5 Yoga Poses To Help You Show Off a Firm and Flat Belly!

Belly fat is certainly something what most people strive to remove constantly, but sometimes not even having a balanced diet and frequent exercising is possible to achieve a flat belly.  Fortunately, today there is an excellent alternative to eliminate fat in the abdomen effectively in a natural way, so that you will get surprising results in a few months.

 In this article, we’re going to show you 5 positions that will you help you eliminate the fat accumulated in the abdomen, and this will be possible with some simple exercises that will strengthen your abdomen in no time!

What you need to do to achieve a flat abdomen (Plank)
With this posture, you’ll work on your thighs, buttocks, shoulders, back and the area of the belly. Put yourself in a position like for push-ups from the chest and place your hands aligned vertically with the shoulders. Then, inhale deeply while you look towards down and make sure you always keep the back straight.
Finally, remain in that position tightening the abdominal muscles and keep yourself in this position for 30 seconds. You must repeat this process 5 times and rest only 15 seconds between each repetition.

Position of the arc
This position strengthens the abdomen and helps your digestion to work properly. Place you mouth down on the ground, stretch your legs and your arms should be glued to your body. Raises your feet towards your back and subject your ankles with the arms stretched. Keep this position for 30 seconds. Then, return to the initial position resting for 15 seconds. Repeat this 5 times. Health.

Position of the cobra
It helps you strengthen the abdomen and the back. Place you mouth down, stretch the legs and stretch the arms so that you lift up the superior part of your body while your head is pointing to your back as much as you can. Breathe deeply while holding that position for 15 seconds. Health. Repeat this process and res for 15 seconds on each repetition.

The boat
You will be able to exercise the muscles of your abdomen, back, arms and legs. Lie down with your legs and arms alongside the body. Take a deep breath while at the same time you raise your back and your legs. Keep your eyes toward the front and remain in that position for 30 seconds. You must repeat this 5 times resting for 15 second during each repetition.

The position of the chair
You strengthen the back, abdomen, buttocks and legs.  Place you of foot in a “Namaste” position and flex the knees as if you had to sit on a chair. Health. Then, raise your arms above stretching them the most possible. Keep the back straight and help yourself with the weight of your torso to balance yourself as you’re flexing the knees. Remain in that position for 30 seconds and repeat this process 5 times resting for 15 seconds during each repetition.

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8 Yoga Poses to Relieve Back Pain in Only 8 minutes

Mobility and flexibility are important for the entire body. But, in this post we explain the significance of maintaining flexibility in a specific part of the body- the hips. Many people nowadays spend a lot of time sitting at their desks, and sitting for a long period on a daily basis can result in tight hips and impaired mobility.

Tight Hips Can Cause:
Muscle Imbalances. If you are sitting for hours every day, your hip flexors – the inner hip muscles – will shorten and tighten. The back of your hips, your hip extensors, and your glutes are overstretched while you are sitting, and this kind of stretch and tightness is not beneficial. In fact, your muscles are weakened as they are not sufficiently used.

Poor Posture and Balance. The major stabilizer of the pelvis is the hip flexor, so when these muscles are weak, it might lead to impaired balance, and thus, poor posture.

Back Pain. The position of your pelvis will be distorted into a forward, unnatural tilt if your hip extensors and glutes are overstretched. These tight muscles and the tilt will also begin to pull at the lower back muscles, which is something that people with very tight hips complain about a lot. If you stretch your hips every day, you will not only improve their mobility, but also improve your strength and workout performance. One of the most popular and effective ways to improve the flexibility in your hips is yoga, thanks to its many hip-opening poses.

Here Are 8 of the Best Yoga Hip-Opening Poses

1. Happy Baby Pose

Pull your knees towards your upper body while laying on your back.

Place your hands on the inner arches of your feet and start opening the knees slightly wider than your torso.

Your lower back should press the mat as much as possible, while you are pressing your feet into your hands and pulling the hands down to make a resistance.

Take deep breaths while in this position.

Stay here for at least half a minute.

2. Thread the Needle Pose

While laying on your back, place the feet flat on the mat, and bend your knees. Similar to figure “4”, cross your left ankle over your right knee. Keep your hips grounded while pressing the mat with your lower back. Pull the right knee in towards your torso, threading your left hand between your legs. Pull the left knee deeper into the stretch with your clasped hands underneath it. Try to keep the left knee open to truly stretch the hip. Take deep breaths and remain in this position for at least half a minute. Repeat this with the opposite side.

