Follow This Yoga Routine To Tone Your Body

We all know that yoga is excellent for strengthening muscles, lowering stress, increasing flexibility and overall relaxation. We often forget that yoga is a great source for toning and providing muscle definition as well. If you notice yogis, they are not only flexible but are also incredibly toned. Toningis a term that’s used to describe the strengthening and development of certain muscle groups such as your thighs, arms, or lower abdomen.

During yoga, the muscles are both stretched and strengthened. Due to this, the muscle fibres and connective tissues elongate, while the added resistance creates tension, which increases collagen fibres, creating a lean and toned aesthetic. Yoga is an amazing way to tone every major muscle group while also calming the mind and relieving stress in the process. Let's see some simple Yoga poses as suggested by Sarvesh Shashi Founder & CEO at Sarva Yoga, that target specific body parts but lead to an overall toned and strong physique.

Downward Facing Dog

This pose helps in stretching out the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves. This pose is excellent for toning both the arms and the legs.

Step 1: Begin in mountain pose.

Step 2: Push into your palms and lift hips towards the sky.

Step 3: Press into the heels so as to get them as flat to the ground as possible.

Step 4: Fix gaze towards the feet and press your chest towards the thighs to ensure a flat back.

Plank Pose

Plank pose is one of the most effective poses for toning the entire abdominal wall and the quadriceps.

Step 1: Start in a push-up position wherein your shoulders are over your wrists and the whole body is in one straight line.

Step 2: Keep the hips flat so that they are neither drooping toward the floor nor hiked up toward the ceiling.

Step 3: Press firmly into your palms while also pressing back the heels.

Step 4: Keep your neck aligned with your spine and fix the gaze on the floor.

Read More: Sit Ups Or Planking-Which Is Better?

Bridge Pose

This pose is very effective for toning the thigh muscles and glutes.

Step 1: Start by lying on the back with both arms on the side and palms facing down.

Step 2: Bend the knees and ensure the hip is placed at a wide distance between them.

Step 3: Try to keep heels as close to the buttocks as possible.

Step 4: Press heels onto the floor as you lift your lower back off the floor.

Step 5: Hold for a few breaths then lower hips on the floor.

Sculpt Yoga

Comparatively an unconventional exercise regime that combines vinyasa yoga, cardio and resistance training. As the name suggests, practising these poses is a sure way to sculpt and tone your body.

Three-Leg Down Dog–Knee To Nose

Step 1: Start in downward dog pose

Step 2: Lift your right/left leg high and squeeze your glute.

Step 3: Bring the extended leg into a crunch and try to touch your knee to your nose.

Step 4: Repeat with the other leg

Crescent Lunge–Single Leg Lunge With A Twist

Step 1: Keep your front knee bent and the back leg extended

Step 2: Bring your hands to heart center.

Step 3: Lower into a lunge.

Step 4: Twist with your torso over your front knee.

Step 3: Twist back to the centre and straighten your legs.

Step 4: Lift and lower through lunge position while maintaining the feet in one place.

Face Yoga

We often forget that yoga can be used to tone our face and neck muscles as well. Our necks are where the first signs of ageing are often seen. So to prevent your neck and chin from sagging:

Step 1: Press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

Step 2: Smile and swallow while pointing your chin at the ceiling.

Yoga is a whole-body workout, it works towards helping one become mentally as well as physically fit and sound.

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