Want to Become More Bendy? Do This Yoga Sequence

Yoga Poses to Help You Train Like an Athlete Boat is one of the most effective yoga poses to tone up and build a strong core. Follow the ste...

Yoga Poses to Help You Train Like an Athlete

Boat is one of the most effective yoga poses to tone up and build a strong core. Follow the steps below, but be sure to avoid these common mistakes.

• Begin sitting on your mat. Lift your knees up to your chest, balancing on your sit bones.
• Keep your spine long, pulling your knees into your chest with your chest lifted.
• With your shins parallel to the ground (as shown), draw your navel toward your spine, and work on slowly straightening your legs upward. If your back starts to hunch, then bring your shins back down. The action of keeping your spine long and drawing your belly in is what works your abs here.
• Hold for five complete breaths. Rest, and repeat three times.

Don't take your aching, tight back lying down! Fight back with the gentle yet effective power of yoga. Relief could be as simple as increasing flexibility in your spine, and this yoga sequence will help to stretch and elongate the muscles in the torso. Becoming more bendy not only eases pain, but it also improves your posture, making your tummy look trimmer

Wide-Legged Forward Bend C strengthens and stretches your spine while calming your mind — in short, it's a great way to relieve a mild backache. Be sure to keep your hands pressing together, engaging your arms for the entirety of the pose. This way, your shoulders won't have the opportunity to creep up toward your ears, and you'll find the biggest upper-body release possible.

• Stand with your feet three to four feet apart, flaring your heels slightly wider than your toes.
• Bring your arms behind your back, clasping your fingers, pressing the heels of your palms together in a fist, and actively engaging your shoulders.
• Fold forward, hinging at your hips, drawing the crown of your head and your hands toward the floor as you keep your arms active. Relax your toes, and try to shift the weight of your hips forward so they're in line with your feet.
• Stay here for five deep breaths. Then press into your feet, engage your quads, and inhale as you stand up.