3. Frog Pose

Don’t do this exercise if you have knee or ankle injury, as it is pretty intense. Get on all fours with your hands placed right under your shoulders and your knees on the mat. Carefully widen your knees until you feel stretch in the inner thighs. Don’t overstretch. Your ankles should remain in line with your knees, while your calves and feet are grounded the whole time. Once again, without overstretching, lower down to your forearms if you are able to. Stay here for at least half a minute.

4. Butterfly Pose

Sit with your back straight, and bent knees. Place your hands by your sides. Let the soles of your feet touch and let your knees open outwards. Open the knees with the help of your leg muscles and bring them closer to the mat. The stretch should be felt in your inner thighs. You can deepen it by pulling your feel as close to the pelvis as possible, or by folding forward and placing your hands in front of you. Stay in this position for half a minute.

5. Half Pigeon Pose

Begin this position in a runner’s lunge. Your right foot should be in front of you and both hands placed on either side of that foot. Let the right knee fall down to the outer side, and drop your back knee supporting on your fingertips. Press into the toes, and then rock the knee back a little bit. The outer part of your calf should be grounded parallel to the front of the mat. But, if you are new to this pose, tuck the front heel in towards the groin a little bit. Keep the front toes flexing to prevent harming your knee.

The hips should be back towards square, and then you can walk your fingertips forward any amount. You can lower down to your forearms, or even lay over the front leg if you want a deeper stretch. The stretch shouldn’t be felt in the glute and on the outside of the right hip. Stay here for half a minute, and then do the same thing on the opposite side. (If you feel uncomfortable or even painful in this pose, stick with Thread the Needle.)

6. Double Pigeon Pose

Sit on the floor with crossed legs so that the left leg is crossed in front. Move to the pose using your arms, grab your left ankle and pull it carefully to place it over the right knee. Stack your shins with the left leg on top. Your right knee might be raised a bit from floor if your hips are really tight, but as you open your hips more, the knee will gradually lower. For a deeper stretch, walk your hands slightly forward. Stay here for at least half a minute, and then do the same thing with the other side.

7. Crescent Lunge

Once again, begin in a runner’s lunge with your knee raised. Slowly remove the hands from the mat by first placing them to the front thigh. Let your hips sink lower while you square the hips to the front of your mat. Raise your arms over your head with engaged abdominals. Lengthen your back leg, and continue lowering and squaring off the hips to increase the stretch. Stay here for at least half a minute, and repeat with the other side.

To improve and maintain healthy and flexible hips, add one or more of these hip-openers to your daily workout routine. For best results, add all of them to improve your mobility, and strengthen your legs and hips.

8. Low Lunge

Begin the pose in a runner’s lunge with the right foot placed in front of you, and the hands placed on the mat on each side of your right foot. Lower the back knee, shin to the mat and gently raise your torso and arms so that your hands rest on the front thigh. Don’t let your back arch, and keep the abdominals engaged. For a deeper stretch, raise your arms overhead and slightly lean forward without arching your back. Stay here for half a minute, and do the same thing on the opposite side.

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How to Improve Your Posture with Yoga Poses

Good posture not only gives you the look of poise and confidence, but it helps you feel better too. Try out these six yoga moves to feel great and look longer and leaner in minutes.

Chaturanga

• Start in plank pose. Reach back through heels, engage navel to spine, and soften through elbows, reaching them straight back until forearms graze the sides of ribcage.
• Find your long spine, and keep a slight chin tuck. Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Supported Fish

• Start by being seated with knees bent and feet on the ground, hip-width apart.
• Place one yoga block behind you where you think your shoulder blades will rest when you lie back and place the other where you think your head will rest comfortably.
• Gently release back onto the shoulder block so that shoulder blades are just above the block (the block will be at middle back just grazing the bottom of shoulder blades).
• Release head to the second block so that it is comfortable for neck, adjusting the block height as needed.
• Allow arms to relax on either side of you, lengthen your legs, and breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Locust

• Start by lying facedown on mat, big toes together.
• Clasp hands behind sacrum. Use a big inhale to lift chest and feet off the ground.
• Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Sphinx Pose

• Start by lying on your stomach with big toes together and arms on either side of body.
• Place elbows underneath shoulders, forearms parallel to one another.
• Pull chest forward between arms as you press shoulders down and together on back.
• Lightly press pelvis into the ground. Breathe here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

Bow Pose

• Start by lying facedown. Bend knees and grab ankles with hands.
• Press feet away from head, ankles into hands, keeping knees hip-width apart, and lift chest off the ground.
• Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

L-Handstand with Wall Support

• Measure a leg’s distance away from the wall to determine where to put hands on the ground.
• Face away from the wall on all fours. Place hands shoulder-width apart on the ground where you measured your leg distance.
• Walk feet up the wall until body forms an “L” position, letting head fall toward the ground.
• Try to line up shoulders and wrists as best as you can; hips will move beyond them. Stay here for 5 to 10 deep breaths.

