YOGA AND ABS

YOGA AND ABS

Yoga is a great discipline for strengthening any muscle in the body. But one of the muscles we always want to strengthen is the abs. We all like to have a toned midsection. And yoga is fantastic for this because in many of the asanas a stable posture is maintained where this part of the body is worked, protecting the spine from injury.

Many times we only focus on the well-known "six-pack", but having a stable and strong "core" goes beyond that. For this reason, healthy abs are considered those that have not only the capacity for concentration but also for relaxation.

Before we begin to decipher the great relationship between our favorite discipline and our abs, let's identify them. The abdominals are a group of pairs of flat muscles that surround the abdominal region or belly. The two rectus abdominis are located in front of the belly and the remaining six are located on both sides of the waist: the transversus, the internal obliques, and the external obliques.

All of them have various functions in the body. On the one hand, we find the skeletal function that allows flexion, lateralization, and twisting of the trunk, in addition to stabilizing the upper body and the lumbar spine. They also have a visceral function, surrounding the viscera that are below the diaphragm, within the abdominal cavity.

Tone in the abdominals helps our body maintain a correct position of the organs in the abdominal cavity and allows for proper functioning of the digestive system.

Now let's look at the yoga postures, or asanas, that promote the strengthening of these muscles. The first is the plank pose or khapalasana. Start in a quadruped position with your knees under your hips and your wrists under your shoulders. Extend one leg, rest the back of your toes on the floor, and extend the other leg, engaging your legs, glutes, and abs. Try to keep your pelvis in the inclined plane formed by your legs and torso, drawing your navel inward. Your palms rest on the floor and your gaze is also directed towards the floor.

Another posture that promotes abdominal strength is boat pose or navasana. Start by sitting on the floor and pulling your buttocks back so that your sit bones are well supported. Bend your knees, place your heels on the floor, extend your arms and place them at knee height with your palms facing inward. Keeping your spine elongated and with tone in your abs, slowly lift your feet until they are in the air. Start with your knees bent but the goal is to stretch your legs completely.

Side plank or vasisthasana is a plank pose where the heels are shifted to the right side and the entire left side of the body is lifted. In addition, the left arm is raised, keeping the hand at shoulder height. You can support the soles of your feet and place one foot in front of the other. The legs and glutes remain toned, as does the abdomen. The fingers of the right hand remain spread and the palm well supported.

Upward-facing dog is another very effective pose for strengthening the abdomen. You get into plank pose, place your insteps and knees on the floor, while directing your pubis to the floor. In this asana, the legs and arms have strength, as does the core. You must keep your legs parallel, keep your thighs and knees off the floor, and maintain distance between your shoulders and head.

And the last pose we are going to look at is camel pose. You rest both knees on the floor and your toes are also supported. With your torso vertical, direct your floating ribs upwards and lift your sternum, as if gaining space between your lumbar vertebrae. Next, with strength in your quadriceps, keep your pubis at knee height and bring your shoulder blades together at the same time as you bring your arms back until your hands rest on your heels. Then, let your head fall back.

All these postures can be performed depending on your level, injury, or ailments. They don't have to be exact. The most important thing is to identify how far we can go and what we can do to achieve the best possible result.