Yoga has been gaining popularity among health enthusiasts for a wide variety of reasons. Many are encouraged by the spiritual benefits that it offers, ridding the mind of any negativity and promoting peace from within. Some people find it to be the answer to the physical disorders they are suffering from. There are also those who enjoy the relaxing effects it brings to the mind and body, saying goodbye to any pent-up stress that could harm your equilibrium.
Nowadays, many are also talking about the physical benefits of yoga. Yes, yoga can help you lose unwanted weight. How? By practicing the numerous postures the exercise teaches, it becomes highly effective in not only toning the body, firming up the muscles to give it better form, but also burning up the excess weight you’ve been carrying for some time. Recent studies show that yoga has the ability to decrease the levels of our stress hormones while increasing our sensitivity to insulin. This, then, sends a message to the body to use up the food we eat as fuel instead of storing it to form fat. Amazing, huh?
What we’ve done for you is come up with a list of the 3 best yoga poses to help you achieve your dream body. Start incorporating these into your regular yoga workout routine and see the results in your entire body now.
1. Crescent Pose
If you’re problem area is your hips and thighs, then the crescent pose is what you need to be doing. While working on those muscles, it also engages your abs causing them to firm up as well.
How To Properly Achieve The Pose:
- Get in a standing position with your feet apart and hands hanging on your sides. Breathe in deeply simultaneously moving your hands in an outward position, then placing it above your head.
- As you exhale, bend in a forward position down to your waist and then touch the floor with both of your hands. Now, this might be too difficult for you in the beginning. If so, bend your knees a little bit so as not to strain any muscle.
- Take your next inhale deeply and set both of your hands flat on the floor. Exhale gently and take a step back with your left foot into a backward lunge position. Make sure your left knee is bent at a 90-degree angle and your left leg remains straight while it does a backward push with your left heel.
- Once again, inhale deeply and raise your hands slowly above your head. Lift your ribs and tuck your tummy into your tummy in. Look straight forward and then hold the position. When balanced, get off the lunge position by taking your left foot back in resting it right beside your right. Repeat the process with the other side as well.
2. The Rocking Boat Pose
Want to get rid of those love handles? Well, the rocking boat pose is perfect for firming up the back while engaging your core as well.
How To Properly Achieve The Pose:
- Get on a sitting position in the middle of your mat. Bend both your knees in front of you and position both your hands underneath your thighs. Make sure your upper body is kept straight including your head and neck. Then, lean back a little bit forming a 45-degree angle. Now, if this gets too difficult for you at this point, don’t go any further. Remember, you will get stronger and better as you regularly practice the poses.
- If you can go on, get your feet up, raising it to the point where your calves are aligned parallel to the floor and then point your toes to firm up the position and engage more of your leg muscles.
- Want more of a challenge? If you feel like you can still push it from here, breathe in deeply and extend your arms out to your sides facing both palms up keeping them parallel to the floor as well. While achieving this, maintain the position of your legs, allowing it to stay in the air. From the side, your body takes on a V-shape. If this is what you see, then you’re doing it perfectly.
- From here exhale, and as you inhale, you begin to slowly lower your upper back and your legs at the same time until it gets too difficult. Try to push as low as you can to get the best results.
- As you exhale again, bring your body back into that V position we had. Don’t worry if in the beginning balance becomes an issue. You can always place your hands behind your thighs at the start to hold the position well.
3. The Willow Pose
If you’re trying to get rid of that extra bulge you see on your sides when wearing a fitted shirt, then the willow pose will do just that for you.
How To Properly Achieve The Pose:
- Stand up straight with your feet together in the middle of your mat and your arms hanging out on both sides. Then, quickly place the sole of your left foot on the inside part of your right thigh. Try to picture it. Your knee should be on a bending position forming a perfect side V. Yup, at this point, you should be balancing on one foot placed flat on the mat while the other presses on your thigh.
- For two deep breaths, both inhale and exhale, place the palm of your hands on your chest, just feeling for its rise and fall. This is supposed to help you keep your balance and warm up your body for the next stretch.
- Then, as you inhale your third breath, get both of your arms to extend upwards, having your fingertips pointed to the ceiling.
- As you exhale, slowly bend your upper body to the left feeling the stretch until you can’t go any further. Then, inhale and go back to your straight position.
- Repeat this using both sides of your body.
