4 Stomach Exercises – Yoga Style

Howdy folks!

How are your stomach exercises coming along? I hope you’re doing them. Today I’m gonna try something a little different this time around. We’re going to be discussing on doing your stomach exercises Yoga style.

Have you ever considered Yoga as part of your stomach exercise routines? If your answer is no, then you should really consider it. Yoga can work wonders if you know how to apply them. It also helps you reduce stress. Most of us get a little intimidated when they hear the word Yoga. Straight away they’d think that it’s going to be difficult as your body needs to be more flexible. Don’t worry though, if after reading this article and you think that it’s hard to lose that belly fat by using stomach exercises with Yoga, then you’re not missing a lot. I just thought that it might be a good idea to diversify our stomach exercise routines.

There are probably a lot of Yoga positions or ‘asanas’ out there but you’ll only need just 4 of them to help you flatten your stomach. Why? Because I only know 4 of them. Hey, I’m no Yoga expert. I happen to know some which I think should be great to add to your stomach exercises list.

Now, take note that not all 4 are easy to do as you might find some which are more advanced than others. Before trying all four asanas, find your own skill and comfort level. Try one asana that you think the easiest and work your way to harder ones until you gain some strength and flexibility.

Below are the asanas in the order that I think are the easiest to the hardest. However, you might find it otherwise. But try each one in the order that I laid down below and then later choose the order in which you might be comfortable with.

Pavan-Muktasan
To perform this stomach-exercising asana, you must first lie flat on your back. You should use a yoga mat of towel to cushion your spine. What you should do next is bend both knees up to your chest so that your thigh touches your stomach. Hug your knees in place and lock your fingers. Take a deep breath and lift your head up so your nose meets your knees. Hold this position for 30 seconds before releasing and slowly lowering back. If you prefer, you can also perform this exercise one leg at a time.

Paad-Pashchimottanasan
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.

Bhujangasan
For this stomach exercise, lie flat on 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 30 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. That’s what you want right?

The Bow
I forgot the exact name for this asana, so, I’m gonna call it ‘The Bow’. So, this is similar to the previous asana, but more involved. You start with the same position which is by lying on your stomach, but in this exercise you curl your legs upward in addition to lifting your upper torso. Next, 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.

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 like I said you may want to start with something easier and build up to this one.

Alternatively, you can watch this video. Some of the methods are different from mine. But it’s worth watching it. It’s very easy to do and fun too. Enjoy!