How to achieve a flat tummy? Three useful yoga exercises

Contrary to common misconceptions, yoga is not a type of fitness, but an ancient philosophical teaching that combines spiritual and physical practices to achieve an elevated state. Therefore, it is not quite correct to perceive yoga exercises solely as physical training.

Nevertheless, many hatha yoga exercises have a beneficial effect on health and help to improve one’s body. Together with the instructor Alexandra Churkina we tell you about three techniques that, if performed regularly and correctly, will help to improve digestion and achieve a flat stomach. And you don’t have to twist yourself into a knot!

Yoga with health benefits

Three techniques have a positive effect on the abdomen and digestion: uddiyana bandha (abdominal lock), agnisara dhauti kriya (igniting the inner fire) and nauli kriya (wave). The first two exercises will not be difficult even for beginners. The third will still require some training, but most people can do it.

It is important to remember that any physical activity can have contraindications. So, the above techniques can not be performed by women during pregnancy and menstruation, with endometriosis and other acute conditions in the pelvic organs, with acute inflammatory conditions in the abdominal cavity. Also Alexandra advises to do exercises in the morning on an empty stomach or not earlier than four hours after a meal.

Regular performance of these abdominal manipulations has a favorable effect on various systems of the body. Reduced pressure in the chest increases the return of venous blood to the heart, which serves as an excellent prevention of varicose veins in the legs and pelvic organs. It also improves blood circulation in these areas and eliminates congestion. Stimulate the digestive organs, develop intestinal motility, which helps to get rid of constipation. In addition, the exercises help to keep in tone deep abdominal muscles, almost not involved in everyday life, explains the expert.

Abdominal lock (uddiyana bandha)

How to do. Take the fisherman’s pose: feet shoulder-width apart, body tilted slightly forward, hands resting on your hips. Keep your back straight. Take a full deep breath in through your nose and then exhale sharply while bending your arms at the elbows and leaning forward. Straighten your arms and back, and lower your chin slightly. Fix a breath hold after a full exhalation, closing the vocal cleft. Then take a “false breath” – a movement to inhale with a blocked vocal cleft, which prevents air from coming in. An area of low pressure is formed in the chest area, due to which the soft and relaxed abdomen is pulled up to the ribs. Hold this position for a few seconds, then release the belly and take a smooth full breath.

Expert opinion: This practice is the basis of the popular “vacuum” exercise, but it is often performed incorrectly, straining the transverse abdominal muscles. When performing uddiyana bandha, it is important to keep the abdominal muscles relaxed. One should come out of the exercise before discomfort occurs, dizziness or discomfort in the throat should not be allowed. At the stage of mastering this exercise can be repeated up to three times.

Kindling the inner fire (agnisara dhauti kriya).

How to do. Take the fisherman’s pose and perform the abdominal lock from the first exercise. Without coming out of breath-hold, release the relaxed soft belly forward and then retract it back under the ribs. Release and retract the abdomen several times during one breath hold. To exit the exercise, release the belly first and then take a smooth breath in.

Expert opinion: This techniqueon named for its positive effects on the stomach and digestive system. At the mastering stage, you need to perform three cycles. Then the number of repetitions can be increased depending on the sensations and well-being.

Wave (nauli kriya)

How to do. Stand in the fisherman’s pose and perform an abdominal lock as described in the first exercise. Without coming out of the breath hold, tense only the rectus abdominis, keeping the oblique muscles relaxed. During the mastering stage, press your hands firmly on your hips. As a result, the so-called medial tourniquet, i.e. both rectus muscles, should come forward. To exit the exercise, return to uddiyana bandha, release the abdomen and then take a smooth breath.

Expert’s opinion: This technique is more difficult than the previous two, so you can move to it only after full mastery of uddiyana bandha and agnisara dhauti kriya. After mastering the control over the rectus abdominis, you can learn to shift the tourniquet to the left or right, alternately shifting your body weight to one side or the other. The final stage of mastering is to rotate the tourniquet in a circle, one way and the other. We always complete the cycle by rotating from right to left. During the rotation, the pelvis remains stationary.