Get Lean, Strong, and Healthy!

By Selene Yeager

Fat-Blasting Yoga

Sequence 2
Moon Flowers (tones thighs, glutes, and core (abdominal, side, and back muscles))
 
A. Stand in a wide straddle, toes pointed out slightly. Extend arms straight up.
B. Lower until tailbone is almost level with knees (keep knees behind toes) and pull elbows down toward ribs. Return to start. Do 15 to 20 reps.


Sequence 3
Cat to Cow (tones core and upper-body muscles)

A. Get on hands and knees. Pull navel toward spine and round back, dropping chin to chest and tucking buttocks.
B. Lift head, chest, and tailbone. Allow belly to lower toward floor and arch back. Return to start. Repeat 10 to 15 times.


Sequence 4
Downward Facing Dog, Warrior I, Plank Push-Up (tones and shapes all major muscles and improves balance)

A. From Cat position, move into Downward Dog by tucking toes, pressing palms into floor, and lifting hips. Straighten legs and press heels down. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths.
B. From there, step forward with right foot (keeping palms on the floor, left leg extended) and bend right knee (knee should be directly over ankle). Come up and extend arms overhead to perform Warrior I (see image). Go back into Downward Dog by bending at hips, planting hands on floor at each side of right foot, stepping right foot back, and lifting hips.
C. Shift into a modified Plank pose by dropping knees onto floor. Body should form straight line from head to knees, and hands should be directly beneath shoulders.
D. Do a Plank Push-Up by bending elbows back, close to ribs. Slowly lower chest toward floor. Press back up to Plank position. Lift hips back into Dog. Repeat sequence, this time stepping left foot forward into Warrior I. Repeat sequence 10 times per side.