The yoga exercise system develops strength, flexibility, endurance and coordination. With the help of yoga, you can improve your body health and your psycho-emotional state. But how effective are yoga asanas for weight loss?
The Benefits of Yoga for Weight Loss
Yoga asanas are exercises performed in a static mode. Due to the low intensity of training, the practice of yoga is considered to be ineffective in fighting off those extra pounds. In order for the weight loss effect to become noticeable, static loads must be practiced for a long time and often. Therefore, they are rarely used as an independent means of weight loss. In its ability to burn calories quickly, yoga can't compete with intense dynamic exercise, but it has an important advantage: it encourages the body to shed extra pounds without stress and overload. It is also important that thanks to the normalization of the metabolism and the improvement in the functioning of all organs and systems, the weight loss achieved with the help of yoga persists for a long time.
Basic Yoga Rules
For weight loss yoga to be effective, you need to train regularly: preferably daily, but in any case at least three times a week. You must move from simple to complex, slowly and gradually. First, the simplest asanas are mastered and only after fixing them can the charge get complicated. Do not increase the intensity and difficulty of your training prematurely. Rushing leads to injury and the violation of one of the key principles of yoga: asanas should not be performed through pain and discomfort, the practice of yoga should be enjoyable.
You need to do the exercises slowly and carefully, concentrating on breathing and muscle work. You will need comfortable clothing and a yoga mat to practice. You need to train on an empty stomach. There should be at least two hours between the last meal and training. The study area must be well ventilated. To tune out extraneous sounds and create the right mood, you need to turn on calm, relaxing music. Melodies can be obtained from special selections for yoga and meditation.
Yoga Exercises for Weight Loss
- Straighten and spread your legs as much as possible. Lean forward and place both hands on the floor. Contract and contract your gluteal muscles. Stay in this position for about a minute. Make sure your breathing is free, deep and rhythmic. Complete the exercise and enter the asana two more times. By practicing regularly, you can strengthen your buttocks, insides, and hamstrings.
- Take a wide step forward with one foot. Lower yourself into a lunge, transferring your body weight to the stepping leg. The other leg remains extended back. Touch the floor with your hands on the sides of your bent knee. Stay in this position for at least a minute. Control your breathing. Take three steps with each foot. Exercise works the muscles of the lower body well.
- Put your stomach down on the mat. Pull the upper limbs forward, the lower limbs straighten and connect. Sequentially lift your head, shoulders and chest off the floor. Keep your abdominal muscles pressed against the floor. Stay in the asana as long as possible. With its help, you can strengthen your pectoral muscles.
- Standing, straighten your body and place your feet wider than your shoulders. Bend your knees, lower your shoulders. Cross your arms in front of you and push your pelvis forward. After a momentary pause, straighten your legs. Do three reps. The pose burns fat in the thighs and buttocks, strengthens the muscles.
- The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise: erect, legs wider than shoulders, arms on chest. Open the socks and stand on them. Jump low and, landing on your toes, roll onto your heels. Perform ten of these jumps. Exercise makes your legs thinner and stronger. Caviar gets a particularly good charge here.
- Lie down on your back on the mat. Stretch your arms at your sides and rest your palms on the floor. Gently lift your legs straight, place them in an upright position and continue to move more so that in the end they are located above your head parallel to the surface of the floor. Stay in this position for a minute. Breathe evenly. Lower your legs slowly. Do two or three reps. In this asana, the press muscles are well worked.
- Continuing on your back, bend your legs and bring your knees up to your rib cage. Then lift your legs, extending them towards the ceiling. As you straighten your legs, support your back with your hands, helping to keep your legs, pelvis, and lower back in an upright position. Rest your elbows on the floor. Stay in the asana as long as possible. Try not to sway, don't bend your legs, watch your breath.
- Roll onto your stomach. Place your palms on the mat near your shoulder joints. Place your toes on the floor. With an exhalation, abruptly bring your pelvis back and up, pulling your heels toward the floor. The body should assume the following position: your head is between your arms, your occiput extends downwards, your legs and back are straight. After a momentary pause, place your feet in your palms with a heel. Straighten your legs and wrap your arms around them. Bring the rib cage to the knees and the top of the head to the feet. Keep your legs as straight as possible. Repeat the asana three times.
- Sit with your palms under your thighs near your knees and lift your legs. They should be as straight as your back. Keep your head so that your gaze is directed diagonally: up and forward. As you exhale, stretch your arms out in front of you, parallel to the floor. In this exercise, the abdominal muscles are well strengthened.
- Stand up. Take a wide lunge forward, emphasizing the right leg. The knee of the leg placed backward should touch the floor, the toes stretch out. Keep your spine straight. Raise your arms above your head, guiding them from the sides. Lift your head, straighten your arms, align your body in a line - from the top of your pelvis to your fingers. Take a break for a minute. Lower your arms to shoulder height and extend them to your sides. Gently turn your body to the left, keeping your back straight. A parallel should form between the lines of the arms and legs. Turn your head to the left too, straighten your arms. After twenty seconds, gently turn to the other side. Pause again for twenty seconds and turn around, straightening your body. Place your left hand on the left side of your right foot with your forearm on the floor. Turn the body to the right. Stretch with your right hand, turn your head towards the hand. After a minute, place your right forearm on the left side of your right foot. Raise your other hand and stretch it out. Spend another minute's time, then lower your arms and straighten up. Do the next rep on the other leg. The abdominal muscles, especially the oblique muscles, and the back of the thighs are actively working here. Exercise strengthens and stretches the spine, improves posture.
Yoga not only helps you lose weight, it also improves coordination, makes the body flexible and strong. The first results of the "Yoga to Lose Weight" program become noticeable after about a month of classes.