Yoga Exercises To Tone Your Muscles

Yoga is widely exalted all over the world due to its ability to combine physical fitness and health enhancement. Indeed, nothing has ever provided such holistic benefits prior to when yoga was introduced. There is also a recent surge in popularity for yoga, which can be credited to its ability to provide muscle toning. Hence, modern individuals can utilize yoga for physical fitness and enhancement, which is more effective than engaging in weight training and other workout exercises.

Depending on the exercises you perform in yoga, it has the capacity to increase flexibility on key areas of your body such as your back, abdomen, chest, legs, arms, among others. In addition to that, it also creates a strengthening action for proper muscle toning. Experts suggest combining the practice of yoga with a cardiovascular workout to increase the body's ability to burn fat and develop muscles easily.

As mentioned above, your ability to benefit from yoga exercises and attain well toned muscles depend on your choice of exercises to include in your yoga routine. You must therefore begin by learning about poses that offer toning benefits such that you can incorporate that into your own routine.

Regular yoga stretching exercises are known to keep your joints supple and improve tone of your muscles. Some of the notable exercises include Dog Poses, Plan Pose, Mountain Pose, Boat Pose, and Tree Pose, among others. To further understand how these results are achieved and how you can properly execute these poses, read more below.

The Mountain Pose is one of the more common stretching exercises done in yoga. It is highly preferred by yoga practitioners due to its ability to work out your entire body. And yet, this is basically easy to perform.

From a standing position, keep your feet apart to as wide as your hips. Then, lift both your toes upward. Lengthen your tailbone to correct and maintain proper body posture as you relax your shoulders at the same time. Reach to the top of your head and wait for 5 to 10 deep breaths before you relax. After that, you can repeat the entire procedure.

Performing this exercise as part of your regular yoga routine will help boost joint and muscle flexibility for proper toning. After all, stretching exercises such as the Mountain Pose have been relegated to have outstanding ability to tone key muscle groups in the body.

The Dog pose in yoga is very efficient in toning your back muscles. There are two variations to this pose that you can perform and each one produce their own toning effect on your core muscles. These Dog pose variations are Downward Facing Dog and Upward Facing Dog Poses.

To perform the Downward Facing Dog pose, you must come down on all fours while facing the floor in a reclining manner that appear from afar as the letter “V”. Spread out your fingers and toes to plant it firmly against the ground. Point your tailbones upward as you firm up your thighs, but making sure that your knees are straight. Stay in this position for approximately 1 to 3 minutes before releasing.

The Upward Facing Dog pose, on the other hand, starts on a prone position. With your legs straight and your arms resting naturally on either sides of the body, press your inner hands against the floor. Perform a motion wherein you are pushing your body towards the floor. Slightly tilt the tip of your head as your body starts to raise upward. Hold in position for at least 30 seconds before relaxing.

If you are looking to tone your abdominal muscles, the Plank Pose is very effective in doing so. In fact, many practitioners who perform yoga for weight loss include this in their yoga exercise sequence.

From a Downward Facing Dog pose, inhale as you draw your torso forward. Make sure your arms are perpendicular to the floor with your shoulders directly above your wrists. Press inward your outer arms use the base of your index finger to plant yourself securely on the floor. Spread your shoulder blades away from your spine. Raise your front thighs upward but make sure your tailbones are not touching the floor. Pull your head away from the back of your neck such that you are gazing straight onto the floor. Hold yourself in position for between 30 seconds up to 1 minute.

When you maintain yourself in this Plank pose, you are using the core muscles to gain stability. Thus, it effectively works out key muscle groups as well while promoting your heart's condition at the same time.

This pose is highly recommended if you want to tone your oblique with strengthening exercises. And yet, doing this pose is quite easy such that beginners can do it on their own.

From a Tadasana, divide your entire body weight evenly on all four feet. Then, lift your left foot and balance using only your right foot. To help stabilize your left foot, rest it on the opposing thigh and lock up this position by applying gentle but firm pressure on your thigh with the soles of your foot. Make sure that your right hip is not jutting out while you are doing this. Instead, position either side of your hips such that they are square against the floor.

For beginners, do not force your right foot against the thigh if it causes you great deal of discomfort or you are not flexible enough. Instead, allow it to rest at a height on your leg that you can manage without straining your muscles. Advanced yogis can keep themselves steady in position for as long as they can manage though. This low impact exercise is very easy to do, without requiring any props and can be done basically anywhere. And yet, it has the unparalleled ability to tone your leg muscles effectively.

This is one of several seated yoga positions that you can try, which helps to firm up your abdominal muscles. In addition to that, the Boat Pose also works out your hips and lower back.

To assume the Boat Pose, lift your leg at a 45-degree angle while seated. Let your torso to naturally fall back such that your body forms the shape of letter “V”. Stretch your arms out in front of you in a straight manner while fully extending your fingers. Your sitting bones will be tasked with balancing your entire body's weight. In addition to that, it also works out your core muscles to remain steady in position.