I’m sure you’ve come across pictures of ripped, lean bodies of lifelong yogis somewhere on the internet. They make you want to do yoga as well!
And if you are aiming to lose weight and to burn fat, yoga is a great activity to turn to. While yoga is not only about the asanas, the physical practice, they do a lot of good to our body. There will be visible changes and invisible changes.
If done right, practicing yoga poses will turn fat into muscle. It will help your entire body from arms, shoulders, back, and belly, down to your glutes and legs.
If you chose to practice a more flowy and vigorous yoga style like Vinyasa, this will get your heart rate up.
At the end of the day, you will lose weight even faster. I’ve picked a few yoga poses to burn fat that will help you.
14 Yoga Poses to Burn Fat
Here are some of my favorite 15 yoga poses to burn fat that are also fun to do.
1. Four-Limbed Staff Pose
A pose that especially tones the arms and shoulders is Four-Limbed Staff Pose. It’s part of our Chaturangas, but even better if you hold, halfway down to the mat.
The entire body is engaged here. Really hug your elbows to the body to protect your shoulders and target the triceps muscle.
2. Boat Pose
Most people who are looking to lose fat, want to lose it around the belly. Boat Pose strengthens your core, toning your abdominal muscles. The core is also crucial for an upright posture as it supports our back.
Plus, the core is the center of our creativity and self-confidence. Thus, focusing on our abdominals is a great way to get the physical, mental and spiritual benefits.
Read More: 20 Beginner Yoga Poses
3. Side Angle
In this posture, we have to engage both our legs, and press all four corners of the feet into the mat. An engaged core helps to open up the chest in Side Angle and prevents us from dumping into the front arm.
The full body is active here, elongating our muscles in all directions.
4. Triangle Pose
Also in Triangle Pose, we rely on our abdominal muscles to keep our chest lifted and open. For an extra burn in the core – lift the bottom arms up and bring both arms alongside your ears.
5. Cobra
While Cobra makes our spine more flexible, we use the strength of our lower back to lift up our torso. Arms play only a supportive role in Cobra.
The open chest rolled back shoulders are not only so delicious after a day hunching over a desk, but also improve your posture. It is more important for a beautiful body than burning some extra fat.
6. Flying Pigeon
As all the arm balances, Flying Pigeon Pose builds up new strength in your arms and shoulders. Plus, it strengthens the abdominal muscles that you need to keep your body stable.
Over time, the posture gives you that sensation of ease, that makes you feel like you’re flying!
Read More: 15 Yoga Poses for Flat Belly
7. Upward Facing Dog
Upward Facing Dog is practiced as a Cobra alternative in the Ashtanga Sun Salutation. Hold the pose for a few breaths in each round, lock your arm and lift your knees up from the mat.
It’s a powerful pose that will get your heart rate up. One of the best poses to burn fat.
8. Upward Plank Pose
Often practiced as a counterpose for forwarding folds, resetting the spine. It’s great for biceps and triceps, shoulders, back, glutes and legs. Oh, did I miss anything?
Overall, it’s a full body toning posture. You can let your head hang back in between your shoulders or keep looking forward. Whatever is comfortable for your neck.
9. Warrior II
If you press the outer edge of the back foot firmly into the mat, you can feel the leg muscles firing up even more. For your arms, imagine someone is pulling them apart from each other. That will help you to lengthen the arms even more.
10. Crow Pose
Another fun arm balance, perfect also for beginner yogis to get their teeth stuck in. The core helps to lift some body weight off your arms and keep the legs up in the air.
If you’re bored of Crow Pose, straighten your arms for Crane Pose, or go for Side Crow. Let your creativity run free in terms of where your legs can go.
11. Lotus Lift
A tough pose, but one that fires up your arms and core. Don’t feel discouraged if you cannot sit in full Lotus Pose yet. You can lift up also with Half Lotus legs. Have a play and keep breathing.
Read More: 10 Yoga Poses for Back Pain
12. Reclined Chair
In Chair pose, we suck in our navel and tuck in our tailbone for a straight spine. Next, to Downward Facing Dog, Chair is one of a few poses where we even out the natural thoracic and lumbar curve of the spine. And that’s done best with engaged abdominal muscles.
Also, your legs and glutes really have to work in this pose. Perfect for toning up your bikini bum. Twisting is a natural digestion booster. On a fat burning journey, healthy bowel movements are so important for our wellbeing. Don’t you think?
13. Side Plank
This pose will never get boring as there are so many variations what you can do with your top leg. Lift the leg up, grab your big toe, tree leg. Anything is possible.
Read More: 10 Yoga Poses for Flexibility
14. Revolved Side Angle
The twist in Revolved Side Angle challenges your balance, so you have to engage your legs and core even more. You can vary your arm position to your liking: prayer hands, or reach up with one arm and down with the other for an open chest.
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