Top Five Yoga Poses for Weight Loss

Category: Yoga |

Usually, yoga and weight loss do not go hand in hand. Yoga is used to develop concentration, strength and muscle tone. Many forms of yoga will not raise your heart rate sufficiently enough to burn enough calories for weight loss, so many people practice yoga alongside some other aerobic workout. However, some types of yoga such as power, ashtanga and hot yoga will provide you with a more thorough workout.

Here we will be discussing five yoga poses for weight loss, but remember, yoga has many physical and mental benefits as well as weight loss. For full details of how to carry out these poses safely you should consult your instructor.

Tree Pose

This pose is held for up to a minute, meaning your core muscles have to work hard to keep you balanced. The end pose will see you standing with your left foot  flat against your inner right thigh, with your toes pointing to the floor. Arms will be stretched upwards. This sounds simple but requires a lot of effort to hold.

The Forward Bend

This stretching pose is very intense. You sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and using careful breathing exercises and gentle movements, you lean forward until your face is at your knees. This must be done properly under instruction; as such a deep stretch can cause muscle tears.

Bow Pose

This is one of the best yoga poses for weight loss, as it causes the body to heat up which helps to burn fat. The end position will see you lying on your stomach with your arms stretched back and your knees bent so that you can grasp your feet behind your back. This should be modified by a professional for anyone who is a beginner or suffers from back pain.

Sun Salutation

This is usually done as a warm up as it is fairly energetic compared to some poses. It is a series of twelve positions that can be carried out slowly or fairly fast. The combination of movement, stretching and holding poses helps to burn more calories.

Shoulder Stand

This is where you lie flat and raise your legs and hips off the ground, using your hands to support your hips. Legs should remain still, together and straight for a maximum of five minutes. This requires physical effort and concentration, and helps boost blood flow around the upper half of the body.

So, is yoga good for weight loss? The answer is yes, but you have to choose your poses and practice regularly. There are several yoga poses for weight loss, but these are some of the most effective examples. Yoga has many other physical and mental benefits, so it is a great choice. Make sure you practice with a qualified instructor who can talk you through the poses, modify positions for any particular needs and tell you when you are ready for something more intensive.