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7 Unique Poses to Take Your Yoga Game to the Next Level

Downward dog, warrior, bridge—if you’ve taken a yoga class or two, you’re probably well aware of most instructors’ go-to poses. While there’s nothing wrong with a standard Vinyasa flow, it’s fun to change up your practice from time to time, and really put your balance, strength, and agility to the test.

“I love going off the beaten path with yoga,” says Lauren Porat, yoga instructor and founder of YogaSpark. “I like to incorporate more core activation and glute work, as well as funky transitions that no one sees coming.” She finds that switching up her students’ practice is not only a great physical challenge, but also a mental one. Rather than flowing from one pose to the next on autopilot, Porat says learning a new variation forces her students to really pay attention to her instruction and focus on their bodies—which also means they’re tuning out the outside world along with their own mental chatter.

Plus, Porat says, “Trying new things is incredibly empowering—and my clients end up carrying this strength, peace and confidence with them off the mat.” So whether you’re looking to change up your routine, challenge your coordination, or maybe even rock a cool new pose for an Instagram photo (hey, we’re not judging!), here are seven of Lauren’s favorite unique poses.

Misty warrior
At first glance, this pose may look just like warrior two. But there’s a catch: It’s done en pointe (which is why it’s named after Misty Copeland). Once you’ve raised onto your toes and found balance, squeeze your heels and thighs toward each other, while stretching your arms apart and relaxing your shoulders away from ears. This variation on standard warrior two will help better tone your inner thighs, calves, helping you get one step closer to a dancer’s bod.

Knee to chest from high lunge
From a standard high lunge position, engage your core and draw your back knee into your chest. Step back to high lunge with control, keeping your core engaged the entire time, and repeat. The addition of the knee raise adds some extra core work to your practice, and also helps improve functional movement in your hips.

Open hip standing split pulse
In most Vinyasa classes, standing split is a stationary move. But for this glute-strengthening version, open up your hip, and flex your raised foot. Then, isolate the outer butt cheek, and pulse the heel up 10 times while activating your glute muscles. Release to forward fold and repeat on the other side.

One-legged bridge lifts
Begin in a traditional bridge pose, with both feet planted on the floor and hips raised. Then lift your right leg up, while keeping the thighs parallel. Pretend you’re squeezing a block in between your thighs to create resistance, but keep the thighs inner-hip-distance apart. Lower your butt an inch above the mat, and squeeze your left butt cheek to lift your hips back up. It may seem simple, but removing support from one leg in this pose will really sculpt and tone your glutes.

Warrior 3 crunches
Start in warrior 3, balancing on one leg with the other outstretched behind you. Then bend the standing knee slightly and crunch both your arms and raised leg in towards your torso. Expand back to warrior 3, and repeat five times. This pose challenges your balance, coordination, and core strength.

Kundalini’s descent with a twist
Bend your right knee a few inches down and cross the left knee outside your right. Bring your hands in prayer at heart center and hook your left elbow outside the right knee. To deepen the pose, squeeze your thighs together, engage your core by lifting your torso an inch off your thigh, and try to bring your left heel to your butt.

Goddess variations
From a wide-leg goddess stance, raise one or both heels off the mat and pulse your butt an inch down and then up, for a fun yet effective glute-toner. Or for another variation, place your hands behind your neck and work your obliques by crunching from side to side. Just be sure to keep your back flat the entire time.

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The Best Beginner-Friendly Morning Yoga Stretches To Relax Stiff Muscles

Do you wake up stiff? Don’t suffer. Take 10 minutes to do these morning stretches for morning stiffness. Making this a habit will change your life.

1. Knee Tuck

Before you even get out of bed, bring your knees to your chest. Give yourself a squeeze. Make it a loving hug. Gently rock from side to side, paying attention to the stiffer areas of the body. Make small circles, moving in the direction and way that feels best for you. Do You Yoga says this pose wakes up the hips and lower back.

