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If you have been struggling to tone and condition your abdominal muscles, then yoga and Pilates can be the answer to provide that core competency that you have been aspiring to achieve. Yoga and Pilates help you to develop better balance and abdominal muscle strength besides giving you better awareness of your strengths and weaknesses which you may miss while weight training or doing crunches.
The core refers to the torso and includes the rectus abdominus and the external and internal obliques which help balance and stability. The primary functions of the abdominal group muscles are to flex the spinal column forward, backward and side-to-side. The muscles of the torso and the back are responsible for your posture, strength and the ability to move. If these muscles are compromised, your risk to injury and stress doubles. The most common causes of persistent back aches are poor lifestyle habits. This may include poor exercise habits, poor posture and lack of rest to the overworked muscles. Sometimes this may be due to over exercising. A muscle tends to get weak and less efficient and prone to injury without adequate relaxation or rest to the said muscle. A pot belly or the unsightly loose belly is not only unattractive but is also a prelude to many ailments and illness in the days to come. Abdominal obesity can occur at any age. Children, teenagers and adults are all prone to it. The fundamental cause of abdominal obesity or excess fat around the belly area is a combination of poor eating habits, overeating, sedentary lifestyle, metabolic disorders, hormone imbalances, excess consumption of alcohol or beer and genetics. Health risks due to an increase in the waist-to-hip ratio and overall waist circumference include higher risks of heart diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance, hypertension, blood, lipid disorders and even asthma. People, who regularly practice yoga, are more mindful and aware of their core-muscle efficiency and posture. Yoga involves multiple muscle movements through a series of movements to give you ample support and to help you through your exercises.
Few such asanas are listed below: 1 Parivratta trikonasana (supine triangle-pose): Lie on your back with both legs extended, keeping your arms stretched out from your shoulders, with your palms facing down. Raise your right leg and slowly drop it to the left over your torso until the foot rests on the floor. Keep your shoulders firm and turn your head to the right. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other leg. This pose helps release tension and calms the nervous system. 2 Set bandha sarvangasana: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Pull in your feet and place them near your buttocks, hip width apart. Keeping the feet firmly grounded lift your hips/tailbone and raise the pelvis. Keep your arms extended on the side. Breathe in and hold this position for 20 seconds and lower your hips gently on the floor. Repeat thrice. It strengthens the core muscles. 3 Trikonasana: Stand straight with feet four feet apart. Stretch your arms out to the sides. Turn the left foot slightly in and your right foot at 90 degrees out. Bend forward, extend the spine rotating your trunk, extend your left hand towards the right foot while extending the right arm up. Now turn up and look up at your right hand. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on the other side. Stimulates the obliques and improves balance. 4 Plank pose: Lie on the floor, face down. Place both forearms on the floor. Lift your torso off the floor and balance on your toes and forearm. Keep the body parallel to the floor. Hold for 30 seconds and do three sets of five reps. This is an excellent exercise for strengthening the abdominal muscles.
5 Bhujangasana: Lie on the belly with the forehead and palms on the floor. Press and keep elbows close to your body. Exhale and lift the head and the upper body off the floor keeping the pelvis firmly grounded and the abdomen is lifted. Breathe in and hold for 20 seconds, release and lower your torso, chin and forehead to the floor. Repeat 2-3 times. This stimulates and firms the abdominal muscles and improves digestion. Posture, intensity and progression are fundamental for shaping and strengthening the abdominal muscles. Besides these exercises mentioned above, include breathing or pranayam and other exercises like calisthenics, aerobics, swimming or brisk walks. Exercises, when done regularly, improve your stamina, strength and flexibility and will boost your metabolism resulting in better weight loss. Strong abdominal muscles signify a strong spine, better balance and stability. If these muscles become poorly conditioned and weak, your shoulder joints, pelvis and your back become easily susceptible to injuries. Most people give undue importance to developing six packs or focus only on the outer muscles. What one needs to keep in mind is that toning and strengthening of the abs and the core muscles is mandatory as this provides flexibility and support to the spine and in the process can give an impression of looking more toned and trimmer. — The writer is one of the leading holistic health gurus and has a health portal www.mickeymehtahbf.com
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The core muscles or the muscles of the torso and the back are responsible for your posture, strength and the ability to move. If these muscles are compromised, your risk to injury and stress increases
