1. Stand up for Yourself
You can stretch the sides and back of your abdomen with yoga standing poses. Standing poses can also develop core strength, balance and spinal alignment. Triangle Pose and Extended Side Angle Pose will give your sides a good stretch. The standing forward bend called Uttanasana stretches the lower back muscles. If you are stiff or new to yoga, don't worry about reaching the floor in any of these postures. Stretch only as far as you can comfortably, even if that is just to the seat or back of a chair. Bend forward from your hips and not from your back. Keep your back concave, and stop stretching forward when you start to lose concavity.
2. Lie Back and Relax
For a great stretch in the front of your abdomen, try the Reclining Hero Pose. Lie back only as far as is comfortable for your back and your knees. Use a yoga bolster or even a padded chair for support unless you are advanced in this pose. This is a great calming pose, so use it for stress management. It is also one of the few yoga poses that you can do after a meal. The pose gently stimulates the digestive organs to aid the digestive process. Back bends like the Camel Pose and the Upward Facing Bow Pose also stretch the front of the abdomen. Keep in mind, though, that back bends are advanced postures, and it is best to learn them with the help of an experienced instructor. Avoid back bends when you are menstruating, because they squeeze the uterus and can greatly accelerate menstrual blood loss.
3. Add a New Twist
Twists work the front, back and sides of the abdomen all at once. The seated twists called Bharadvajasana and Marichiasana (both named for legendary wise men) are excellent examples. People with knee problems can sit on a chair to do these twists. Twists can relieve some forms of neck, shoulder and back pain, and they stimulate the kidneys, intestines and other abdominal organs. However, avoid twists if you have diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems, as they can aggravate these conditions.
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