5 Yoga Poses for a Flatter Stomach

Celebrity yoga expert Bharat Thakur suggests asanas that will prep you for the summery crop tops

09 September, 2020

Celebrity yoga expert Bharat Thakur suggests asanas that will prep you for the summery crop tops

Bhujangasana: it is known as a back strengthener but tightens the rectus abdomen muscles. For greater impact on the abs, raise the palms off the mat and hold. Technique: 1. Lie flat on your stomach. Place your chin on the floor, hands stretched next to your hips, palms facing down, toes and heels touching each other.   2. Place your hands next to your chest while bending your elbows and tucking them in.   3. Tighten your buttocks, inhale and raise your head and torso keeping your elbows bent and your navel on the floor.   4. Stretch your neck forward keeping your shoulder blades firm and away from your ears.   5. Press your hips, thighs, and feet to the floor.  6. Hold the posture and breathe. 

1bhujangasana2028129.jpgBhujangasana: it is known as a back strengthener but tightens the rectus abdomen muscles. For greater impact on the abs, raise the palms off the mat and hold. Technique: 1. Lie flat on your stomach. Place your chin on the floor, hands stretched next to your hips, palms facing down, toes and heels touching each other.   2. Place your hands next to your chest while bending your elbows and tucking them in.   3. Tighten your buttocks, inhale and raise your head and torso keeping your elbows bent and your navel on the floor.   4. Stretch your neck forward keeping your shoulder blades firm and away from your ears.   5. Press your hips, thighs, and feet to the floor.  6. Hold the posture and breathe. 

Santolanasana: “It is one of the most powerful asanas for flat abs. It tones and tightens the two main muscles, transversus abdominis and rectus abdominis in a way unparalleled by any other posture, effectively trimming flab,” says Bharat. Technique: 1. Start in Vajrasana with the hands on the thighs.   2. Bend forward and place your hands on the floor in front of you. Raise the buttocks up to assume the cat position with the knees still on the floor and toes curled in.   3. Inhale and exhale then slide both the feet backwards and raise the knees above the ground so that you are balancing the weight of the body with your two palms and the toes of the feet while keeping your feet together .

2santolanasana.jpgSantolanasana: “It is one of the most powerful asanas for flat abs. It tones and tightens the two main muscles, transversus abdominis and rectus abdominis in a way unparalleled by any other posture, effectively trimming flab,” says Bharat. Technique: 1. Start in Vajrasana with the hands on the thighs.   2. Bend forward and place your hands on the floor in front of you. Raise the buttocks up to assume the cat position with the knees still on the floor and toes curled in.   3. Inhale and exhale then slide both the feet backwards and raise the knees above the ground so that you are balancing the weight of the body with your two palms and the toes of the feet while keeping your feet together .

Naukasana: strengthens rectus abdominis and speeds up the process of attaining flat abs. Technique: 1. Sit erect on the ground, with your back straightened and your legs touching each other and stretched out in front of you. Toes curled in. 2. Balance your weight between your buttocks.  3. Align your head by making the crown face the ceiling. This will straighten your spine.   4. Support your spine and relax your shoulders by stretching your arms and placing your palms on the ground parallel to your hips.   5. Keep the lower half of your body firmly on the floor by tightening your butt and legs 6. Inhale, tighten your stomach and stretch your legs up, toes curled in and feet touching each other. 7. Exhale and inhale, then stretch your arms in front of your chest with index fingers and thumbs touching each other and palms facing down. 8. Look straight, keep a four-finger gap between the chest and the chin, hold the posture and breathe.

3naukasana.jpgNaukasana: strengthens rectus abdominis and speeds up the process of attaining flat abs. Technique: 1. Sit erect on the ground, with your back straightened and your legs touching each other and stretched out in front of you. Toes curled in. 2. Balance your weight between your buttocks.  3. Align your head by making the crown face the ceiling. This will straighten your spine.   4. Support your spine and relax your shoulders by stretching your arms and placing your palms on the ground parallel to your hips.   5. Keep the lower half of your body firmly on the floor by tightening your butt and legs 6. Inhale, tighten your stomach and stretch your legs up, toes curled in and feet touching each other. 7. Exhale and inhale, then stretch your arms in front of your chest with index fingers and thumbs touching each other and palms facing down. 8. Look straight, keep a four-finger gap between the chest and the chin, hold the posture and breathe.

Pawanmuktasana: exhale and come to the final posture. Hold the breath till you can comfortably. Do like this, one leg at a time, it improves muscle tone of the rectus abdominis, and the deepest layer of the abs muscles the transversals abdominus, as well as the obliques. Technique: 1. Lie flat on your back, feet together and toes curled in, with arms placed beside your body.   2. Take a deep breath. Tuck your stomach in. 3. As you exhale, bring your left knee towards your chest, pressing your thigh on your abdomen. Clasp your hands around your leg and hug your knee while pushing your chin towards the knee.   4. Keep your right leg fully stretched on the mat, toes pointing out.   5. Exhale, tighten the grip of the hands on the knee, and increase the pressure on your chest by moving your head and shoulders up.  

4wind-relieving-pose.jpgPawanmuktasana: exhale and come to the final posture. Hold the breath till you can comfortably. Do like this, one leg at a time, it improves muscle tone of the rectus abdominis, and the deepest layer of the abs muscles the transversals abdominus, as well as the obliques. Technique: 1. Lie flat on your back, feet together and toes curled in, with arms placed beside your body.   2. Take a deep breath. Tuck your stomach in. 3. As you exhale, bring your left knee towards your chest, pressing your thigh on your abdomen. Clasp your hands around your leg and hug your knee while pushing your chin towards the knee.   4. Keep your right leg fully stretched on the mat, toes pointing out.   5. Exhale, tighten the grip of the hands on the knee, and increase the pressure on your chest by moving your head and shoulders up.  

Merudandasana: stretches and contracts the internal and external obliques. Technique: 1. Lie down on your back, with your arms stretched out at your shoulder level. Twisting your right foot and hip to the left, keeping your left leg stretched on the floor.   2. Bend your right knee and gently cover your left knee with your right foot, toes pointing down. Keep the left leg straight.   3. Inhale then exhale and twist your right leg to the left, keeping your shoulders on the floor. Turn your head to the right   4. Hold the posture and breathe. With each exhalation, push your right shoulder a little more to the ground. 5. Release, then repeat the same on the opposite side

5merudandasana20final20posture.jpgMerudandasana: stretches and contracts the internal and external obliques. Technique: 1. Lie down on your back, with your arms stretched out at your shoulder level. Twisting your right foot and hip to the left, keeping your left leg stretched on the floor.   2. Bend your right knee and gently cover your left knee with your right foot, toes pointing down. Keep the left leg straight.   3. Inhale then exhale and twist your right leg to the left, keeping your shoulders on the floor. Turn your head to the right   4. Hold the posture and breathe. With each exhalation, push your right shoulder a little more to the ground. 5. Release, then repeat the same on the opposite side

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