The yoga practice system develops strength, flexibility, endurance and coordination. With the help of yoga, you can improve your physical health and psycho-emotional state. But how effective are yoga asanas for weight loss?
The benefits of yoga for weight loss
Yoga asanas are exercises that are performed in a static mode. Due to the low training intensity, the yoga practice is considered ineffective in the fight against extra pounds. In order for the effect of weight loss to be felt, static loads must be practiced long and often. Therefore, they are rarely used as an independent means of weight loss. In its ability to burn calories quickly, yoga cannot compete with intense dynamic exercise, but it has an important benefit: it encourages the body to shed excess pounds without stress and strain. It is also important that, thanks to the normalization of metabolism and the improvement in the work of all organs and systems, the weight loss achieved with the help of yoga lasts for a long time.
Basic rules of yoga
For weight loss yoga to be effective, you need to exercise regularly: preferably daily, but definitely at least three times a week. You should move slowly and gradually from simple to complex. First of all, the simplest asanas are mastered, and only after fixing the load can become complicated. Do not increase the intensity and difficulty of your training prematurely. Hurrying leads to injury and a violation of one of the basic principles of yoga: asanas should not be done through pain and discomfort, yoga should be fun.
You need to do the exercises slowly and deliberately, focusing on breathing and muscle work. To practice, you need comfortable clothing and a yoga mat. You need to exercise on an empty stomach. There should be at least two hours between the last meal and training. The examination area should be well ventilated. To get rid of extraneous noises and create the appropriate mood, you need to turn on quiet relaxation music. Melodies can be taken from a special selection for yoga and meditation.
Yoga exercises for weight loss
- Extend your legs as much as possible and spread them apart. Bend forward and put both hands on the floor. Tense and contract your glutes. Remain in this position for about a minute. Make sure your breathing is free, deep, and rhythmic. Complete the exercise and enter the asana twice more. By practicing regularly, you can strengthen your buttocks, inner and back thighs.
- Take a sweeping step forward with one foot. Lower yourself into a lunge and shift your body weight onto the step leg. The other leg remains stretched backwards. Touch the floor with your hands on the sides of your bent knee. Remain in this position for at least a minute. Control your breathing. Kick each foot three times. Exercise works well the muscles of the lower body.
- Put your stomach on the mat. Pull the upper limbs forward, stretch and join the lower limbs. One at a time, raise your head, shoulders, and chest off the floor. Keep your abs pressed against the floor. Stay in the asana for as long as possible. With its help, you can strengthen the muscles of the chest.
- In a standing position, straighten your body, place your feet wider than your shoulders. Bend your knees, lower your shoulders. Cross your arms in front of you, push your pelvis forward. After a short break, straighten your legs. Do three repetitions. The pose burns fat on the thighs and buttocks, strengthens the muscles.
- The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise: standing straight, legs wider than shoulders, arms on your chest. Spread your socks apart and lift yourself up. Jump deep and land on your toes and roll on your heels. Do ten of these jumps. Exercise makes your legs leaner and stronger. The caviar gets a particularly good load here.
- Lie on your back on the mat. Extend your arms out to your sides, place your palms on the floor. Gently lift your straight legs, bring them to an upright position, and keep moving so that they end up parallel to the floor surface above your head. Remain in this position for a minute. Breathe evenly. Slowly lower your legs. Do two or three repetitions. In this asana, the muscles of the press are well trained.
- Still lying on your back, bend your legs and bring your knees up to your chest. Then, lift your legs up and stretch them toward the ceiling. At the same time as you stretch your legs, you support your back with your hands, helping to keep your legs, pelvis, and lower back in an upright position. Put your elbows on the floor. Stay in the asana for as long as possible. Try not to sway, do not bend your legs, watch your breathing.
- Roll on your stomach. Place your palms on the mat near your shoulder joints. Put the toes of your feet on the floor. With an exhalation, abruptly bring your pelvis back and up and pull your heels toward the floor. The body should be in the following position: the head is between the arms, the occiput extends downward, the legs and back are straight. After a short break, move your feet with a jump towards your palms. Extend your legs and wrap your arms around them. Bring your chest to your knees and the top of your head to your 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 up. You should be as straight as your back. Hold your head so that your gaze is diagonal: up and forward. As you exhale, stretch your arms out in front of you, parallel to the floor. This exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles well.
- Get into a standing position. Take a long lunge forward focusing on your right leg. The knee of the leg that is laid back should touch the floor, the toe straightening. Keep your back straight. Raise your arms above your head and bring them over the sides. Raise your head, straighten your arms up, straighten your body in a line - from the top of the pelvis to your fingers. Pause for a minute. Lower your arms to shoulder height and spread them out sideways. Gently turn your body to the left, keeping your back straight. A parallel should be formed between the lines of the arms and legs. Turn your head to the left as well, straighten your arms. After twenty seconds, turn gently on the other side. Again pause for twenty seconds and twist your body straight. Place your left hand on the left side of your right foot with your forearm on the floor. Turn the body to the right. Reach up 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 extend it upward. Stay another minute, then lower your arms and straighten up. Do the next rep on the other leg. This is where the abdominal muscles, especially the oblique muscles, and the back of the thighs become active. Exercise strengthens and stretches the spine, improves posture.
Yoga not only helps you lose weight, but also improves coordination, makes the body flexible and strong. The first results of the "Yoga for Weight Loss" program are noticeable after about a month of classes.