Yoga for Belly Fat: 10 Pose Routine for Beginners

Yoga for Belly Fat: 10 Pose Routine for Beginners

Can yoga reduce belly fat? While yoga may not burn as many calories as high-intensity workouts, it can effectively strengthen and tone your core muscles.

Additionally, incorporating a regular yoga practice into your daily routine brings mindfulness to your habits, reduces stress (a contributing factor to belly fat), and promotes a healthy mindset.

I have taught Vinyasa-style yoga classes for the past ten years and always feel an incredible sense of well-being and mindfulness at the end of a class.

Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look at a beginners yoga routine for belly fat.

Brief History of Yoga for Exercise

Yoga has been used as a form of exercise for thousands of years.

It’s fascinating how this ancient practice has stood the test of time and continues to be popular even today.

Yoga originated in ancient India around 5,000 years ago and was initially developed as a holistic approach to achieving harmony between the mind, body, and spirit.

The early yogis believed that by practicing yoga, one could attain enlightenment and spiritual awakening.

Over time, as people recognised the physical benefits of yoga, it started evolving into a form of exercise.

Yogis began incorporating various poses, known as asanas, into their practice to improve strength, flexibility, and balance.

These asanas were specifically designed to target different muscle groups and promote overall physical well-being.

In the early 20th century, yoga gained attention in the Western world, thanks to influential teachers who introduced it to a broader audience.

Today, yoga has become a mainstream exercise form, embraced by millions worldwide offering a wide range of styles and practices, from gentle and restorative to vigorous and dynamic.

People practice yoga not only for physical fitness but also for stress reduction, relaxation, and cultivating mindfulness.

Pose 1: Boat Pose (Navasana)

Begin by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lean back slightly, engage your core, and lift your feet up. Work on straightening your legs as you reach your arms out in front of you. Modify the pose by holding the backs of your thighs. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths before releasing.

Pose 2: Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

Come into a high push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core, keep your shoulders on your back, and hold for 3 to 5 breaths before releasing down to your belly.

Pose 3: Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Start on your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. Lift your hips up and back, working to straighten your arms and legs. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths before returning to hands and knees.

Pose 4: Warrior II

Begin in a high lunge position with your right foot forward and left foot back. Turn your left foot out to a 90-degree angle, externally rotating your hips, and align the front heel with the back arch. Keep the right knee over the right heel and reach your arms out to the sides, gazing over your right hand. Hold for 5 breaths before switching sides.

Pose 5: Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips up towards the ceiling, keeping your feet and arms grounded. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths before releasing.

POPULAR: Does Sweating Burn Calories?

Pose 6: Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Lie on your stomach with your hands framing your ribcage and legs hip-width apart. Lengthen your spine as you lift your head, shoulders, and chest, pressing lightly into your hands. Keep your shoulders away from your ears, your neck long, and your legs strong. Hold for 5 breaths before releasing.

Pose 7: Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)

Begin in a Plank Pose with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your body in a straight line. Engage your core and bend your elbows, keeping them close to your sides as you slowly lower your body halfway down toward the ground. Keep your body parallel to the ground with your core engaged and your legs strong. Hold the position for 3 to 5 breaths. To release, either lower all the way down to the ground or push back up into Plank Pose.

Pose 8: Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Stand with your feet together and reach your arms overhead. Bend your knees, shift your weight into your heels, and hinge from the hips as if sitting in a chair. Engage your core, lift your breastbone, and keep your neck long and spine extended. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths, ensuring your knees and shins are back so you can see your toes. To release, straighten your legs and lower your arms, coming into Mountain Pose.

Pose 9: Warrior III Pose (Virabhadrasana III)

Begin in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides. Shift your weight onto your right foot and extend your left leg back behind you, lifting it off the ground. Simultaneously, hinge forward at your hips, bringing your torso parallel to the ground. Reach your arms forward, keeping them in line with your shoulders and palms facing each other. Engage your core by drawing your belly button in and lengthening your spine. Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths, then return to a standing position and repeat on the other side.

Pose 10: Bird Dog (Dandayamana Bharmanasana)

Start on all fours, aligning your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your right arm forward while extending your left leg backward. Keep your core muscles engaged and lifted, maintaining a long line from fingertips to toes. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths and then switch sides.

Yoga Flow for Reducing Belly Fat

To create a flow that targets belly fat, start with a few rounds of Sun Salutations to warm up your body and build heat.

Move through the poses mentioned above, holding each one for 3 to 5 breaths. Repeat the sequence 2 to 3 times, taking breaks as needed.

After completing the flow, finish with gentle stretches, a cool-down yoga routine, and a few minutes of Savasana (Corpse Pose) to relax your body and mind.

Consistency is key when practicing yoga for belly fat reduction.

Aim to incorporate this sequence into your routine at least 3 to 4 times a week. Remember to pair your practice with a healthy diet and lifestyle for optimal results.

Yoga for Belly Fat: Summary

Yoga is a valuable addition to your fitness routine, especially when it comes to targeting belly fat.

By regularly practicing this sequence of 10 powerful yoga poses, you can strengthen your core, burn calories, and tone your body.

Patience, dedication, and a healthy lifestyle are important factors in achieving your weight loss goals.

Most importantly, always remember that reaching and maintaining your desired weight involves consistently balancing the calories you consume with the ones you burn (calories in versus calories out).

Thanks for checking out yoga for belly fat.

Keep pushing.

Speak soon.

READ THIS NEXT

Danny Barrett is a personal trainer and body transformation specialist, but most of his clients come for his terrible jokes. Here’s how he’s spent twelve years helping people to burn fat without crazy workouts or restrictive diets.