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More than just a style statement, having shaped and well-sculpted abs has started becoming a fitness element. It goes without saying that if you have been looking around for good yoga poses for abs, there are an abundant number of the same for you to glance through.
It is always best suggested to go through the precautions and the safety rules before doing this yoga pose. What this does is help ensure that you achieve a toned and well-sculpted body without having to worry about the consequences it brings forth.
By the end of this article, you will have a good idea about the yoga stretches for abs as well as the entire workout regime involved in this.
Best Yoga Poses for Abs
1. Cat and Crow Crunch
Targets: Abs, Back muscles, Shoulders
How to do?
- Start by being on top of the yoga mat on your hands and knees
- Make sure to tuck in your ties to maintain a better stabilized gait
- Start by lifting your low belly up as well as in to ensure that you keep your core engaged
- Stretch your right arm at your shoulder length and then spark open your fingers
- Simultaneously, extend out your left heel to the back of the wall and flex open your foot
- Exhale deeply and while doing so, bring in your left elbow and right knee in a hugging position so they are touching
- Next, round your back resembling that of the car pose, simultaneously lifting your lower belly up
- Again, inhale deeply and extend the right arm in forwarding direction with the left leg back
- Exhale deeply and then hug into the crunch that you are doing
- Return back to the initial position and keep your breathing regular and deep
Benefits
- Helps shape the abs
- Helps in bringing better flexibility to the back muscles
- Treats back pain
Precautions
- Don’t do this if you have weak knees or any issues with the knees.
2. Planks
Plank is one of the yoga poses for abs that people either love doing or hate. There is technically no in between. It helps in shaping and sculpting the abs by stabilizing the core of the body. It is also quite amazing to help trigger and activate the muscles all along the back.
Targets: Abs, Abdominal muscles, adductor muscles of hips, glutes, quads and hamstrings
How to do?
- Start with being on your hands and knees much like how you would do in the tabletop pose
- Once done, work to align your wrists should directly be under the shoulders
- Following that, come to the balls of your feet, extending the legs behind you, carefully lifting your legs off of the mat. This pose with resembling a lot like that of the up position of the push-up
- Once done, hold that position for as long as you as hold in
- Relax your muscles and return to the initial position
Benefits
- Increases flexibility
- Helps sculpt and build abs
- Lengthens the hamstrings
- Increases the core strength
Precautions
- Don’t over strain while doing this exercise. Just hold the position for as long as you can do it for.
3. Butterfly crunch
Often times, the butterfly crunch is considered a hard one to master. The posture and the strain it brings along can seem tough to do but is quite effective if you do it on a regular basis.
Targets: Abs, Obliques, Hips
How to do?
- Lie down on the floor with your knees bent and spread outwards, resembling that of a butterfly
- Following that, gradually raise your head and the shoulders as much as you can
- Simultaneously while doing so, crunch the rib cage in the direction of the pelvic muscles
- Hold that position for a few seconds
- Return back to the original position
Benefits
- Make the abdominal muscles more flexible
- Boost the process of persistalsis
- Better bowel movement
- Sculpted Abs
Precaution
- If you have pain in the abdominal or hip or even the shoulder regions, avoid doing this.
4. Vrikshasana
Also often regarded as the Tree Pose, Vrikshasana is quite effective in providing with better abs all the while helping strengthen the core muscles in the body as well.
Targets: Abs, Shoulder and Arms
How to do?
- Start by standing atop a yoga mat, with a straight posture
- Initially, simply stand straight, ensuring to keep your muscles loose and relaxed and by the side of your body
- Keep your eyes straight in front of you and focus on something
- Next, keep the left leg straight and planted on the ground but lift your right leg and fold it at the knees and bring the underside of your foot and place it on the left inner thigh region. Stand still for a few minutes like that to hold the position for a few minutes to adjust
- Perfect the stance so you don’t have to rely on any form of external support at all
- Once done, raise both of your arms above your head, and then join them in a “Namaste” position above the head
- Make sure that you are inhaling and exhaling deeply through the process
- Focus your eyes and gaze on the target in front and hold that position for a minute
Benefits
- Helps tone the abs
- Helps improve concentration
- Pain reliever
- Improves the flexibility
- Improves the neuromuscular coordination
Precautions
- If you deal with issues regarding balance, it is best to avoid doing this.
5. Side Plank Pose
Side plank is a lot easier and accessible to do in comparison to the traditional one. It helps in bringing the forth better stretch to the core muscles and the abdominal muscles and helps get rid of the problems associated with body flexibility.
Targets: Abs, Shoulders, lower back
How to do?
