People who practice yoga regularly tend to have very balanced, evenly proportioned figures. The same can’t be said about the physiques of people who engage in other forms of exercise, so it’s easy to see why so many people turn to yoga to shape their bodies. Some activities build stronger muscles in the lower body; others produce the most noticeable benefits in the upper body. Yoga poses, on the other hand, provides benefits for the entire body, and that’s especially true when they are performed regularly and held for increasing periods of time.
Core Strengthening
There’s a lot of buzz these days about building core strength. The core that’s being referred to here is the abdomen and back, for the most part. When you strengthen the core, you dramatically strengthen your entire body and become better able to engage in virtually any kind of physical activity. Squats are famous for their core-building benefits, and many yoga poses are similar to squats. Yoga poses that are especially effective for building core strength include Side Plank, Boat and Dolphin Plank. By including these and similar poses in your routine, you’re sure to start developing a stronger core in no time.
Lower Body Shaping
The large muscles of the buttocks and legs dominate the lower body – when those muscles are toned and strong, the body takes on a very pleasing shape. If you’ve done any yoga at all, you already know how intense it can be on the lower body. Balance poses, Warrior poses and poses like Half Moon can all be worked into a yoga routine to ensure that attention is paid to the lower body.
Upper Body Shaping
Happily, there are numerous yoga poses that strengthen and tone the upper body as well, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll end up with a disproportionately toned lower half and a weak, smaller upper half. Downward Dog, which is one of the most famous yoga poses, forces you to bear weight on your arms and shoulders. As this pose and others are repeated regularly, the arms and shoulders are whipped beautifully into shape.
If the idea of sweating away with barbells and lifting other types of weights doesn’t appeal to you, or if you just want to add some variety into your routine, you can’t go wrong with yoga. It’s one of the best ways to achieve a balanced, gorgeously shaped body. As an added bonus, it’s also rewarding and a lot of fun!