Core abdominal training and power is perhaps the most important aspect of physical fitness, and yoga is an excellent science to help target and develop this region. According to yoga, the abdominal area is governed by the Solar Plexus Chakra, called the Manipura Chakra in Sanskrit, and this chakra is responsible for not just providing the body with the physical energy it needs, but is also responsible for your willpower and strength of character.
Yoga abdominal exercises work on many dimensions of your being. They not just tone and strengthen the stomach muscles, but they also open and balance the Manipura Chakra mentioned above. Thus, not only is your core strength and power improved, but, also your willpower and strength of character developed. In this article I will give three excellent yoga exercises for developing this all important center.
1. Single Yoga Leg Lifts:
Lie on your back with your hands underneath your buttocks palms facing down. The hand position is to support your lower back. If you feel pressure or discomfort in your lower back, go ahead and roll more of your arms underneath you, this will give even more lower back support.
Now lift your left leg up to ninety degrees in a slow, smooth motion keeping it as straight at the knee as possible. Inhale as you lift you lift up, then exhale and bring the leg back down. Next repeat this exercise with the right leg. Continue in this fashion, lifting alternate legs to ninety degrees for one to three minutes.
Take a break in between if you need to. Remember never to overdo anything when it comes to yoga. Slow and steady is the golden rule.
2. Double Yoga Leg Lifts:
Once you complete your single leg lifts take a short break and then try the same exercise but this time lift both legs together is a smooth motion to ninety degrees and then back down. Again try to keep the legs as straight as possible. Keep the hands underneath the buttocks as above to support the lower back.
3. Criss-Cross Legs:
You will find the above two exercise really target the central abs, and this exercise will attack the obliques, which are the stomach muscles that line the side of the abdominal. For this exercise, again remain on your back with the hands underneath your buttocks palms facing down, then raise your legs twelve to eighteen inches above the floor and keeping the toes pointed begin to rapidly criss-cross them.
By criss-cross here, I mean that let the legs cross over each other at the ankles, where fist the right leg crosses over the top of the left, and then the left crosses over the the top of the right. This action will really work the stomach muscles and is excellent training for abdominal strength and toning.
Summary:
So there you have three excellent exercises for toning and strengthening your abdominal muscles and activating the Solar Plexus Chakra. These exercises also provide the added benefit of helping your digestive system and is an excellent set for those who are just starting out their yoga practice.
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