- On a yoga mat, lie down on your side
- Start by placing your elbow below your shoulder
- This will create a straight line from the bottom of the shoulder to the side of the foot
- Putting pressure and getting some support on the elbows, lift yourself up as much as you can
- Hold this position for 10 seconds or as much as you can hold it
- Make sure that you have a straight and aligned gait because that is what brings forth result
- If you are rolling or sagging, it is best to discontinue the exercise and start again
- Once 10 seconds is done, gradually bring your hips down and relax for a few seconds
- Repeat the entire thing again
Benefits
- It improves the core strength
- It helps shape the abs
- It strengthens the arms, waist and legs
- It helps improve balance
- It improves concentration
Precautions
- If you start rolling forward or background or having pain while doing it, stop it right then and there.
6. Dolphin Plank
Yet another one of the best ones in the yoga abdominal workout has to be the dolphin plank. It strengths the entire core and helps in relieving any kind of complains that one has with their back.
Targets: Abs, Lower back, Biceps, Shoulders
How to do?
- Start with the plank position and then gradually transition down to the forearms
- Place the inner forearm as well as your elbows on the ground ensuring to have an aligned gait creating a straight line from the shoulders down to the heels
- Fix your gaze directly on the floor, ensuring to have your knees and back straight through the process
- Lift your upper body and the hips to form an inverted V shape with the ground
- Gradually return back to the plank position, dipping your hips a bit inside towards the ground further
- Hold the position for a few seconds
- Return back to the original position
Benefits
- Strengthens the abs, arms and legs
- Helps in toning down the abdominal muscles
- Boosts your digestion
- Relieves any form of pain or discomfort relating to menstruation
Precaution
- If you have any kind of injury in the back, neck or even spine, it is best to consult a doctor first
7. Half Bow Half Locust
This is yet another one of the touch yoga poses for abs but the results are amazing. It does come with a complicated number of steps but the more you do it, the easier it becomes for you to master through the days.
Targets: Abs, Muscles around the spine
How to do?
- Lie down on your belly on a yoga mat and get relaxed and comfortable
- Stretch your arm back and get hold of your ankle on the same side
- The opposite arm, stretch it out in front of you
- Gradually, lift the chest off the ground and press the foot into your hand, and form the pose resembling that of the Half Bow
- You need to lift the opposite leg simultaneously, ensuring to form the shape of the Half Locust Pose
Benefits
- Helps build the core strength
- Tones the abs
- Stimulates the kidney, adrenal system as well as the reproductive system
Precautions
- If you have had a recent injury to your legs or abdomen or had a surgery recently, it is best to avoid doing this. It is also not suitable for pregnant women.
8. Table Top Abs
This is one of the best yoga poses for abs, mainly because it tones and strengthens the abdominal and core muscles. Not just that, it also helps in getting rid of any kind of stiffness around the lower back or even the shoulder region, further helping in the process.
Targets: Upper and Lower Abs
How to do?
- Start by lying on your back
- Follow this by lifting your legs resembling the tabletop position
- Bend the knees, ensuring that the legs are at a perpendicular position
- Gradually raise your head and shoulders and crunch your ribs towards the pelvis
- Pause this for a few seconds
- Return back to the initial position
Benefits
- Tones the abs
- Brings better flexibility in the back muscles
Precautions:
- Anyone with recent injuries in the neck or back should avoid doing it
9. Virabhadrasana 1
Also known as the warrior pose 1, Virabhadrasana 1 is one of the best yoga moves for abs that you can master without a lot of efforts put in. It is not very hard and can be easily done with persistent practice all the more.
Targets: Back muscles, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Abs, Erector Spinae
How to do?
- Start by being in the Mountain position
- Once there, inhale deeply and push back your left foot, taking a big step backwards
- Turn the foot outwards to maintain a 45 degrees angle
- Once done, while exhaling, bend the right knees to form a perpendicular with the ground
- Stretch your hands up above your head to feel the stretch along the sides and join the hand above the head
- While lifting your hands, lift your head up slightly focusing your gaze on the top of the ceiling
- Hold this entire position for a few seconds
- Gradually, return back to the original position
Benefits
- Improves the overall stamina
- Helps tone the abs
- Stretches and improves the flexibility of some of the muscles like hip flexors
- Helps improve the muscles in the back
Precautions
- Avoid doing it if you are feeling any kind of pain along the sides of the body or the neck region
10. Cobra Pose
Cobra pose is yet another one of the yoga poses for abs. If you want to bring in better flexibility and toned appearance to your abs and the abdominal and hip muscles in general, this is actually a very good option to look into.
Targets: Wrists, Abs, Shoulders, Back Muscles
How to do?
