Terrific Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout for Toned Stomach
Yoga Ab Exercises to Shape Stomach
Yoga Ab Workout
Previously on Mastery of Meditation & Yoga, I had provided the powerful Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set to help you tone and build your abdominal muscles, but when it comes to strengthening and toning muscles it is good to hit the same muscle group with a variety of exercises and workouts. This is simply because muscles adapt to certain exercises over time, and so targeting them with new workouts is needed to help stimulate their development.
Ab exercises are a must for any starting Kundalini Yogi, as building that center gives you, not only a flat firm stomach, but also the energy and willpower you need in order to develop a long-term consistent yoga practice.
This particular set is excellent to include into any yoga or fitness routine and consists of the ab exercises I do in my yoga classes to help the students tone and shape their stomach muscles.
The Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout Set will be the 10th set in our Free Online Kundalini Yoga Set E-Book.
Benefits of Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout
- Tone & Shape Ab Muscles: Each exercise and the workout as a whole is designed to a help tone and strengthen your abdominal muscles. Overall, it works to shape your stomach and midsection.
- Build Energy & Core Strength: Developing the stomach muscles and strengthening your core, is key to increasing your levels of energy and health. This will also help prevent injuries and back problems.
- Build Willpower & Character: The abdominal region is the seat of the Navel Chakra (Manipura Chakra). This center is responsible for your willpower and strength of character, and working on this area activates and balances this key chakra.
- Helps Digestion and Elimination: The important organs of digestion and elimination reside in the stomach region, which get massaged and rejuvenated by the focused attention that this workout puts in this area.
Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout Practice Details
Please read the following documents to help guide you in practicing the Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout Set:
Essential Beginners Guide to Yoga Practice
10 Important Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice
Remember the golden rule is please do not overdo anything. Back off if you feel uncomfortable or dizzy. Use common sense when it comes to injuries and work around them whenever necessary. Take a short break between each of the exercises below, during which just do long deep breathing while lying on your back (corpse pose).
Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout for Stomach Shaping
1. Yoga Single Leg Lifts:
Illustration #1: Yoga Ab Single Leg Lifts - Starting Position
Illustration #2: Yoga Ab Single Leg Lifts - Left Leg Up
Illustration #3: Yoga Ab Single Leg Lifts - Right Leg Up
Description:
For this exercise lie on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back, as shown in Illustration #1. Then lift your left leg up to 90 degrees and then back down (Illustration #2). Follow that by lifting your right leg to 90 degrees and then down (Illustration #3). Repeat with left leg and continue on. You will feel your abdominal muscles working to raise each leg.
Breath:
Inhale as leg goes up, exhale down.
Duration:
1- 3 minutes.
2. Yoga Double Leg Lifts:
Illustration #4 - Yoga Ab Double Leg Life - Starting Position
Illustration #5 - Yoga Ab Double Leg Lifts - Ending Position
Description:
For this exercise remain on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back. But now lift both legs smoothly up to 90 degree and then back down. Try to keep your knees straight and keep the motion controlled and smooth (illustration #5). This exercise work your ab muscles much harder than the single leg lifts, so be ready.
Make sure to take a break between exercises to let the abdominal muscles recover a little before moving on.
Breath:
Inhale as legs goes up, exhale down.
Duration:
1- 3 minutes.
3. Yoga Criss-Cross Legs:
Illustration #6 - Yoga Ab Criss Cross Legs
Illustration #7 - Yoga Ab Criss Cross Legs
Description:
Again for this exercise remain on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back. Now lift both legs up about 12-18 inches off the floor and have your toes pointing forward. Now begin to criss-cross your legs at ankle level rapidly (Illustrations 6 & 7). At first one leg will be on top, and then when you cross back have the other leg be on top.
This exercise will give the side ab muscles (obleques) a workout,and is excellent for shaping your stomach region.
Breath:
Do the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise as you criss-cross your legs.
Duration:
1- 3 minutes.
4. Yoga Piston Legs:
Illustration #8 - Yoga Ab Piston Legs
Illustration #9 - Yoga Ab Piston Legs
Description:
Remain on your back with your palms underneath your buttocks, to support your lower back. Again lift both legs up about 12-18 inches off the floor and have your toes pointing forward. Now begin to piston your legs back and forth rapidly (Illustrations 8 & 9). As one leg bends in (knee coming towards the chest), the other goes straight out and the motions reverse.
Be sure to not bicycle the legs, the legs should move parallel to the floor for this exercise. This exercise will ensure that if any parts of your stomach muscles were left out of the workout, that they get a chance to now participate 
.
Breath:
Breath out as you fire each leg out.
Duration:
1- 5 minutes.
5. Add Stretch Pose or Boat Post (Optional).
The above 4 ab exercises provide a great workout to tone and shape your stomach, but if you feel ready to take it to the next level, then add Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose to this set. If you feel really strong and would like to set the bar even higher, then add Kundalini Yoga Boat Pose to enhance this set further. You will find me demonstrating Yoga Boat Pose in the Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set Video and description also in that article.
