International Yoga Day 2020: Get Super Toned Body With These 21 Yoga Poses

Want to know how to lose weight during the lockdown? Good news: you don't need access to a gym in order to drop extra kilos, you don't have to follow a strict diet routine, and you don't need to buy fancy equipment. All you need to do is perform some simple yoga poses! Yes, you read it right. This International Yoga Day 2020, take a fitness pledge and make these yoga poses a part of your routine.

According to Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra, Director at the Yoga Institute, “Yoga not only relaxes your mind but also relaxes your body. Seeing the current scenario, yoga is an excellent way to lower negativity and boost positivity and lose weight.” Yogendera also shared 21 yoga poses that one can easily do at home and lose weight.

However, if you are new to yoga and have just started practicing, it is advisable to get your basics sorted. To help you in the same, here's a beginner guide for you.

Day 1

Before performing asana, make sure that you are wearing comfortable clothes and do warmup exercises. Why so? Experts believe that warming up prepares our body for the workout session and reduces joint stiffness and injury.

After doing basic warm-up exercises, let's start with the first asana which is  Parvatasana aka Mountain pose.

Parvatasana

Start your first day with this weight loss exercises called with Parvatasana (also known as Mountain pose), as it helps to open up the body and prepares it for your yoga practice. Include all the variations like an upward and lateral stretch and twisting. Mountain pose helps improve body posture and strengthens your legs and back. It also strengthens your core muscles and helps you lose belly fat.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Stand with your feet slightly apart with your hands by your side.
• Raise your arms above your head such that your palms face each other and join them like you do Namaste.
• Slowly lift your ankles and try to balance your body on your toes. Stretch your shoulders, arms and chest upwards while your heels bear your body weight.
• Look up at the ceiling and breathe slowly and relax.
• Hold this position as long as you can and then relax.

Day 2

Now, after doing  Parvatasana, perform the second asana which is sitting half spinal twist pose aka ardhamatsyendrasana.

Ardhamatsyendrasana

As per Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra, this yoga posture helps tone your core muscles and get rid of the abdominal fat. Also known as sitting half spinal twist pose or half lord of the fishes pose, stimulated digestive fiber, relieves menstrual discomfort and energizes the spine.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
• Bend your right knee and place it close to your left buttocks.
• Raise your right arm overhead and place it on the floor behind your hip.
• Now, slowly twist your upper body and place your left arm on your right knee.
• Hold this pose for around 20 seconds then return to the initial position. Repeat the same on the other side too.

Day 3

Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana, also known as Cobra Pose, will give your abdomen a good stretch and reduce that stubborn belly fat. Besides this, it also helps in strengthening the upper body by building a more flexible, stronger spine. Experts also recommend this yoga pose to alleviate post-partum back pain.

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Step-by-Step Guide

• Lie down on your stomach and raise your trunk and head with the help of your hands.
• Arch your neck slightly backward and look at the ceiling.
• Make sure that your feet are joined together and the navel is pressed against the floor.
• Retain this position for around 15-20 seconds then relax. Do this 15 times a day.

Day 4

Dhanurvakrasana

According to a blog posted on the Yoga International website, this yoga pose, "Encourages a powerful stretch along the front of the body and a deep opening at the heart center, helping you cultivate an attitude of fearlessness and grace."

Step-by-Step Guide

• Lie flat on your stomach with hands by your side.
• Slowly lift your torso, just like you do in a cobra pose and simultaneously also lift your legs.
• Hold your legs with both of your hands and retain this position for at least 15 seconds. Do this 15 times a day.

Day 5

Garudasana

Garudasana aka Eagle pose helps strengthen your thighs, calves, hips and ankles as you build your balance and core strength. Apart from this, this yoga pose will also improve your concentration. Some experts also recommend it for a lower backache or sciatica.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Lift your left foot up off the floor and wrap it around your right thigh.
• Hook your left foot around your right calf.
• Extend your arms in front of you and cross your right arm over your left.
• Keep your back straight and stay in the position for 10 seconds. Repeat the same on the other side.

Day 6

Hasthapadangushtasana

This asana will help you get rid of lower back fat. Big Toe Pose will also make your abdominal and lateral muscles flexible and toned.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Stand straight with your feet joined together.
• Exhale and bend forward from your hip joints and try to touch your toes.
• Once you touch them, slide the index and middle fingers of each hand between the big toes.
• With an exhalation, lift your upper body and return to your initial position.

Day 7

Bound Angle Pose

It is often referred to as the ‘Cobbler pose’, named after the position cobblers sit in while doing their work. This yoga asana tones abdominal muscles and improves your spine mobility. It is one of the easiest yoga poses to trim down your love handles.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Sit with an upright back and knees bent.
• Hold your feet tightly together.
• Take a deep breath and flap your bent legs up and down like a butterfly.

Day 8

Pavanamuktasana

Practising wind relieving pose on a regular basis can help you lose belly fat and cure digestive problems, including constipation. Also called Pavanamuktasana, a wind relieving pose is also an excellent exercise for people suffering from back pain, respiratory disorder and obesity.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Lie on your back. Bend both your knees and bring them closer to your chest.
• Clasp your hands around them.
• While exhaling, lift your shoulders off the ground and curl your forehead up toward your knees.
• Hold for a count of five, then release your head and shoulders back to the flood. Repeat this five to eight times.

Day 9

Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana aka Seated Forward Pose creates pressure on the abdominal which in turn reduces the fat deposited in the abdomen. It also tones the waist and strengthens lower back and leg muscles.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Sit down on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
• Extend your arms in front of you and bend forward to touch your toes.
• Make sure that your belly touches your thighs and nose touches your legs.
• Hold for a count of three then return back to your initial position.

