Three Simple Yoga Poses for Reducing Belly Fat

Yoga is not just an exercise; it is getting to know your body. You understand the rhythm, strength and weakness of your body. The connection with your own body begins when you first concentrate on the inside.

How do you achieve this? Every pose in Yoga requires you to breathe right and observe the part of the body which is being worked out. For example, in Vakrasana, concentrate on your breathing, inhale deeply and exhale very slowly. With each exhalation, you twist your body a little more. All your concentration should be in the abdomen. Feel the clinch, the twist and pull when you try to sit erect after twisting.

Listed below are three simple postures when done in the right manner will give you sustainable results. Everyone can do these simple sitting postures.

Vakrasana I: This pose requires you to sit both legs straight ahead in front of you that is, Samathala Sthiti. Maintain your back erect. Join your toe to toe, heel to heel and knee to knee. Pull your toes towards yourself, push the heels out.

• Now, breathe in and fold your right leg, place your right heel beside the inner edge of your left knee.
• Hold your right knee with your left hand.
• Place your right hand behind your left buttock.
• Inhale deeply again, straighten your left hand up and lock the elbow to the right knee. Straighten your spine and turn and look behind, while exhaling slowly.
• If possible, try and hold the inner ankle of your right feet with your left hand.
• Stay in this posture for few counts while breathing slowly and deeply. If your breathing is fast, try and slow it down. Relax and breathe in deeply, exhale slowly. Always try and twist more with each exhalation. Observe your abdomen.
• Come out of the pose while inhaling with hands raised. Exhale and straighten your right leg.
• Do the twist with the left leg folded, held with your Right hand.
• Left hand comes behind your right buttock, straighten your spine, inhale deeply and turn to twist your spine while locking your right elbow to the left knee.
• Hold this posture for at least 5 few deep inhalation and exhalation.
• Come out of the pose slowly.

Vakrasana II: Come to Samathala Sthiti, legs joined and straight ahead, with toes pulled inwards and heels pushed outwards.

• Breathe in and fold the right leg and place the heel near the outer edge of the left knee. Inhale and straighten the Left hand and lock the elbow to the right knee, if possible, hold the inner edge of the right feet.
• Place your right hand behind take a deep breath, straighten the spine and turn while exhaling. Hold this posture for some time and relax your breathing while doing so.
• Inhale to raise both the hands up, exhale and straighten your legs.
• Do the same twisting towards the other side, by folding your left leg and locking your right elbow.

Paschimottanasana: Sit in Samathala stithi with legs straightened forward, toes pulled in and heels pushed out.

• Inhale straighten your arms up. Feel the pull in your side ribs while you stretch your arms up. While exhaling, bend forward as much as possible with head up and spine erect.
• If you are able to lock your hands/wrists around your feet, do so and straighten your spine and look ahead. Breathe in deeply and bend down by pushing your elbows out, as much as possible without exerting too much pressure.
• Once you are able to touch your head to the calf muscles, relax and breathe slowly. Try and maintain this posture for a few deep inhalations and slow exhalations.
• Slowly come up. This pose is known to calm your anxiety too.

Relax for some time on your back before stopping the practice. These are a few simple yoga postures to practice daily. Some of the benefits of these poses include reducing belly fat, improving digestion, strengthening your spine.

Madhavi

Yoga Trainee at Yoga Dhama

Bangalore

Disclaimer: All yoga postures need to be performed under trained eye of an instructor to avoid complications due to practice of wrong posture