Yoga is an Indian exercise form that involves holding your body in positions called poses for an extended period of time. When you want to lose weight in your belly, you have to burn calories and build up your stomach muscles. Although yoga doesn't burn a high amount of calories, you can change this by taking short rest breaks between your exercises and doing them in a repetitive motion. Yoga also can help you gain control of your eating habits and drop extra pounds, according to MayoClinic.com.
Step 1
Execute a plank series. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and feet together behind you. Push yourself straight up until your arms are extended and lift your hips to form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Feel your abs contracting to hold this position. Take three to five breaths, rotate to your right, stack your legs and extend your left arm straight in the air. Hold this position for three to five breaths. Lower yourself back to the plank position and repeat the side plank on your left side.
Step 2
Hold an extended triangle to target your obliques. Stand with your feet about 4 feet apart, turn your right foot out 90 degrees and turn your left foot in slightly. Bend laterally to your right as you extend your left arm straight in the air and reach down toward the floor with your right hand. Keep your hips and shoulders in line and legs straight when you do this. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, slowly release and switch sides.
Step 3
Lie face-down on your belly to do a locust pose. This works your lower back and makes you contract your abs. Place your arms at your sides with your palms up and move your legs together behind your body. Lift your chest and legs off the floor as high as possible and balance on your lower abdomen and pelvis. Take three long breaths, slowly lower yourself down and repeat four to five times.
Step 4
Place two yoga blocks on the floor to do a scale pose. This exercise works your abs and arms simultaneously. Sit Indian style between the blocks and place your hands on them. Keep your back straight as you press into the blocks and lift your body off the floor. Maintain the same leg position when you do this. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and slowly lower yourself down.
Step 5
Perform an advanced downward-facing dog. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and feet hip-width apart behind you. Straighten your arms, lift your hips and push your weight back on your heels so your body forms an inverted angle. Lift your right foot and left hand off the floor and extend them both in the air at an angle behind you. Form a straight line from your right hand to your right foot and keep your shoulders in line with your hips. Hold for three to five breaths, slowly lower your arm and leg and repeat with your other side.
Step 6
Alternate back and forth between an upward bow and full boat pose. Lie on your back with your knees bent, and your feet and hands flat on the floor. Position your hands directly above your shoulders and point your fingers toward your body. Lift your butt off the floor, arch your back and straighten your arms and legs as much as possible. Hold for two breaths, slowly lower yourself back down and immediately raise your legs and torso off the floor. Balance on your butt with your legs extended in the air and arms straight out by your thighs. Your body should be in a "V" shape. Hold this position for two breaths and lower yourself back down. Alternate between upward bow and full boat pose four or five times.
Tips and Warnings
- Do these exercises back to back with 30-second rest breaks in between. Repeat the whole series three or four times. Work out three days a week on nonconsecutive days. Perform cardio three or four days a week for 30 to 45 minutes to increase your caloric expenditure and promote faster weight loss. Perform all your yoga exercises in bare feet.
Things You'll Need
- 2 yoga blocks
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