The yoga training system develops strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination. With the help of yoga, you can improve your physical health and psychological and emotional state. But how effective are yoga asanas for weight loss?
The benefits of yoga for weight loss
Yoga asanas are exercises that are done in a standing position. Due to lack of training, yoga is considered ineffective in the fight against extra pounds. In order for the effects of weight loss to be noticeable, a stationary load 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 not compete with intense exercise, but it has an important advantage: it encourages the body to lose extra pounds without stress and overload. It is also important that thanks to the normal metabolism and improved work of all organs and systems, the weight loss that is achieved with the help of yoga is maintained for a long time.
Basic principles of yoga
In order for yoga for weight loss to be effective, you need to exercise regularly: preferably daily, but in any case at least three times a week. You should go from simple to complex, slowly and slowly. First of all, the simplest asan can be mastered and only after adjusting them can the load be complicated. Do not increase the strain and difficulty of the exercise too early. Acceleration leads to injury and violation of one of the principles of yoga: asanas should not be performed with pain and discomfort, yoga practice should be enjoyable.
You need to perform the exercises slowly and carefully with an emphasis on breathing and muscle work. You will need comfortable clothing and a yoga mat to practice. You need to exercise on an empty stomach. There should be at least two hours between the last meal and the workout. The study area should be well ventilated. To free yourself from extraneous sounds and create the right mood, you need to turn on quiet relaxing music. You can take melodies from a special selection 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 tense the gluteus muscles. Stay in this position for about a minute. Make sure your breathing is free, deep and steady. Complete the exercise and enter the asanas twice more. By exercising regularly, you can strengthen your buttocks, inner and back thighs.
- Take a big step forward with one foot. Lower yourself into a jump and transfer your body weight to your leg. The other leg is still extended again. Touch the floor with your hands on the sides of the bent knee. Stay in this position for at least one minute. Control your breathing. Step three times with each foot. Exercise works well on the muscles in the lower part of the body.
- Lay your stomach down on the mat. Pull the upper limbs forward, straighten the lower limbs and connect. Lift your head, shoulders and chest in a row across the floor. Let your abdomen press against the floor. Stay in the asana for as long as possible. With its help, you can strengthen your pectoral muscles.
- In a standing position, straighten your body, placing your legs wider than your shoulders. Bend your knees, lower your shoulders. Cross your arms in front of you, pushing your pelvis forward. After a moment's pause, straighten your legs. Do three repetitions. The posture 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 chest. Spread your socks apart and lift yourself up on them. Jump low and land on your toes and roll on your heels. Perform ten of these jumps. Exercise makes your legs thinner and stronger. The caviar gets a particularly good charge here.
- Lie on your back on the mat. Stretch your arms to the side, rest your palms on the floor. Gently lift the straight legs up, bring them upright, and keep moving further, so that at the end they are located above the head parallel to the floor surface. Stay in this position for one minute. Breathe evenly. Slowly lower your legs. Do two or three repetitions. In this asana, the muscles of the press are well worked.
- Continue to lie on your back, bend your legs and bring your knees up to your ribs. Then lift your legs and stretch them toward the ceiling. At the same time as you straighten your legs, support your back with your hands, thus helping to keep your legs, pelvis and lower back in an upright position. Rest your elbows on the floor. Stay in the asana for as long as possible. Try not to sway, do not bend your legs, monitor your breathing.
- Roll over on your stomach. Place your palms on the mat near your shoulder joints. Place your toes on your feet on the floor. With exhalation, bring your pelvis back and forth abruptly and pull your heels toward the floor. The body should take the following position: the head is between the arms, the nape of the neck stretches down, the legs and back are straight. After a moment's pause, move your feet to your palms with a jump. Straighten your legs and wrap your arms around them. Move the ribs to the knees and the top of the head to the legs. Keep your legs as straight as possible. Repeat the asana three times.
- Sit down with your palms under your thighs near your knees and lift your legs. They should be as straight as your back. Hold your head so that the gaze is directed diagonally: up and forward. When you exhale, straighten your arms in front of you parallel to the floor. In this exercise, the abdominal muscles strengthen well.
- Get in a standing position. Lift wide forward, focusing on the right foot. The knee of the leg that is put back should touch the floor, the toe stretches. Keep your back straight. Lift your arms over your head and guide them over your sides. Lift your head, stretch your arms up, and line your body - from the top of your pelvis to your fingers. Pause for a minute. Lower your arms to shoulder height and spread to the sides. Gently turn your body to the left and keep your back straight. Parallelness should form between the arms and legs. Turn your head to the left too, stretch your arms. After twenty seconds, gently turn to the other side. Pause again for twenty seconds and turn around, adjusting your body straight. Place your left hand on the left side of your right foot with your forearm on the floor. Turn your body to the right. Stretch up with your right hand, turning your head to your hand. After one minute, place your right forearm on the left side of your right foot. Lift up the other hand and stretch it up. Allow yourself to rest for a minute, then lower your arms and straighten up. Perform the next repetition on the other leg. The abdominal muscles, especially the oblique muscles, and the back of the thighs are active here. Exercise strengthens and stretches the spine, improves posture.
Yoga not only helps to lose weight, but also improves coordination, making the body flexible and strong. The first results of the "yoga for weight loss" program will be noticeable after about a month of teaching.