- Start by lying on the yoga mat face down
- Keep your arms bent just above your hips
- Once done and relaxed, use your core energy in the body to push yourself up instead of relying on to get the strength from the hands
- Keep your palms on the ground in front of your chest for support
- Hold this position for a few seconds
- Return back to the original position
Benefits
- Effective for treatment of asthma
- Tones the abs and the muscles around
- Stimulates the abdominal organs
- Reduces the stress and fatigue
- Firms the shoulders and the buttocks too
Precaution
- Avoid this if you are pregnant
11. Revolved Chair Pose
The Revolved Chair Pose, also often known as Parivrtta Utkatasana, is one of the best yoga poses for toned abs. The pose itself is a bit confusing and can be tough to master because of the fact that it does test out your flexibility of the hip muscles.
Targets: Lower and Middles back, Abs, Biceps, triceps, Hamstrings, Hips
How to do?
- Keep the big toes together and place your feet on the ground, keeping it firm throughout
- Slightly shift your weight back on the heels
- Once done, lengthen the tailbone and then gradually lift your lower belly simultaneously
- Bring your hands to the centre of the heart
- Inhale and then while exhaling, twist the opposite triceps over the opposite thigh
- Continue to breathe in and out throughout the pose and hold the pose for a few seconds
- Once done, undo the steps one by one and return to the original position again
Benefits
- Strengthens the muscle in the mid and the lower back
- Boosts the functioning of the internal organs
- Tones the abs
- Helps detoxify the body
Precautions
- If you have fragile back or pain in the spine and the back and hip regions, it is best to avoid doing it
12. Twisting Boat Pose
The boat pose, otherwise known as Navasana, is quite a popular yoga for toned abs. If you have been on the lookout for something to help restore the flexibility of the hip muscles and also bring forth better shape to the abs too.
Targets: Abdominal muscles
How to do?
- Start with the normal boat pose and then ensure to keep the shins parallel to the floor as well as keep the knees bent
- Extend out your arms in front of you and then hold the pose for a few seconds
- Twist your body to one side, keeping your arms wide open on one side
- Re-centre and then repeat the same thing on the other side as well
Benefits
- Strengthens the core abdominal muscles
- Tones the abs
- Improves concentration
- Brings forth better self-control and willpower
- It strengthens the adductor muscles
Precautions
- Avoid doing it if you are pregnant or have conditions like hernia, spinal injuries, asthma, migraine or even diarrhea
13. Lying leg raise
If you have been looking out for the yoga poses for abs, the lying leg raise is a very good option for you to look into. It helps in bringing better flexibility to the hip and back muscles and even gets rid of the hip chub around.
Targets: Thighs, Abs, Lower back
How to do?
- Lie down on the yoga mat, keeping your body relaxed
- Place the hands on either side of your body sliding the palms underneath your butt
- Lift your legs together to form a right angle and keep them straight
- Hold the legs up for a few seconds
- Bring them back down and repeat it again
Benefits
- Firms and strengthens the abdominal muscles
- Tones the abs
- Gets rid of hip chub
Precaution
- Avoid doing this if you are pregnant and if you are facing issues with your back
14. One-Legged Downward Facing Dog
Yet another one of the best yoga poses for abs is the one-legged downward facing dog. It is not that easy to master right off the bat if you stick around practicing it, the same does get easier to do.
Targets: Hips, Thighs, Abs, Lower Back, Arms
How to do?
- Begin this pose by starting with the downward facing dog pos
- Once done, lift your left leg as high as possible while pressing down on the floor with your arms and lifting your body through the pelvic region
- Focus on engaging your core to keep yourself balanced through the process
- Hold this position for 10-30 seconds and gradually return back to the original position
Benefits
- Helps strengthen the core
- Helps in toning the abs
- Improves flexibility of the back muscles
Precautions
- Avoid doing it if you are pregnant or have migraine or back injuries
15. Chair Pose
Often also known as Utkatasana, the Chair pose is yet another one of the best yoga moves for abs. it resembles a lot like squats but the pose is a bit different in comparison. If you have been looking around for good yoga abdominal workout, this is the one you definitely need to add to the regime.
Targets: Hips, Abs, Thighs
How to do?
- Start with the mountain pose and bend your knees and squat down to a position where you have your thighs parallel to the ground
- Sit down on your hips as if you are sitting on a chair
- Keep both of your arms stretched over your head
- Make sure to keep your core firm and engaged as well
Benefits
- It helps correct posture
- Improves the body balance
- Helps strength and tone the abs
- Stretches the flexibility around the arms and the shoulders
- Improves heart function
Precautions
- Avoid if you have back pain and improper balance
There are a number of yoga poses for abs and these are the best ones in the lot. If you have been meaning to shape and sculpt your abs to make them look amazing, these are some of the yoga poses that you can definitely opt for. Make sure that you are following through the precautions and not putting in excess strain on your body because the same can often end up doing the complete opposite.
