Yogasanas are very much helpful in maintaining your figure and reducing weight. Yoga is an ancient science developed in India and propagated all over the world. These yogic exercises are good to reduce weight as described here :
Sarvangasana (Pan Physical Pose)
Method : Lie flat on the ground, your spine touching the floor, stretch the body, raise the legs slowly and let them stay at right angle to the trunk. After staying for a few seconds slowly aise up the body, without giving any jerk to the spine. Take help of the hands, keeping the fingers outward and thumbs towards the belly. Slowly go on raising the back until the whole trunk is at 900 and the entire weight comes on the shoulders and neck. Take the legs slightly forward and press the chest with your chin. After remaining in the said pose for a few seconds come to the original position.
Benefits : This asana cures constipation, dyspepsia, has a salutary effect on thyroid gland, tones up the nervous system, all limbs of the body, helps to preserve and thicken semen, is useful in intestinal disorders, varicose veins, appendicitis, renders spine flexible, throat disorders are removed, gas is expelled. In addition, it gives glow, vitality and strength to the body, increases sex power, removes menstrual disorders. Persons with hypertension and cardinal problems should never take to this asana, except under advice and guidance and supervision of a yoga teacher.
Halasana
Method : Half of this asana is same as you have done in Sarvangasana. You have too bend your legs behind you head and in doing this your head and knees should not bend.
Benefits : This is very good asana to cure digestive disorders and access fat on your abdomen.
Caution : Try to bend your legs as much as you can bend without feeling any strain and slowly try to touch the ground.
Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)
It is named thunderbolt, as it imparts the strength to body as if it is made like a stone or as strong as a thunderbolt. It is the only asana, in yoga, which can be practised after 45 minutes or more from the time of finishing your meals. In between meal times, it can also be done, but never immediately after meals.
Method : Kneel down on the floor, letting your big toes, legs and knees touch the ground. Now rest your buttocks on your knees, your heels bent inwards and thumbs touching each other. Place the palms on the knees, keeping your spine erect but relaxed and flexible. Breathing should be even, deep and slow. Expand your chest, drawing the abdominal muscles inwards.
Benefits : This asana will expel gas and remove acidity.How much you have overeating, it will digest the same. It tones up sexual system of both males and females, removes pain and stiffness in spine and knees, lowers raised blood pressure, gives longevity and retards and postpones old age. For meditation, it is an ideal asana, as you can sit in this asana as long as you wish. After completion of this asana, simply massage with your hands or, still better, use salt mixed oil, say of mustard, which can be slightly luke-warmed.
Bhujang or Sarpasana (Serpent Pose)
Method : Lie flat on the ground, abdominal portion touching the ground. Straighten both the arms, palms touching the ground. Now bring the palms at level with both sides of abdomen. Slowly lift your neck and torso in such a way that whole body rests on your palms. Now lift your neck upwards gradually and try to look upwards as far and as conveniently you can. Let the toes touch the ground and palms securely resting on the ground. Do not let your elbows bend down. Stay in the position as long you can. When you feel suffocated or when there is a feeling that you can’t endure/continue any more, then slowly get back to original position from where you had started. After the asana is over, loosen your limbs and relax.
Benefits : Abdominal muscles and back portion are supplied with blood and blood circulation in general is improved and also fresh and pure blood is supplied to all the organs. It imparts strength, flexibility and tone to spinal column. It removes menstrual disorders and irregularity, helps to improve digestion, chance of night discharge is dispelled, helps to maintain celibacy. It is useful for diabetics, as it activates the pancreas, thereby causing secretion of insulin, render arms, hands and neck painless, flexible and active. Kidneys and intestines also are strengthened. It removes obesity and sheds extra flesh from the abdominal portion, and spinal curvature and postural abnormalities are also removed.
Chakrasana (The Circle Pose)
Method : On a hard surface, lie flat on your back. Later, raise the middle portion of your body upwards, fixing and keeping firmly both the feet and hands on the ground thus making a semi-circle, ensuring that your head keeps between your hands. Now concentrate your eyes on something that lies in front of you.
