How can yoga affect the abdominal muscles?
From the perspective of yoga, your abs play a crucial role. They ensure that you perform basic exercises safely and ultimately let you take your yoga practice to the next level (e.g. increase your pose hold time). When working on the abdomen, you strengthen the so-called ‘core’, which is a group of muscles responsible for:
- proper body posture – they stabilize the spine, prevent spinal overstrain, and protect the lower back (a weak core may, for example, exacerbate pain in the lumbar region),
- maintaining stability and balance in asanas,
- healthy digestion,
- optimal breathing – the transverse abdominal muscle complements the work of the diaphragm.
This body area can be toned and shaped by practicing several asanas that:
- target the stomach muscles directly and build their strength; these are the so-called abdominal asanas, such as the boat pose or supta padangusthasana,
- stretch the abdominals (e.g. the cobra pose or arch pose),
- strengthen the muscles of the back, spine and pelvis (e.g. the tadasana or plank pose),
- support the digestive system and improve the function of abdominal organs (all twist poses and, for example, pavanamuktasana),
- help you relax (e.g. the headstand or happy baby pose) by reducing the levels of cortisol (known as the ‘stress hormone’), which is responsible for the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area.
Keep in mind what Geeta S. Iyengar wrote in her book: “By forcing a weak abdominal core to work, you get yourself into trouble”. Consequently, it’s best to start your yoga journey with standing and inverted asanas to prepare this area of your body for the greater effort that is to come in more abdomen-focused poses.
4 asanas: a step-by-step guide to a toned stomach
Boat pose (paripurna navasana)
The boat pose strengthens the back, improves digestion, and helps to keep a proper focus on breathing and emotions. When done correctly, it boosts the power of concentration, builds willpower, and promotes inner harmony. In addition, the boat pose tones up the muscles of the abdomen, chest, shoulder blades, arms, and legs. Practiced regularly, it keeps the abdominal organs healthy and stimulates the thyroid gland.
How to do the boat pose correctly?
- Sit down comfortably in dandasana (simple seated posture, also known as the stick pose or staff pose). Keep your legs stretched out right in front of you, and your back straight.
- Place your hands on the floor just behind your hips. Then move them a little further behind and start to bend your elbows, while tilting the torso back. Stretch your spine – make sure you don’t slouch. Breathe in and out normally.
- Lift the sternum towards the ceiling, open up the chest, and tuck in your lower back.
- Bend your legs at the knees and, while inhaling, lift them so that your shins are perpendicular to the mat. Tighten up your thighs. Gently bring your chin towards the sternum. Hold the pose with your abdominal muscles.
- With your ankles together, slowly straighten your legs and position them so that your thighs are at about a 45–50-degree angle from the floor (turn them inwards). Mobilize your entire spine to avoid collapse. Maintain balance solely on your buttocks.
- Stretch the arms in front of you, parallel to the floor, with your palms facing each other. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Keep your legs active and your face relaxed.
- Breathe calmly and hold the pose for 10–20 seconds. After gaining more practice, extend the time to one minute.
- To get out of the pose, place your hands on the back of your thighs, bend your legs at the knees, and lower your feet onto the mat. Move back to dandasana.
You may find it difficult to keep your balance at first. If this happens, leave your hands on the floor or place them on the back of your thighs when your legs are up. You can also place your heels against a wall or try keeping your knees bent (especially if you have back pain - asanas helpful in such a situation can be found HERE).
Cobra pose (bhujangasana)
Bhujangasana a back-bending pose that provides a myriad of benefits. It stretches the abdominal muscles, but also opens up the chest and improves spinal mobility. In addition, it helps to fight stress and fatigue, and stimulates the digestive system (don’t do it after eating, though).
How to do the cobra pose correctly?
- Lie down on your belly with your forehead on the mat. Relax the spine. Spread your legs slightly wider than the hips. Point your toes behind you.
- Extend your hands along your body. Move your hands forward and fan out your fingers. Press the bases of the fingers to the mat. Make sure that the hands are placed directly under the shoulders.
