Are you ready for your journey to create the best abs workout using yoga poses?! There are plenty of exercises to incorporate into your abdominal muscle routines.
You can have a body that you love. Also, you can learn to appreciate it along the way by incorporating yoga into your daily life. Yoga has many benefits for your mental and physical health. It allows you to move with your body.
Abdominal Muscles Overview
It is crucial to know the importance of each abdominal muscle that these moves target. There are four main muscle groups that are key to sculpting the perfect abs.
1: The Rectus Abdominis
These muscles are the largest group and are the front of the stomach. They help provide balance and stability to your spine.
2: External Obliques
These are the sides of the stomach, they create the tapered “V” lines. They assist in the rotation and also the stability of the core region and spine.
3: Internal Obliques
These are a layered muscle group under the externals. They influence the “V” lines as well and help to strengthen and develop the externals.
4: Transversus Abdominis
These muscles are the show muscles. They are what help define the entire core and give it the sculpted appearance. They help with respiration and blood flow and as well. Now you have a clear understanding of what muscles to work.
Here are the top four yoga poses for your abs workout!
1. Plank Pose
This position is going to work in all regions of the abdominal muscles. The key to this posture is to place your arms shoulder-width apart and focus on tightening your core. For a beginner, you can start on your elbows. Breath through the hold while keeping your back straight and not letting your knees fall.
- Get in the pushup position, only put your forearms on the ground instead of your hands.
- Squeeze your glutes and tighten your abdominals.
- Keep a neutral neck and spine.
- Create a straight, strong line from head to toes – a plank, if you will.
- Hold that position.
2. Dolphin Pose
This position is for igniting the muscles of the internal and transverse abdomen. They work to isolate these and bring on the burn through your deep breathing. Your elbows should be shoulder with apart and knees straighten to lengthen the spine.
- From Table position, lower the forearms to the floor. Tuck the toes under and lift the hips up towards the ceiling.
- Spread the fingers wide apart with the middle finger facing forward. The palms should be shoulder-width apart.
- Press the forearms, fingers and the palms into the floor, and press the hips up and back. Keep the spine straight and long, reaching up high through the tailbone.
- Keep the feet are hip’s width apart with the toes facing forward. Press the heels into the floor feeling a stretch in the back of the legs. The legs are straight, or you can have a small bend at the knees to keep the back flat.
- Let the head and neck hang freely from the shoulders; the forehead can rest on the floor.
- Breathe and hold for 2-6 breaths.
- To release: bend the knees and lower the hips back to Table pose, or come all the way down to child pose.
3. Dolphin With Leg Lift Pose
This is an extension of the last pose, except with one leg straightened into the air. It provides all the benefits of the dolphin pose and focuses on engaging the sides one at a time.
- From Table position, lower the forearms to the floor. Tuck the toes under and lift the hips up towards the ceiling.
- Spread the fingers wide apart with the middle finger facing forward. The palms should be shoulder-width apart.
- Press the forearms, fingers and the palms into the floor, and press the hips up and back. Keep the spine straight and long, reaching up high through the tailbone.
- Keep the one leg on the floor with the toes facing forward. Press the heels into the floor feeling a stretch in the back of the leg. The leg is straight, or you can have a small bend at the knees to keep the back flat.
- Raise the other leg off the floor and keep the leg straight. Alternate by raising each leg.
- Let the head and neck hang freely from the shoulders; the forehead can rest on the floor.
- Breathe and hold for 2-6 breaths.
- To release: bend the knees and lower the hips back to Table pose, or come all the way down to child pose.
4. Star Plank Pose
This is closely related to the plank pose except the focus of the pose is on each side of the external obliques. This pose works to open up the core and also stretch the leg and shoulder muscles as a bonus! During the pose, it is important to focus on tightening the muscles. Breathe through the lower belly. You will have beautiful abs in no time!
- Lie on your side with your right forearm resting on the ground and your feet on top of one another.
- Lift your body off the ground supported by your forearm and feet, into the side plank position.
- Separate your legs from one another raising the uppermost leg into the air.
- Hold this star position for the desired time and lower the leg back down. Repeat for the set, then swap sides.
Incorporate These into your Abs Workout, Too
There is a lot that goes into exposing those ab muscles. Yoga helps boost your chances. Incorporating cardio and clean eating will speed up the process even faster! Add a metabolism-boosting exercise like strength training, running, cycling, swimming, or spin.
Eating clean will also help shed any extra fat on the region to reveal your hard work. Focus on your protein, vegetables, and healthy carbs. This will help your body to decrease inflammation and bloating. You don’t want to hide the progress you are making
With the combination of the yoga abs workout, cardio, and clean eating you are on your way to your best body! The goal is to love and appreciate what your body can do for you. Working toward your goal of sculpted abs using the yoga abs workout is step one!
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