Day 10

Salambha Sarvangasana

This yoga posture improves the functioning of the thyroid gland, which is responsible for regulating the weight in the body.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Come into plow pose. Bend your elbows and place your hands into your buttocks.
• Slowly, lift your feet off the floor, so they are extended upward and perpendicular to the ground.
• Once you do that, do not move your head as it can cause serious injuries and keep your gaze straight.

Day 11

Trikonasana

Trikonasana is a popular yoga exercise that helps to lose belly fat besides giving many benefits. Also called Triangle pose, Trikonasana strengthens abdominal muscles and that’s why this yoga pose is effective for developing six-pack abs.

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Step-by-Step Guide

• Stand straight with your feet wide apart and hands by your side.
• Bend on your left side and try to touch your left foot with your left hand. Hold for a count three, then relax.

Day 12

Ushtrasana

Practising this pose will tone your upper body including the chest, stomach and quadriceps. And that’s not all. Camel pose also improves spinal mobility as much of the day you are likely to be sitting or bending your back forward on your laptop. It gives a proper shape to your thighs as well.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Kneel with the body upright and hips stacked over the knees.
• Arch your upper body slightly backward and hold your ankles with both your hands.
• Stay in this position while taking deep breaths for 10-20 seconds.

Day 13

Utkatasana

This yoga posture strengthens the thighs and ankles while toning your lower body parts. Also called as chair pose, utkatasana stretches the shoulder and opens the chest, and is effective in reducing flat feet.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Stand straight with your feet joined together.
• Fold your hands and raise them overhead and bend slowly like you’d do in a squat position.
• Ensure that your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Hold for 5 counts then relax.

Day 14

Chakrasana

It strengthens the core muscles and improves the balance of the mind.

Step-by-Step Guide

• To perform this yoga pose, start with lying straight on the mat.
• Bend your knees, bringing your feet close to your hips.
• Place your arms next to your ears and reverse them to point your fingers toward your shoulders.
• Inhale deeply and using the strength of your arms and feet, lift your body up.
• Allow your head and neck to drop back and stay in this position for a few seconds.

Day 15

Gaumukhasana

Several studies have shown that gaumukhasana aka cow face pose can aid chronic knee pain and strengthens spine and abdominals. Apart from this, it also opens up the hips, thighs, ankles, chest, shoulders, arms and wrists.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Start with sitting comfortably on the ground.
• Stack your left knee on your right knee.
• Take your right arm behind your elbow and try to touch your shoulders.
• Now, take your other arm overhead and hold your right hand. Retain this position as long as you can then relax. 

Day 16

Shavasana

If you don’t take enough sleep and let your body rest, this could lead to weight gain. Yes, you read it right. According to a study mentioned in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, lack of sleep led to increased cravings for energy-dense, high carbohydrate foods which leads to weight gain. And this corpse pose is the only yoga pose that relaxes your body and mind.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Lie straight on the floor and stretch your spine with your tail bone tucked in and hands by your side.
• Take deep breaths and try to relax your mind and body.

Day 17

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar is an effective exercise to lose weight and burn stubborn belly fat. It works on the whole body, including the neck, arms, spine, shoulders, hands, waist and leg and stomach muscles, and thus helps us to achieve the desired weight. Not just weight loss, it has many health benefits such as stress reduction, better digestive health, etc.

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Step-by-Step Guide

• Surya Namaskar includes 12 number of asanas which are performed early morning on an empty stomach.
• The first pose is prayer pose, second is raised arms pose and third is hand-to-foot pose.
• Fourth is equestrian pose, fifth is stick asana and sixth is saluting with eight points pose.
• Seventh is cobra, eighth is mountain pose and ninth pose is equestrian pose.
• Tenth pose is hand-to-foot pose, the eleventh is raised arms pose and the last one is Surya Chakra.

Day 18

Vakrasana

This asana will help you cut down side and back fat.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
• Bend your right knee and place it close to your left buttocks.
• Raise your right arm overhead and place it on the floor behind your hip.
• Now, slowly twist your upper body and place your left arm on your right knee.
• Hold this pose for around 20 seconds then return to the initial position. Repeat the same on the other side too. 

Day 19

Shalabhasana

It tones the thighs and puts pressure on the abdominal cavity. And that’s not all. Shalabhasana also increases the capacity of your lungs by opening the chest.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Lie down on your stomach with your hands by your side.
• Take a deep breath and lift your head, chest and arms off the floor.
• Now, slowly lift your legs up and keep your gaze on the floor.

Day 20

Viparita Karani

Also known as legs-up-the-wall, viparita karani will stimulate the digestive system and help digest food more efficiently and burn body fat, especially around your belly.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Lie down on your back, close to the wall sideways.
• Rest your legs on the wall and your head on the ground.
• Make sure your body is forming a right angle and your shoulders and hips are in line.
• Take deep breaths and relax.

Day 21

OM Chanting

OM chanting is considered a great exercise that can help reduce belly fat as it calms the mind. According to a study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry, “om chanting is associated with an experience of relaxation, specifically citing beneficial changes in the autonomic nervous system (which regulates heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, and other internal functions), and deactivation of limbic brain regions.”

Step-by-Step Guide

• Sit with legs crossed.
• Close your eyes and chant OM. Repeat this at least 10 times.
• Practising these asanas on a regular basis will help you get shed extra kilos and keep you fit.

To accelerate weight loss, it is essential to consistently practice yoga asanas along with a healthy diet and a good amount of sleep. You can either perform all these yoga poses or do 4-5 poses daily, it is completely your call. 

Disclaimer: All content, including tips and suggestions, is entirely based on research and data available on the internet. So, it is advised to not to construe it as professional medical advice and consult a doctor before making any changes in your workout regime.

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