- Support your body weight on your palms. Inhale and raise your head and chest, smoothly stretching your spine upwards. Keep your arms bent at the elbows, and your elbows close to the body. However, don’t support your body weight on your hands too much – aim to hold yourself up by engaging your back muscles.
- Look at the floor and tuck the chin towards the throat to stretch the back of the neck.
- Tighten your shoulder blades and pull your shoulders away from your ears. Keep your buttocks relaxed. Don’t clench your stomach muscles, either.
- Tuck in your tailbone, and press the pubis, thighs, abdomen, and backs of your feet against the floor.
- In the simplified version (‘baby cobra pose’), the elbows remain bent, and if you want to move on to the full pose, slowly straighten your arms on an exhale. You may gently tilt your neck and look forward and upward, but don’t pull your head up to the ceiling.
- Hold this asana for 15–30 seconds, breathing in and out normally. Then lie flat and rest for a while before repeating the pose or moving on to other exercises.
The cobra pose can be challenging for beginners. Make sure that you go into the full pose carefully and slowly, in tune with the sensations coming from your body. Pay attention especially to the tension in the lower back and neck. Don’t exceed the limit of flexion beyond which pain occurs. Another tip: if you feel pelvic discomfort (your iliac spines or pubic bone dig uncomfortably into the mat), place a folded blanket under your pelvis.
Plank pose (kumbhakasana)
Kumbhakasana is one of the best known (not only to yoga practitioners) but also more challenging asanas that strengthen and accelerate fat burning. The plank pose also builds up the muscles of the torso, legs and arms, preparing them for advanced balancing poses. A version with added rotation or pulling the leg to the side is great especially for sculpting the abdominal and gluteal muscles.
How to do the plank pose correctly?
- Kneel on the floor with your hands shoulder-width apart. Press your palms (with the fingers wide apart) firmly against the floor, transferring some of your body weight to them.
- Turn your face towards the floor. Draw the chin slightly towards the sternum.
- Stretch the spine and the back of your neck upwards. Pull in the abdominal muscles. Curl up the toes of your feet (held hip-width apart) and lift your knees up (beginners might try a variant with the knees on the mat).
- Keep the upper body straight and strong, so that your hips don’t sink too low or go over your body line.
- Make sure to keep your abdominal muscles tight at all times, but relax the glutes.
- The shoulders should be directly above the wrists.
- Extend your back and spread your shoulder blades out. Tilt your tailbone towards your heels.
- Hold the pose for about 30 seconds and then transition to the downward-facing dog pose or the happy baby pose to rest.
Wind-relieving pose (pavanamuktasana)
The name may bring a smile to your face, but it’s perfect for describing the benefits of this asana. It can help treat a range of gastric problems and, in addition, it massages the colon, restores healthy acid levels in the stomach, improves metabolism, relieves lower back pain, and firms and tones the muscles of the abdomen, thighs and hips.
How to do the wind-relieving pose correctly?
- Lie down flat on your back with your legs extended and with your arms beside your body.
- Draw your feet together and bend your knees. Inhale and gradually bring the thighs towards your chest (to rest them on your belly).
- Grab either your knees or thighs with your hands.
- As you inhale, lift your head so that your chin presses onto your knees.
- Hold this pose for 30–60 seconds.
You will get the best results if you combine this set of asanas with bends, twists and back-strengthening poses. To experience the benefits, do the exercises 2 to 3 times a week. It is this antagonistic action – alternate tightening and relaxing of the muscles – that has the best effect on firming up the abdominal muscles.
Note that the focus should be on proper balance and holistic approach to your body. Your motivation to change should always go hand in hand with awareness of your limitations and careful attention to your needs such as rest and recovery.
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References:
1. B. Niedaszkowski, “Joga i ajurweda. Przewodnik dla współczesnego człowieka.”, Łódź 2019.
2. G. S. Iyengar, “Joga w praktyce. Kurs wstępny.”, Kraków 2015.
3. joga-joga.pl.
4. www.portalyogi.pl.