Want flat, toned abs? Try these yoga poses!

Shameem Akthar, yoga acharya trained with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, takes you through five yogic practices that will help you get a flat stomach.

Not many are aware that yoga has a higher purpose in toning the stomach -- the navel centre is believed to be closely linked with emotions, and thus needs control. Also, the centre is believed to be midway between the spiritual and animalistic tendencies in us. This is the reason many yoga practices are designed to tone the stomach.

Natural locks during breath retention called uddhiyana bandha (stomach lock), the cleansing practice of agnisara kriya (purifying metabolic fire practice), nauli (stomach churning practice) are some powerful poses. Breathing right, and following a breath sequence during asana practice, works to further flatten the stomach. Some tips here include exhaling longer than inhaling, as well as drawing the stomach in while exhaling.

In certain inversions, it is very important to tuck the stomach in to prevent abdomen sagging. Where yoga is done without such subtle awareness, it is likely that you could ruin your posture. However when done right, it is one of the most popular practices to firm up one of the most stubborn parts of the body.

Also, because such intense yogic stretches release tension from the body, they prevent fat storing at the belly. Stress, it has been found, is guilty of creating fat at the belly, because the body believes that the person needs fuel to handle the challenges ahead!

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For more of Shameem's yoga writings visit http://jaisivananda.blogspot.com. Follow Shameem's yoga products on her online shop Yogatique on Rediff Shopping here. Shameem's second book Yoga in the workplace, with photographs by ace photographer Fawzan Husain, is now available at online shops and bookshops across the country.

Disclaimer: This column just shares the columnist's passion for yoga which is ideally learned under the guidance of an expert.

Lie on your stomach. Place your hands alongside your body, palms turned up. Your legs may lightly touch.

Inhale, lifting your face and chest off the ground. Lift your legs off the ground simultaneously. Hold for a few seconds. Continue normal breathing. Inhale, exhale, relax back to starting position.

Do this thrice. Initially hold for just a few seconds. Later, after regular practice, increase time in final pose for 10 to 15 seconds.

Tip: The higher you lift your chest and legs, the greater the effect. Also, some people forget to breathe and hold their breath; breathing continuously, even if shallowly, will help you hold the pose with more stamina.

Lie on your back. Place your hands alongside your body. Bring your legs together. Raise your right leg up. Inhale. Hold your leg with both hands. Exhaling, walk your hands up higher, towards your ankle. Lift your left leg up. Hold for a few seconds. Breathe continuously.

Release. Repeat for the other leg. Increase the time in the final pose gradually with regular practice.

Tip: Holding your stomach taut, pushing your lower back into the mat, keeping your foot facing the ceiling (flat so the heel is pointed upwards), all help increase the intensity of the pose and the effect on overall body tone.

Do as the previous pose. However, instead of holding your leg, move your hands up to your foot and drop back in a dynamic fashion. Your breath sequence should be as follows: inhale as you drop back, exhale as you lift hands up.

Do a few rounds initially. With regular practice increase the sets to 10-15 to 30 times gradually.

Tip: Take your mental focus to the stomach, tightening it every time you exhale. This will help you gain mental control (over what you consume) as well as tauten the abdomen powerfully.

Lie down. Inhale. Exhaling, bend your legs at the knee, keeping your lower leg straight out (as shown). Draw your knees to your chest. Your hands maybe alongside the body, straight out or you may hold your legs under the knee. Inhale, straighten your legs, lower your upper back (to make the body look like a boat). This is one round.

Do this dynamically, five to ten times. Over time and after regular practice, increase sets to 30 at least.

Tip: Tightening the stomach during exhalation helps make it more firm. Taking the body lower makes the stomach more toned. Keeping it higher is more relaxing. Also releasing your hands from under your knees while going into the boat, and holding them alongside is more tough, and therefore more effective.

Do as in the previous pose. However, after lowering your torso, hold the pose instead of doing it dynamically. Your hands may be held along your body, at the knees. Or they may be folded and held as shown in the lower image. Both poses are challenging. Hold for a few seconds initially.

Later, with regular practice over some weeks, increase time to 15 to 30 seconds.

Tip: Holding the body lower is more challenging. Tucking the stomach in during exhalation also makes it stronger.