[Cheat Sheet] Yoga Poses to Slim Down & Tone Specific Body Parts
May 24, 2018
The go-to resource for planning your yoga retreats & holidays. Find all you need to know about destinations and take your practice to the next level.
Discover Yoga Retreats now
If you’re looking for a fun yet potent way to achieve an overall fit and tone body, we strongly believe that consistent yoga practice is the answer.
That said, it’s important to note that some yoga poses can slim down and tone specific parts of your body more effectively than others.
Already a yoga practitioner but still unsure as to what poses can help you ‘tackle’ your problem areas once and for all? Don’t fret.
To take out the guessing work for you we’ve handpicked a set of 15 beginner and intermediate-level yoga poses and compiled it to our neat ‘Yoga Poses for Toning the Body’ cheat sheet.
Include them to your regular fitness routine and be on your way to a slimmer and fitter body!
Note: Please consult your doctor or a health care provider before starting any exercise routine (including the yoga poses below) to prevent injuring yourself. You should stop any yoga pose if it is causing you pain or discomfort.
Adho Mukha Savasana (The Downward Facing Dog)
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Press through your palms & widen your upper back.
- Pull in your belly button & front ribs.
Chaturanga Dandasana (The Four-Limbed Staff)
- Start by going into the plank pose.
- Keep your core active.
- Move your elbows close to the ribs as you lower halfway down.
- If you cannot hold it like this, then put your knees on the floor for an easier and more supported variation.
Malasana (The Squat Lifts)
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Drop your hips to the bottom of a squat, keeping the heels down.
- Lift your chest up & hold for 5 long breaths (30 sec).
Image credit: food.ndtv.com
Navasalamba Sarvangasana (The Shoulderstand)
- Begin in a seated position with your legs extended
- Lay down on your back and lift legs towards the ceiling
- Slowly allow your feet to fall back behind you. Make sure that your neck is comfortable.
- Place your hands on the lower back for support and keep elbows shoulder-width apart.
- Slowly lift legs towards the ceiling one at a time until both legs are up straight
- Hold for 5 deep breaths
Navasana (The Boat)
- Sit comfortably and begin to lift both of your legs off the floor.
- Keep your spine straight as you extend your arms to your toes.
- Hold for 10 deep breaths.
Phalakasana (The Plank)
- Place your arms under your shoulders.
- Straighten your legs.
- Press your palms and draw your front ribs up.
- Squeeze your legs.
Purvottanasana (The Upward Plank)
- Sit with your legs extended.
- Bring your arms back and slowly lift your entire body.
- Keep the body straight.
- Hold post for 10 deep breaths.
Salabhasana (The Locust)
- Begin by lying flat on the floor.
- Slowly lift your upper body off the floor.
- While lifting, keep your lower back strong and your navel in.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (The Supported Bridge)
- Lie on the back, knees bent, and feet hip-width apart.
- Place a block of any height under your sacrum.
- Hold for 10 deep breaths.
Pashchima Namaskarasana (The Secret Prayer)
- Get to a comfortable seated position and bring your hands together in a prayer position.
- Do this behind your back, keeping the palms together and the fingers facing up.
- If you cannot get your knuckle pads to press against each other, aim for a fist bump.
Urdhvamukha Svanasana (The Upward Facing Dog)
- From chaturanga (see above), press down through your palms.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your upper body.
- Hold the pose for 5 deep breaths.
Utkatasana (The Chair)
- Begin by standing up tall.
- Slowly come to a sitting position while keeping your chest up.
- Bring your tailbone down and come to a sitting position (as if you’re sitting on an imaginary chair).
Utthan Pristhasana (The Lizard)
- From the plank position, step your right foot outside of your right arm, keeping the toes pointing forward.
- Sink your hips down and keep your chest forward.
- Hold for 5 long breaths (30 sec).
- Repeat on the other side.
Image credit: Wlsa.com.au
Vasisthasana (The Side Plank)
- Step your left foot back and come into a runner’s lunge. Your arms will be on either side of your front foot. Left heel goes in a back extension.
- Your left palm stays on the floor while you lift your right arm up to twist to the right.
- From there, put more pressure on your left palm and step your right foot to meet your left.
- Come into a side plank and extend your right fingertips up.
- Hold your breath for 30 seconds.
Virabhadrasana III (The Warrior III)
- From a low lunge pose, push off of your back foot and lift your back leg to the same height as your torso.
- If you cannot maintain balance, modify by extending your arms out like a “T”.
- Hold the pose for 5 slow breaths.
Looking for more support and guidance on how you can effectively shed unwanted weight and achieve a fitter & toned body? Why not join a yoga and weight loss retreat?