I started practicing yoga primarily because of a beer gut that wouldn’t go away. I was 23 years old, in those post-college party days, and I wanted to get fit and healthy. I knew that yoga was good for toning your core, but I had no idea how many postures in the Bikram yoga series had secret belly blasting benefits.
If you practice this series, or any yoga series, you’ll note that your core and abs must be worked in almost every posture. Here are some secret ways your abs get a good workout during the 90 minute Bikram hot yoga class.
Pranayama Breathing
This is one of the best ab workouts you’ll experience the whole class! The trick to this breathing exercise is to pull in your abdominals both while inhaling AND exhaling. Most people expand their stomachs when they breathe in deeply, but the magic of this posture is to pull in your core (especially below the navel) continuously. When you are at the very end of your exhale try pushing in your lower abdominals even more to create a slight concave vacuum. This takes a little practice, but will help trim and tone your abs!
Half-Moon
This is one of the more obvious core strengthening postures in the Bikram yoga series, since you work your obliques in the side stretches. The important toning benefits also come from pulling in your core muscles to help support your spine as you bend left and right. Equally important and often missed, use your stomach muscles to help with the “hands-to-feet” final stretching portion of this posture. By pulling in your abs, you can help bring your body closer to your thighs, lift your hips and stretch your hamstrings. The benefit? Three ab toning exercises within the entire Half-Moon series.
Awkward
Awkward pose is also intended to generate heat, start circulation and work the major leg muscles in your body. The core and abdominal muscles must be worked extensively in order to properly execute this posture. I find the core is especially important during the second phase of this posture when you are up on your toes. Pull in your abs tightly for toning and strength. Use your extended arms as a counter balance to the pulling in from your abs, this natural tension will allow you to float down on your tippy toes and work those thighs.
Balancing Stick
This ten second ab blaster is great for getting deep into your core muscles. In order to keep your lifted leg straight behind you, the center of your body must be tight. Try engaging your ab muscles from under your rib cage, all the way down to below your navel. Similar to Pranayama Breathing, breathing while engaging your abs takes practice, but creates a strong and lean body!
Standing Separate Leg Stretching
This posture seems like a passive stretch, but the secret sauce lies in engaging your thighs and abs. As you descend into the posture, engage your abs, but then keep them tight throughout the posture. You will notice they will naturally disengage since it’s a longer posture and you’re upside down. Keep engaging your abs and thighs during this posture for a great workout.
Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee
Curling into and out of this posture requires a ton of ab strength if you take your time. Move slowly in and out of this for a beautiful long, gravity defying abdominal crunch.
Spine Strengthening Postures
These four postures are one of the most common places where people misuse their abdominal strength. Since you’re laying on your stomach and working into your internal organs, these postures are just as much about toning your tummy as they are about strengthening your spine.
Important Note: Do not push your abs down as a way to bring your spine or legs high in these postures (I made this mistake for years). This is one of the most common mistakes people make, relying on a distended abdomen for depth. Instead, pull in your core muscles, forcing you to use your back for strength and height. You may not have as much depth in the posture, but it’s always best to do it the right way. The benefit is that you will have stronger back and ab muscles!
Rabbit
I have always struggled with this posture, but pulling in the abs to lift your hips is a great additional core strengthening boost.
Final Breathing
The final “breath of fire” is a different way to tone your stomach; make sure you focus deeply on relaxing the abs and pushing the air out from the lower abs.
As is true with all forms of exercise, the cardio, heat and consistency is key to losing weight. Your stomach muscles will strengthen with a consistent practice and the more you practice the more you should start to crave healthier foods, further helping with trimming your tummy.
Let go of societal expectations of a flat stomach and instead focus on using your core in these postures to build a strong, and healthy body!
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