Intense workouts for weight loss are suitable for people who love dynamic physical activity, are not afraid of injury and are ready to put up with post-workout fatigue and muscle pain. If high-intensity fitness training does not inspire enthusiasm or is not suitable for health reasons, you can choose an alternative way to lose weight - yoga classes.
The effectiveness of yoga for weight loss
Due to the prevalence of static exercises, yoga is rarely considered as an independent way to lose weight. But yoga fans are well aware that such training is good not only for health, but also for the figure. Yoga exercises strengthen muscles, improve posture, tighten the stomach and get rid of extra pounds.
Yoga as a means of losing weight is slower than aerobics or strength training, because static exercises are less energy-intensive than dynamic ones. But the result achieved with the help of yoga is fixed for a long time, because yoga exercises cause deep changes in the body. They heal it at all levels: thanks to the practice of yoga, the work of internal organs improves, cellular nutrition and respiration are optimized, and metabolism is normalized. Against the background of deep positive changes, excess, unnecessary body fat burns, body weight stabilizes. An additional plus: overloads are excluded here. Yoga classes are held at a calm pace, without physical and nervous strain.
The benefits of yoga for weight loss are not only in burning calories, strengthening muscles and improving the internal organs. Thanks to the practice of relaxation and meditation, a person's nervous system is strengthened, resistance to stress increases, and mental well-being improves. As a result, the risk of nervous overeating is reduced, and it is one of the key reasons for gaining excess weight.
Yoga asanas for weight loss: standing position
- Warrior/hero pose I.Step back with one foot. The step should be wide, about 120 cm. Place your feet firmly on the floor, bend your forward leg, align your lumbar spine, and stretch your arms to the ceiling. Stay in this position for as long as you can. Breathe freely. The pose of a warrior accelerates weight loss, especially of the pelvic region and hips, strengthens the muscles of the legs and prevents the development of osteochondrosis.
- Warrior/Hero Pose II.As in the previous asana, start by moving your leg back. You need to step back far, at a distance of more than a meter. If the right leg was set back, turn the body to the right, and head forward, looking at the palm. Spread your arms wide, fixing them in a plane parallel to the floor. Stay in this pose for a while, then relax and repeat on the other leg. In terms of its effect on the body, the second warrior pose is similar to the first, but it is a little more complicated and, accordingly, has a stronger effect.
- Pose of the month.Leaning to the right, place your right hand on the floor in front of the foot - 30 cm before it. Hold a two-second pause, then lift, moving to the side, your left leg. Straighten the right limbs, lower the left hand to the left side. Balance for a while, standing in emphasis on the right palm and foot. In the pose of the month, the buttocks, hips, knees are well strengthened.
- Tilt to the feet.Inhale deeply, exhale and lean forward. The slope should be deep: strive to rest your palms on the floor behind your feet (fingers forward). Relax your back, let it hang under its own weight. Fix the slope. After a minute, slowly straighten up. This pose has a beneficial effect on the spine, strengthens the legs, and calms the nervous system.
- Chair posture.Raise your arms above your head and join your palms. Bend the lower limbs, lowering the pelvis down, as if sitting down on a chair. Lower yourself as low as you can while keeping your back straight. Stop and fix the squat for 10-30 seconds. Increase the duration of the exercise gradually. The chair pose helps to strengthen the legs, abs, chest, arms.
- Tree pose.Raise your arms above your head, bring your palms together. Press the right foot with the sole against the inside of the left thigh. Stand on one leg - 30 seconds is enough to start. The pose strengthens the arms and legs, improves posture.
Yoga exercises in a sitting position
- Butterfly pose.Squat on the floor. Bend your legs, move your heels to the groin area. Lower your knees as low as possible, ideally towards the floor. Straighten your back. Hold the pose for at least a minute. "Butterfly" strengthens the inner side of the thighs, has a beneficial effect on the organs of the genitourinary system and is especially useful for women.
- Twisting in half lotus.Squat your buttocks on your heels. Then move your pelvis to the left so that it is on the floor close to your feet. Lower your left foot to the base of the opposite thigh, as in a half lotus. Bend your left hand back and, bringing it out from behind your back, grab onto your left foot. Place your right hand on your left knee. Turn your head and torso to the left until it stops. After 30 seconds, straighten up, relax, repeat on the other side. Asana kneads and aligns the spine, stops the development of osteochondrosis.
Asanas for weight loss: lying position
- Plow pose. Lying on your back with your arms extended behind your head, bring your bent knees to your chest and smoothly move your feet far behind your head. Grab your toes with your hands. Straighten your knees. Keep your body weight on your shoulder blades. At first, limit your stay in the pose to one minute, then increase the duration of the exercise to three minutes. Asana heals the spine, improves the condition of the genitourinary system, relieves fatigue.
- Board pose.Stand in an emphasis lying down, spreading your arms shoulder-width apart. Rest your toes on the floor. Align your body and legs as much as possible. Pull up your belly. Hold your body in a straight line for one minute. Plank pose strengthens many muscles. A group of muscles that stabilize the spine is well worked out.
- Child's pose.Sitting on your buttocks on your heels, lean forward. Lie on your hips with your torso, lower your head to the floor, stretch your arms in front of you. Close your eyes, relax. It is with this asana that you need to complete workouts aimed at losing weight. It perfectly relieves fatigue, reduces muscle tension, and calms the nervous system.
Yoga for weight loss includes asanas of different levels of difficulty. Not all of them are perfect the first time. Beginners should not force things, trying their best to achieve maximum amplitude in movements. Yoga is all about gradualness. From training to training, the joints, muscles and tendons will become more flexible and elastic - and the exercises will get better and better every time. In order for yoga for weight loss to be as beneficial as possible, you need to practice regularly, ideally daily.