Yoga Stretching For Great Abs
Yoga is a gentle way to lose weight and abdominal fat, since the exercises are done without any jerking or bouncing of the body. The only equipment needed to perform these exercises is a yoga mat.
I am giving an example of three yoga ‘asanas’ or exercises that are simple to do and are targeted to reduce abdominal fat.
Bhujang asana (Cobra Pose): Lie on your stomach. Place your forehead on the ground and the hands at shoulder level. Inhale. Slowly raise your upper body with the help of your back muscles. Your hands should remain on the ground. Raise your torso, and keep your head up, looking towards the sky, eyes open. Keep for as long as you are comfortable. Slowly return to original position, exhaling as you do so. Do this thrice.
Pavan mukt asana (Wind Removing Pose): Lie down on your back and take a deep breath in. Fold the left leg and bring it up to touch the stomach. Hold the leg in this position for 10 seconds with your fingers clasped together. Now lift your head and make your nose touch the knee. Hold. Make sure that the other leg is straight. Exhale as you go back to your original position. Now do this with the other leg. Do this exercise five times.
Paad-Pashchimottan asana (Seated Forward Bend): Lie on your back. Keep your legs straight and place your arms overhead. Place your hands together. Palms face up. Inhale. Slowly sit up and bring your arms overhead to the front as you bend forward to hold your big toes and exhale as you do so. Your head should be between your arms and touching your knees. Hold this position for a while. Return to starting position. Repeat this exercise twice.
After doing the three asanas, do the ‘Shavasana’ or the Corpse Pose for complete relaxation. You must lie flat on your back, close your eyes, place your hands gently by your side and breathe normally. Your body should go completely limp. Lie like this for a minute.
In the beginning, you may find it difficult to hold a pose for more than 15-20 seconds. Do not strain. Release the posture. You will gradually become able to hold each pose for two minutes.
Even if your follow this routine once a day you will find a marked change. Post menopausal women tend to gain weight in the abdominal region. So do people who are highly stressed. These exercises help in the reduction of abdominal fat without stress and strain on muscles and joints. Couple these exercises with a low fat diet.