Illustration #10 - Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose
Make sure you rest adequately after doing this set, to allow the body to assimilate all the good energy you have awakened by doing this set.
Summary:
As I mentioned earlier, if you are new to Yoga practice, ab exercises are a must. The Third Chakra is an excellent center to develop early in your practice and according to Kundalini Yoga abdominal work should be done everyday. And anyway, who does not want a nice flat stomach with toned, shapely abs .
Best Yoga & Meditation Products: 
on October 23rd, 2008 at 1:44 am
You have inspired me to try these Yoga exercises. My abdominal muscles could use a good work out. These instructions are easy to follow.
on October 23rd, 2008 at 6:22 am
I think the illustrations 2 and 3 are left and right, not right and left. I would like to know what these exercises have to do with Yoga as it looks like being only gymnastics.
on October 23rd, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you are going to practice this set, and I am sure your abs are too :-).
Cheers,
Anmol
on October 23rd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Yeah I swapped the illustrations to match the description, but had not swapped the labels :-P. Thanks for the catch, have corrected it now.
These exercises are a central part of Kundalini Yoga practice and are a central aspect of many Abdominal Kriyas in Kundalini Yoga.
Actually, Hatha yoga has very similar exercises as well (Chakra Padasana), with similar benefits and you can find them in the Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set.
I guess yoga includes gymnastics :-).
Always great to have your thoughts.
Cheers,
Anmol
on November 4th, 2008 at 11:17 am
The work great and are easy to follow!
on November 4th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Glad you are enjoying these exercises. I have found them to be very helpful and practice these regularly.
Cheers,
Anmol
on November 26th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
[…] Terrific Yoga Ab Exercises & Workout to Shape Stomach […]
on March 19th, 2009 at 6:07 am
Hello Anmol,
I am glad to have seen your url. I was a yoga student 8yrs back, after marriage and kids had never found time. Have just started with Suryanamaskara from couple of days.
on March 19th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Suryanamaskara is a great way to re-start your practice. Glad you are enjoying the website.
Best,
Anmol
on June 10th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
hi real good exercises and well illustrated too
ilove ur website and whenever iget time i browse through the many many articles and exercises and spiritual practices in ur website god bless u for all the info provided
i have a query i read elsewhere that its good to concentrate on the solar chakra when we meditate but when i do that i find lots of energy building up and causing the back abdominal area to sort of swell up with waves of energy and make me feel restless sort of discomfort can u clarify please
on July 8th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
hi anmol !
i desperately want to loose fat around my belly which i got after my baby.do u think the above excercises will work for me?
on July 8th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
hi anmol !
i desperately want to loose fat around my belly which i got after my baby.do u think the above excercises will work for me?how long before i see result?
on July 12th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
anmol, i have replaced criss cross legs with plank pose, is that okay?
on July 15th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Which ever chakra you will concentrate on is where kundalini will flow. Think of Kundalini and awareness as synonymous… where awareness goes, kundalini follows and where kundalini goes, awareness follows. So don’t over activate your Solar Plexus Chakra, if you are feeling too much energy. Move your attention to the Third Eye (Center of the Forehead) or Heart Region so you can awaken all your centers in a balanced way.
Great to hear you are enjoying the website.
All Good Wishes,
Anmol
on July 15th, 2009 at 1:10 am
The exercises above will certainly help you tone and strengthen the belly muscles, but to lose the fat you need to do some cardio exercises and parnayama will also help. Do the yoga set and breathing exercises in the following program as well, this will be very good for reducing your stomach fat….
Free Online Weight Loss Program
Best,
Anmol
on July 15th, 2009 at 1:11 am
Yes I have done similar variations below and they work very well.
Best,
Anmol
on July 17th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
[…] Ab Yoga Exercises to Shape and Tone Stomach […]
on July 23rd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
thanks for the info anmol
on July 30th, 2009 at 12:31 am
i finish this set with ajna chakra meditation
on August 3rd, 2009 at 7:45 am
Just want to say thank you for all your effort. I use your site quite a lot actually for meditation and yoga poses. I would be lost without you.
You are a real companion to me. Bless you!
Kellie
on August 4th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
[…] Excellent Yoga Workout to Shape and Tone Stomach […]
on August 31st, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Thanks for ur information.but i had a doubt my entire body is slim but my belly an back is so fat.so do these exercises will show a positive result within short period.plz do reply me.
on October 12th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
hey thanks for your easy workout.I’m really glad with my results.i love your website even the articles.agin thanks for everything :)
on November 6th, 2009 at 5:56 am
Hello Anmol,
I want to reduce my tummy which came after pregnancy which yoga exercises will suit me. Please let me know
Thanks
Purnima
on November 6th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Glad you are finding the website and techniques useful. Thanks for your positive feedback :-).
Cheers,
Anmol
on November 6th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Once you have recovered sufficiently, you should try the yoga set for weight loss and both, Kapalbhati and Bhastrika Pranayama. That, along with these toning exercises, will be a great combination.
Best,
Anmol