The yoga exercise system develops strength, flexibility, endurance, 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
Asanas yoga are exercises that are performed in a static manner. Due to the low intensity of training, the practice of yoga is considered ineffective in the fight against excess weight. To feel the effect of weight loss, static loads must be exercised 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 not compete with intense dynamic exercise, but it has an important advantage: it encourages the body to get rid of extra pounds without stress and overload. It is also important that thanks to the normalization of metabolism and the improvement of the work of all organs and systems, the weight loss achieved with the help of yoga remains for a long time.
Basic rules of yoga
For yoga to be effective for weight loss, you need to train regularly: preferably daily, but in any case at least three times a week. You need to move from the simple to the complex, slowly and gradually. First, the simplest asanas are mastered and only after they are fixed can the load be complex. Do not increase the intensity and difficulty of your training prematurely. Haste leads to injury and violation of one of the basic principles of yoga: asanas should not be performed due to pain and discomfort, the practice of yoga should be enjoyable.
You need to perform the exercises slowly and carefully, focusing on breathing and muscle work. You will need comfortable clothes and a yoga mat to practice. You need to train on an empty stomach. There should be at least two hours between your last meal and your workout. The study area should be well ventilated. To get rid of foreign sounds and create the right mood, you need to turn on calm relaxing music. The melodies can be obtained from special options for yoga and meditation.
Yoga exercises for weight loss
- Straighten and spread your legs as wide as possible. Bend forward and place both hands on the floor. Tighten and stretch the 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 exercising regularly, you can strengthen your buttocks, inside and back of your thighs.
- Take a sweeping step forward with one foot. Lower yourself on a walk, transferring your body weight to the foot you step on. The other leg remains stretched 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. Step three times with each foot. Exercise works the muscles of the lower body well.
- Place your stomach down on the mat. Pull the upper ends forward, straighten the lower ones and connect. Raise your head, shoulders and chest in succession above the floor. Leave your abs on the floor. Stay in the asana for as long as possible. With its help, you can strengthen the chest muscles.
- In an upright position, straighten your body, place your legs wider than your shoulders. Bend your knees, lower your shoulders. Cross your arms in front of you, push your pelvis forward. After a short pause, straighten your legs. Do three repetitions. The posture burns fat in the thighs and buttocks, strengthens the muscles.
- The starting position is the same as in the previous exercise: stand up straight, legs wider than shoulders, arms at chest. Open your socks and lift yourself up on them. Jump low and land on your toes, rolling on your heels. Perform ten of these jumps. Exercise makes your legs thinner and stronger. Caviar gets a particularly good load here.
- Lie on your back on the mat. Stretch your arms out to the side, resting your palms on the floor. Raise your straight legs smoothly, bring them to an upright position and keep moving further so that at the end they are above your head parallel to the floor surface. Stay in this position for a minute. Breathe evenly. Lower your legs slowly. Do two or three repetitions. In this asana, the muscles of the type are well worked.
- While continuing to lie on your back, bend your legs and bring your knees up to your chest. Then raise your legs, extending them to the ceiling. Simultaneously with straightening your legs, support your back with your hands, thus helping to keep your legs, pelvis and lower back upright. Rest 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. Place your toes on the floor. With one exhale, abruptly bring your pelvis back and up, pulling your heels toward the floor. The body should take the following position: the head is between the arms, the occipital region extends downwards, the legs and the back are straight. After a short pause, move your legs to your palms with a jump. Straighten 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. It should be as straight as your back. Hold your head so that your gaze is directed diagonally: up and forward. As you exhale, straighten your arms in front of you parallel to the floor. In this exercise, the abdominal muscles are well strengthened.
- Get in an upright position. Take a wide forward walk with an emphasis on your right foot. The knee of the foot placed back should touch the floor, the toe is stretched. Keep your back straight. Raise your arms above your head, leading them to the sides. Lift your head, stretch your arms up, align your body in a line - from the top of the pelvis to the toes. Pause for a minute. Lower your arms to shoulder height and spread to the sides. Gently turn your body to the left, keeping your back straight. A parallel should be drawn between the lines of the arms and legs. Turn your head to the left, stretch your arms. After twenty seconds, gently turn to the other side. Stop again for twenty seconds and turn, placing the 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. Stretch with your right hand, turn your head to your hand. After one minute, place your right forearm on the left side of your right foot. Raise your other hand and stretch it. Stay again for a minute, then lower your arms and straighten. Do the next repetition on the other leg. The abdominal muscles, especially the oblique muscles, and the back of the thighs work actively here. Exercise strengthens and stretches the spine, improves posture.
Yoga not only helps in weight loss, but also improves coordination, makes the body flexible and strong. The first results of the "Yoga for Weight Loss" program are felt after about a month of lessons.