Yoga Exercises To Get Rid Of Neck Fat

Often, you don't pay attention to your neck until it's difficult to turn your head. Excessive neck fat weighs on the muscles and tendons, and can cause rigid mobility in the neck. Certain yoga exercises focus on toning and stretching the neck muscles and will minimize and burn fat. Be mindful when practicing yoga. Sometimes in the pursuit of ridding fat, you aren't gentle and slow in your approach to poses. Know that time is required to strengthen any muscle and eventually, with consistent practice, you will get rid of your neck fat.

Reverse Tabletop Pose

Reverse tabletop pose gets its name because the body is positioned to look like a table. The neck is released and front and back muscles are toned, but the arms and legs also are fully engaged and strengthened. Sit on your bottom and bend your knees so the soles of the feet are planted. Place the palms behind you with the fingers facing your feet. Ground down through the feet and palms and raise the hips and torso toward the ceiling. Make sure your hands are in line with your shoulders, and your knees are in line with your ankles. Release the head back to your comfort level. If you feel straining in the neck, lower your gaze to relieve any discomfort. Reverse table is a basic "backbending arm support" posture according to author Leslie Kaminoff of Yoga Anatomy that lengthens the neck muscles. Stay in reverse tabletop for five breaths and slowly release the hips to meet the ground. Repeat three times.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose

Half lord of the fishes pose is a basic seated spinal twist that works the sternocleidomastoid, the neck muscle that turns the head sideways, and the splenius capitis, the neck muscle that rotates the head. According to YogaJournal.com, Half lord of the fishes pose also kindles the liver and kidneys, which aid in detoxifying the entire system. Sit with your legs extended straight in front of you. Bend your right knee and cross it over the left leg so the sole of the right foot is on the ground and the knee is facing up. Place your left hand alongside your left hip and put weight onto the arm so you can bend your left knee and slide the left foot to the outside of your right hip. Make sure you are grounding your butt and one hip isn't lifted. Plant the left palm in line with the left hip with the fingertips facing away from your feet. Sit tall to elongate the spine and bring the right elbow to the inside of the right knee to come into the twist. Turn your gaze over your left shoulder and feel your neck muscles working to open and twist. Stay in Half Lord of the Fishes pose for 10 breaths and repeat the above steps on the left side.

Bow Pose

Bow pose is a backbend done lying on your stomach. According to YogaJournal.com, the anatomical focus of the posture is the neck, in addition to other parts such as the thighs, chest and shoulders. Lie facing down with the forehead center on the floor. Bend the knees so the soles of the feet point straight up. Have the arms straight alongside the thighs. Grab hold of the ankles with your hands, or use a strap or belt if you cannot reach your ankles. Make sure your knees are at hip-width and lift the knees and thighs away from the floor. That action will raise the torso. Raise your head, elongate the neck and gaze forward. The body resembles a bow, and the eyes point forward as if looking at the target of where an arrow should go. Release from the posture and repeat two or three times. Stay in bow for three to five breaths.