2. Piriformis Stretch

WedMD recommends this stretch to ease arthritic back, hips, and knees. Lie on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the bed or floor. Cross the right ankle on top of the left knee. Wrap the hands behind the left knee, gently pulling the knee toward the chest. When you feel a stretch in the back of the right leg, hold for 30 seconds. Slowly relax the stretch and then change sides, repeating with the left leg crossed on top of the right knee. Repeat 2 or 3 times on both sides.

3. Standing Hip Shift

To reduce pain in the lower back, Low Back Pain Program suggests the standing hip shift. Stand and raise the right foot to around mid-calf hight. Drop the left hip. Contract and flex the unsupported hip for 10 seconds. Return the foot to the floor and repeat with the left foot raised and right hip dropped. If you are too stiff to do this exercise standing, shift your hips in bed. Over time, you will find your body becomes loose and flexible enough to graduate to a standing position.

4. Cat-Cow

Experience Life recommends this pose to get the blood moving, engage the nervous system, and prevent morning injuries. Position yourself with hands and knees perpendicular to the shoulders and hips . Curve your lower back like a cow, moving your head upwards. Hold for a full breath, and then slowly lower your head while simultaneously raising the upper back toward the ceiling like a cat. Repeat the two exercises 10 times, moving with the breath. If it is difficult to do this pose on the floor, try it sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and hands on the knees.

5. Seated Twist

Do You Yoga suggests this morning stretch for waking up the spine. You can perform this pose seated on the floor or in bed. Breathe in deeply and touch your right hand to your left knee, twisting the body as you exhale. As you inhale, move back to center. When exhaling, twist the opposite way. Do this several times until your back feels more flexible.

6. Trunk Twist

Stand tall and hold your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder level. Twist your upper body from side to side, keeping hips in place. This will work your abdominals while loosening the lower back, chest and shoulders, says TODAY.

7. Corner Stretch

To do this stretch, stand two feet away from a corner or open doorway. Bend your elbows and place your hands against both walls. Gently lean into the open space to feel the stretch across the front of the shoulders and chest. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Slowly release and repeat two or three more times, says WebMD.

8. Shoulder Stretch

This stretch for the shoulders, neck, and entire upper body can be done standing, seated on the floor, or in bed. TODAY says to bring the left arm across the body and to extend the right arm under the left. “Hook” the left arm into the right elbow by bending the right arm. Gently pull the left arm into the chest until you feel the stretch. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and then repeat with the opposite arm.

How do you feel after doing these morning stretches everyday for one week? Tell us your stories when you SHARE this story on social media!

source: http://remedydaily.com/

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5 Simple Yoga Poses To Reduce Even the MOST Stubborn Belly Fat

Besides that excess stomach fat affects the confidence and your comfortableness with your body, also it can lead to many health issues.

Those people who have excess abdominal fat, tend to be diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, minor types of cancer, and immunity to insulin. That makes the abdominal area a really risky place for fat storage.


In addition, it is fact that stomach fat is hazardous to human health but also it is extremely difficult to get rid of. There are various articles that you can find on the Internet, where is explored the issue of burning stomach fat. Still, people always seem to want more, due to the strenuous effort it takes to have a flatter stomach.

In most cases, people are going to the gym or doing some cardio in order to reduce their stomach fat. But what they are not aware of is that yoga can have the same effectiveness (up to 70% of fat loss), if paired with the proper diet.

Below are listed several yoga positions that can help you reduce and get rid of your stomach fat.

The Bow Position (Dhanurasana)
This position is excellent for strengthening your abdominal core, but for best results you should try rocking yourself while you stay in this position to really work your abs. This position is really useful for stretching your entire body and strengthening your back, but in the same time it is great at boosting your digestion and helping with constipation.

How to do the Bow position?
Lie down on your stomach, stretch your legs and put your arms at the sides of your body. Bend your knees, grab your ankles with your hands and stay like that. Breathe in and move your head up and slowly start to bend it, while you lift your legs as high as you can. Stay in this position for half a minute while you breathe slowly. Breathe out and slowly go back to your original position. Do this for five more times while taking short breaks between takes.

The Cobra Position (Bhujang asana)
The Cobra position is great for tightening your abs and in the same time improves your upper body posture by increasing the strength and flexibility of your spine.

How to do the Cobra position?
you should lie down on your back and stretch your legs. After that put your hand palms under your shoulders and touch the floor with your chin and toes. Breathe in deeply and slowly start raising yourself, chest first, bending yourself as much as you can. The idea is to look like a strike-ready cobra. Stay in this position as long as you can (up to 30 sec), breathe out and slowly restore yourself to the original position. Redo the position for five more times giving yourself some short breaks before each raise. A word of caution – if you suffer from any back injuries, hernias and ulcers, or if you are with child, avoid this position.

