Doctors and exercise scientists agree that strength training should be an integral part of your health and fitness routines. And, you don’t need to hit the gym or lift weights to do it! Yoga is a bodyweight exercise that builds lean muscle mass, reduces body fat, and burns calories more efficiently without workout machines or dumbbells. All you need is time and your yoga mat!
Why is yoga considered an exercise to lose body fat?
One of the many reasons that yoga is regarded as an exercise to lose weight is because it helps to decrease body fat. Yoga helps to burn more calories by increasing blood flow through the skin and increasing the levels of the hormone ghrelin. This is especially true of those individuals who experience body fat overfeeding, which occurs in the majority of people with overweight and obesity.
How to practice this yoga sequence
This simple strength-building yoga sequence targets the major muscle groups and builds heat in the body. Hold each yoga pose for 6-8 breaths and repeat the sequence on the other side after completing it. Start with the left side. This yoga sequence can be completed in up to 4 sets per muscle. It is recommended, however, that you add an extra set of 6-8 deep breaths to increase performance even more. The full routine will take you anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to complete.
Yoga Poses for Loosing Weight and Building Stronger Muscles
HIGH LUNGE
Target Muscle Groups: Strengthens quadriceps and glutes
Start standing with your feet together, hands on your hips. Take a giant step back with your left leg and deeply bend into the right knee. Drawing your thigh parallel to the floor, scissor hug your legs and stack your back heel over your back big toe. Extend your arms skyward.
WARRIOR 2
Target Muscle Groups: Strengthens quadriceps and glutes, stretches inner thigh.
From High Lunge, rotate your back foot 90 degrees and bring your heel to the floor so that the outside edge of your back foot is parallel to the short side of your yoga mat. Align your front heel with the arch of your back foot. Keep your front knee bent over your front ankle, with your shin perpendicular to the floor. Keep your torso stacked over your hips, spin your arms to the horizon, and gaze forward at your fingertips.
PLANK
Target Muscle Groups: Strengthens the upper body and core muscles.
Cartwheel your hands to the floor. Frame your front foot with your hand. Step your front foot backward to meet your back foot. (Option to bring your knees to the floor for more support.)
DOLPHIN
Target Muscle Groups: Strengthens shoulders, back and core muscles, opens shoulders and hamstrings.
Release your forearms to the floor. Press your palms into the ground and keep your forearms parallel. Gaze between your thumbs and use core strength to you walk your toes toward your elbows. Keep the knees slightly bent with heels lifted away from the floor. Lengthen your tailbone away from your pelvis and keep the spine straight without rounding the upper back.
LOCUST
Target Muscle Groups: Strengthens the posterior chain (calves, hamstrings, external obliques, glutes, spinal muscles); opens chest and shoulder muscles.
Walk your feet back out to forearm plank and slowly release onto your belly. Bring your neck into a neutral position, chin on the floor, and extend your arms long by your sides, palms face down. Lift your legs, chest, and arms off the ground.
Where to practice yoga
Get stronger with these poses and more in Power Yoga and Vinyasa classes at your local yoga studio. Power Yoga is a fun, easy-going class that puts your flexibility and strength at the center of the yoga experience. From its gentle, breath-taking poses to advanced, challenging poses, you’ll move in a controlled, easy-going way with a whole-body movement strategy (a form of yoga called power yoga) that’s flexible and effective. You’ll focus on your inner sense of self-compassion and your overall emotional well-being and find new ways to connect with people and your body. With regular and challenging class times, Power Yoga classes are perfect for any practitioner. Come to the practice with confidence that you have the stamina to work through all of the many yoga asanas and make it to the end. Learn to master the yoga postures, improve your flexibility and balance, and become more attuned to your body in everyday life.
Whether you are a yoga beginner or a seasoned practitioner, you’ll experience new sensations as you move through the yoga exercises. And, as with many yoga routines, you’ll experience great rewards as you progress through the series. Plus, with Power Yoga classes, there’s nothing like the chance to work on your strength and conditioning.