underlying core muscles around the waist - and many can help with weight loss as well.
So, how can yoga help reshape your waist? In simple terms, by requiring you to move - and hold - your torso muscles as a unit. Rather than isolating your abdominal muscles as you do in crunches, yoga poses help to lengthen your overall torso, creating a feeling that is both centered and strong.
Think of your torso as a long vessel through which numerous muscles interact to keep you looking lean. Your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle, works with the others to hold in your lower belly. Your erector spinae, the muscles that attach on your spine, straighten your posture and can make you feel (and appear) taller, while your rectus abdominis and obliques are the strong and flexible muscles that allow your limbs to move freely.
In holding most yoga poses, you are strengthening all of these muscles at once, without even thinking about it. This is one of the reasons I love yoga so much - it's a full-body workout, so that your whole body gets stronger as a unit, avoiding the imbalances that can often be caused by working muscles in isolation.
Here are a couple of great exercises for the abdominal and waist area to get you started:
 |
| Warrior III Pose / Airplane on blocks (Photo credit: TonyFelgueiras) |
Start in the Mountain Pose with the heels slightly apart, big toes touching, legs straight, chest lifted, pelvis in a neutral position. Placing hands on hips, step back with your right foot so just your right toes touch the floor, keeping all of your body weight on your left foot.
Keep your right leg extended in a straight line as you start to lean forward from your hips. Balance the length of your body over your left leg until your torso is parallel to the floor. Keep your weight evenly distributed through inner and outer heel, with hips level. Begin with 5 breath cycles and progress to 15. As you get stronger, progress into the full pose by extending your arms up past your ears, so you are one long line from toes to fingertips.
Lift your torso up and return to the Mountain Pose; repeat on the other side.
PLANK POSE, INTO SIDE-PLANK POSE:
 |
| Plank! (Photo credit: lululemon athletica) |
Squeezing the ankles together, roll onto the outer edge of the left foot, keeping feet stacked, legs straight. Lift the right hand toward ceiling then look up at it. Let your abs support your body without bending or crunching. Then lower right hand to floor, rolling down toward the right, and return to the Plank Pose. Repeat on other side. Hold each pose for 5 breath cycles.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
How To Target Your Stomach With Yoga
Yoga is a great part of any wellness routine, as it has the ability to both reduce stress and exercise the body. If you are trying to use yoga to target your midsection, well, that can be done. There are a number of yoga positions (called asanas) which exercise the stomach muscles. Bear in mind that some of these are more advanced than others. Assess your own skill and comfort level before trying certain asanas. If you are not sure you are able to do one asana, start with one that seems easier and work your way up once you have built some strength and flexibility. As with any workout routine, be sure to consult a professional before beginning and always warm up properly to avoid injury.
Pavan-Muktasan
To perform this stomach-exercising asana, first lie flat on your back. Use a yoga mat or towel to cushion the spine. Bend both knees up to your chest so that your thighs touch the stomach. Hug your knees in place and lock your fingers. Now lift your head up so your nose meets your knees. Take a deep breath and hold it for thirty seconds before releasing and slowly lowering back to start. This exercise can also be done one leg at a time.
Image by leo.prie.to via FlickrBhujangasan
For this stomach exercise, remain on the floor, but roll over on to your stomach. Position your hands under your shoulders. Now, using your back muscles, raise your upper torso off the ground to that your head is upright. Be careful not to push with your hands. You want the muscles in your back to be doing the work. Hold this posture for thirty seconds, then lower yourself back to start. Even though you are using your back muscles to lift your upper body, performing the asana will assist in reducing belly fat and flattening your tummy.
The Bow
This stomach exercise is pretty similar to the previous asana, but more involved. It starts from the same position lying on your stomach, but in this exercise you curl your legs upward in addition to lifting your upper torso. Bend your knees so that the soles of your feet come up toward your head. Grab your ankles and pull with your hands and push with your legs until only your stomach is on the floor. Your body should feel sort of like it is making a circle. Your knees should remain together throughout the exercise. Hold this position for thirty seconds before releasing and returning to starting position.
Image by myyogaonline via FlickrPaad-Pashchimottanasan
Now that you have read the name of this asana, try not to be intimidated-- it is less complicated in practice than in pronunciation. It does, however, require a fair amount of flexibility, so you may want to start with something easier and build up to this one. Start by lying on your back with your legs straight and arms overhead. Your body should be straight from head to toe with all limbs extended. Point your palms up to the ceiling and put your hands together. Contract your stomach muscles to sit up, keeping your back straight and hands overhead. Bend forward and grab your toes with your hands, putting your head between your arms so it touches your knees. Hold the position for two minutes before releasing.
* Please note: All suggestions and articles on this blog are the opinions of the author or other contributors, and have not been evaluated for safety in your particular situation. One should consult with one’s personal fitness coach or healthcare practitioner before beginning any exercise program, especially if your fitness level is currently low.
Some good Yoga DVDs:
Pavan-Muktasan
To perform this stomach-exercising asana, first lie flat on your back. Use a yoga mat or towel to cushion the spine. Bend both knees up to your chest so that your thighs touch the stomach. Hug your knees in place and lock your fingers. Now lift your head up so your nose meets your knees. Take a deep breath and hold it for thirty seconds before releasing and slowly lowering back to start. This exercise can also be done one leg at a time.
Image by leo.prie.to via FlickrBhujangasanFor this stomach exercise, remain on the floor, but roll over on to your stomach. Position your hands under your shoulders. Now, using your back muscles, raise your upper torso off the ground to that your head is upright. Be careful not to push with your hands. You want the muscles in your back to be doing the work. Hold this posture for thirty seconds, then lower yourself back to start. Even though you are using your back muscles to lift your upper body, performing the asana will assist in reducing belly fat and flattening your tummy.
The Bow
This stomach exercise is pretty similar to the previous asana, but more involved. It starts from the same position lying on your stomach, but in this exercise you curl your legs upward in addition to lifting your upper torso. Bend your knees so that the soles of your feet come up toward your head. Grab your ankles and pull with your hands and push with your legs until only your stomach is on the floor. Your body should feel sort of like it is making a circle. Your knees should remain together throughout the exercise. Hold this position for thirty seconds before releasing and returning to starting position.
Image by myyogaonline via FlickrPaad-PashchimottanasanNow that you have read the name of this asana, try not to be intimidated-- it is less complicated in practice than in pronunciation. It does, however, require a fair amount of flexibility, so you may want to start with something easier and build up to this one. Start by lying on your back with your legs straight and arms overhead. Your body should be straight from head to toe with all limbs extended. Point your palms up to the ceiling and put your hands together. Contract your stomach muscles to sit up, keeping your back straight and hands overhead. Bend forward and grab your toes with your hands, putting your head between your arms so it touches your knees. Hold the position for two minutes before releasing.
* Please note: All suggestions and articles on this blog are the opinions of the author or other contributors, and have not been evaluated for safety in your particular situation. One should consult with one’s personal fitness coach or healthcare practitioner before beginning any exercise program, especially if your fitness level is currently low.
Some good Yoga DVDs:
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