The Pontoon Position (Naukasana)
The Pontoon position is incredibly efficient at burning your stomach fat and also helps with strengthening your leg and back muscles.
How to do the Pontoon Position?

In order to do this position, you should lie down on your back, put your legs together, and put your arms by your side, palms facing the floor. Breathe in and start slowly lifting your legs without any bending. Extend your feet ant toes and try lifting your legs as high as possible. Hold this position and stretch out your arms, place your hands at the outer side of your thighs and make a 45 degree angle with your posture. Stay in this position while breathing normally for 10-15 seconds. Breathe out and go back to your original position. Do five takes, with short breaks in between.

The Wind Easing Position (Pavanamukthasana)

The Wind Easing Position has various benefits for your body: it is great at tightening your stomach, hips and ties, and helping with back pain. In addition it is great for boosting your metabolism, restoring your stomach’s pH levels and helping with constipation.

How to do the Wind Easing Position

Lie on the floor on your back, and extend your legs and arms, keeping your hands by the sides of your body. Put your feet together, breathe out and bend your knees. Pull your knees slowly up to your chest, while tightening your lower abdomen with your thighs. Put your hands below your thighs to hold your position. Breathe slowly and hold for up to 1.5 minutes. Breathe out and restore yourself to your original position. Do five takes, with short breaks in between.
For best effects practice these positions some time after you wake up, and if possible do them 3-5 times a day, two-three times a week, with break days in between.

The Plank Position (Kumbhakasana)

Last, but not least, this definitely is one of the most popular and easiest yoga positions. This pontoon position is great for burning your stomach fat, but it also tightens your arm, shoulder, back, thigh and buttock muscles.

How to do the Plank Position?

It is very easy to do this position. Just curl up your body by putting your knees under your hips and your palms on the floor, keeping your hands straight, under your shoulders. Start to move your feet backwards and stretch your legs behind your body, keeping your toes curled. Breathe in and look down at your hands, making sure your back is straight and your stomach is held in. Spread your fingers and keep yourself straight for up to half a minute, even longer if possible. Breathe out and restore yourself back on your knees. Do five takes, with short breaks in between.


source: healthonlinecentral

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Simple Yoga Stretches For Relieving Chronic Sciatica Pain

The sciatic nerve (also called ischiadic nerve, ischiatic nerve) is the largest single nerve in the body. It begins in the lower back, runs down the back of each leg and is composed of individual nerve roots that start by branching out from the spine in the lower back and combine to form the sciatic nerve.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica (sigh-at-ih-kah) is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying medical condition and is referred as one or more of the following symptoms:

Constant pain in the lower back, going down the leg from the back (rarely in both legs)
The pain gets worse when the person sits
A feeling of burning or tingling is felt down the leg
Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot
The person has difficulty standing up or walking.

Most Common Causes of Sciatica:

• Lumbar herniated disc: Sometimes referred to as a ruptured disc, slipped disc, protruding disc, bulging disc, or a pinched nerve.
• Degenerative disc disease: This condition occurs when a weakened disc results in excessive micro-motion at that spinal level, and inflammatory proteins from inside the disc become exposed and irritate the area.
• Isthmic spondylolisthesis: when one vertebral body slips forward on the one below it because of a small fracture in a piece of bone that connects the two joints on the back side of the spinal segment.
• Lumbar spinal stenosis: Characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal.
• Piriformis syndrome: When the piriformis muscle pinches a nerve root of the sciatic nerve.
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction: Caused by irritation of the sacroiliac joint.
• Pregnancy: Weight gain, a shift in the person’s center of gravity, and hormonal changes as a result of a pregnancy, can cause sciatica.
• Scar tissue: This occurs when a scar tissue compresses the nerve root.
• Muscle strain: When an inflammation from a muscle strain puts pressure on a nerve root.
• Spinal tumor: Tumors in the lower back can pinch the nerve root.

Possible Treatment Options:

Bed rest is recommended by most doctors. Another ways to treat sciatica is by using medications to relieve pain and inflammation (including injectable and oral cortisone) and relax muscles, physical therapy and massage. Conditioning the lower back with stretching exercises will help alleviate the symptoms of sciatica. Sometimes, the only treatment for persisting sciatica, which is caused by nerve compression at the lower spine, can be with surgical procedures.


source: curejoy

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