Is firming up with yoga possible? Yoga is a fantastic way to tone up your whole body. Many poses are weight bearing, which are extremely effective in firming problem areas. In addition, Pranayama breathing techniques have the ability to burn fat. Therefore, by combining weight-bearing exercises with Pranayama, you have created a vortex of calorie-burning and firming bliss.
Hollywood celebrities such as Jennifer Anniston and Madonna put yoga on the mainstream fitness arena when they began to advocate that their tone and limber bodies were due to their yoga practices. They became the poster children for the yoga fitness renaissance.
Abdomen: The abdomen is the most problematic area for most people. Luckily, there are many effective yoga poses for this area. Try practicing bellow breaths before you begin. Boat pose is by far one of the most efficient asanas for the abdomen. It can be brutal, but beginners can hold on to their thighs or knees. Of course, the Planks are great and Camel and Cobra will give your abdomen a great stretch.
Buttocks: This is our largest muscle group and an easy one to target. The Bridge is a great butt-sculptor. This pose also opens up your lungs, which can aid in that fat-burning deep breathing. Make sure you include Locust and Chair in your sequence to target this area.
Legs: Standing yoga poses are excellent for all your leg muscles. You can expect to improve quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves by practicing all the Warrior poses, Downward Dog, and Triangle Pose. Tree pose gives you double benefits as it strengthens legs as well as improves balance.
Arms: Many of the aforementioned asanas do double-duty with the arms as well, due to the weight- bearing activity. Side Plank, Four-Limbed Staff Pose, and Upward Facing Dog are all going to work wonders on triceps and biceps.
When you are short on time, you can choose to target a specific area, but the best way to get the full effect of firming up with yoga is by engaging in a vigorous fat-burning Vinyasa routine before moving on to isolated body areas.