Chakrasana
Benefits : It enhances strength of head, throat, neck, abdomen, legs, hands and, in short, all parts of your body, eliminates pains in joints, removes extra fat from the abdominal area, activates digestive system, renders spinal column elastic and supple, imparts glow and agility to the body, normalises posture and stance, and the body stays erect even during the advanced age. Pregnant ladies should not practice this asana as it can adversely affect their pregnancy process, even leading to miscarriage and bleeding.
Pashchimottanasana
Method : Sit on the floor and spread both legs in front of you and hold each of your big toes with both the hands, but do not let your knees bend. In order to catch the toes you have to bend the back. Initially it may seem slightly difficult to do so, due to rigidity of muscles and limbs; hence do not exert but gradually posture. In 4-5 sitting your body will get attuned to the final posture. Persons with back pain and stiff and muscles, pregnant ladies should not perform this asana unless and until advised by a doctor or yoga expert.
Benefits : It strengthens legs, arms and renders the spine flexible and supple, improve digestion, removes fat on and around abdomen, constipation fortifies and rejuvenates energy and nervous system, lengthens leg bones, purifies blood, improves liver, cardiac and respiratory processes, removes fat from hips and sideways.
Note : Those who get adept on this asana, may try to touch their knees with the nose but in the changed position also knees shouldn’t be bent.
Ardhamatsyendrasana
This exercise must be practised by almost every one because this asana and Vakrasana are the asanas that strengthen the spine side ways that too in the vertical position. All other asanas performed lying on the back and abdomen bend the spine forward and backward. Doing Vakrasana first helps doing Ardh-amatsyendrasana better and easily.
Method : Sit on the ground and place the left heel under the right thigh.
Slowly take right leg across the folded left leg and place the foot flat on the ground near the left knee.
Push the right leg pressing the abdomen by the left hand and place it touching the right foot or hold the right toes.
Twist the waist towards right and bring your chin in level with your right shoulder.
Take your right hand behind the back by twisting a little more and touch the right thigh.
Stay for sometime in this posture and return to original position.
Repeat the same with the other side.
Benefits : Useful for backache, digestive disorders, liver disorders, diabetes, kidney disorders and for obesity caused due to diabetes and indigestion.
Shavasana
Lie down on your back. Keep the whole body loose and in a straight position. Palms can be either on the floor or you can keep them upward.
Do not use any pillow under your head. At this point keep breathing in normal way. Keep the eyes closed and let the whole body fall on the floor in an unrestrained way. This position should remain all through the actual practice.
Steps for practice
- Close your eyes and keep them closed for two seconds. Then open them for two seconds. Do this simple opening and closing of eyes for three to four times.
- Open the eyes again and look upward, then downward then straight. Now look towards the left side, then towards the right side, then straight again and then close the eyes. Repeat this eye exercise two to three times.
- Now open your mouth wide without straining it. Turn the tongue inside the mouth in such a way that its tip is folded back towards the throat area, then close the mouth. Keep the mouth closed and tongue folded for 10 seconds. Then open the mouth and bring the tongue folded for 10 seconds. Then open the mouth and bring the tongue back to its normal position, then close the mouth. Repeat the process for two to three times.
- Keeping your eyes closed, bring your mental attention towards your toes.
- Then relax the mind with the following process : Select a place of natural beauty which you have ever visited and liked, such as park, a garden, a lawn or a riverside and feel as if you are mentally present at that place. Attach your mind to that place. Feel as if you are lying at that place and breathing air of the same environment. Now while keeping the mind involved with that environment, do some deep breathing. In this deep breathing, just exhale and inhale slowly but deeply. During the breathing, the stomach should go upward while inhaling and it should come downward while exhaling. One exhalation and one inhalation make one round. Do not rush in this deep breathing. Make about ten to twelve rounds. When the deep breathing is over, feel as if you are going to sleep. Now relax completely. Stay in that position for 5 to 10 minutes. Then open your eyes and stretch your body and then be seated. You have completed the Shavasana.
Benefits : Shavasana has a very good effect upon the patient as well as upon any yoga practitioner. One immediate effect is that it relaxes all the muscles, nerves and the organs of the body system. When the muscles, nerves and the organs are fully relaxed, they gain strength and their normal health is restored.
For people suffering from insomnia, high and low blood pressure, gastric trouble, lungs and heart troubles and mental sickness, Shavasana is a remarkable process for providing immediate relief.
