11 Yoga Poses and Movements For Summer Abs
This ab series is quick and effective for building strength in the core and toning your abdominals.
Yoga is such an incredible way to target areas you otherwise may not get to in traditional weight lifting or exercises.
Of course we all know that abs are truly built in the kitchen so make sure to checkout my Nutrition section on my website to browse meal plans and programs that can help get your health journey started!
You can do this series anywhere you have space to extend your arms in all directions.
Each pose will include an explanation of how to perform it safely, why it’s good for your core, which part of your body we’re targeting, and how long you should hold it or how many reps.
Now let’s fire up our core !
Downward facing dog
Pull your belly button towards your spine to feel it in your core. Make sure your back is as straight as possible and your neck and shoulders relaxed. This pose is also great for opening the underarms and finding stillness. Hold for 1 minute.
2. Dolphin Pose
Tighten the core the same way as in downward facing dog. Ensure there is even pressure in both forearms. Hold for 1 minute.
3. Bear Pose
Hold the belly in and breathe while you hover your knees above the ground. This pose is a great way to warm up the core to prepare for more challenging poses. Hold for 10 seconds and then lower the knees for 1 second, raise them back up for 10 seconds, repeat 10 times.
4. Plank Pose
Be sure to take necessary breaks in child’s pose before resuming the series because it is a lot of work not just on the core but our arms. Plank works the entire core and also, the entire body.
After a recovery, meet into plank. Hold for 1 minute.
5. Alternating Knee to Elbow: Push back into downward dog and bring your right leg into single legged dog. Pull the right knee to the right elbow, back to single legged dog, right knee left elbow, single legged dog, right knee to the forehead and hollow out your abs. Repeat this sequence on each side x 5 (one full rep is completed by pulling the knee to all three areas). This targets the obliques in a unique motion that is very toning. The lengthening by the bringing the leg back up also moves the muscle into a full release and contraction.
6. Bird Dog Crunches: Meet on all fours and extend opposite leg and opposite hand. Crunch elbow to knee in the center and extend. This pose also works our back muscles which gives an all around toning and better posture. This pose also helps cinch the waistline. Repeat each side x10.
7. Boat Pose & Alternating Toe Taps: You can perform boat pose with your legs straight or bent and parallel to the ground. Whatever variation you chose, hold this exercise for 30 seconds. Then, you are going to bend your knees if you have not already and start alternating toes tapping the ground gently and quickly. Boat pose is another full core exercise and when we tap the toes we are activating either side of the core and toning the obliques and lower abdominals. Make sure your spine is straight so modify if needed to maintain spinal integrity. Tap either side x10.
8. Clap Scissor Kicks: Lie flat onto your back, take a breath, and start your scissor switches. In between each switch drop onto your back and then use your core to pull your chest towards your straight leg, reach your arms behind your knee and if they can touch, do a little clap. This is a full body movement and requires a lot of strength, if you cannot keep your legs straight you can bend them and either remove the clapping motion and just draw your chest forward, or, stay on your back and alternate bringing your knees into your chest. Repeat each side x10.
9. Side Plank
Let’s get into those obliques. Make sure you are consciously squeezing your side body of whatever side is holding you up. You can have your feet resting on top of one another, or your knee bent on the ground, wherever you are today is exactly where you are supposed to be. Hold this side plank on either side for 30 seconds.
10. Flipped Dog Crunches: From a side plank, you are going to place your top leg behind you and plant your foot on the ground. On the inhale sweep the arm up beside your face and open your chest into flipped dog, exhale crunch your side body down and drop back into starting position. This pose allows for the abs to get a stretch and then squeeze it all in for toning. It is also an amazing heart opener and chest stretch. Repeat these flipped dog crunches x 5 each side.
11. Side Crunches: Phewf. You made it. Last exercise. From a side plank, drop your knee to the ground with the leg closest to the ground. Side stretch your body and then crunch it in. Oblique toning is imperative in strengthening your all around core because most of the time, people are only doing exercise that target it straight on, rather then 360. Make sure to really lengthen on the inhale, and crunch it on the exhale. Repeat crunches on either side x10.
If you have any questions or are interested in starting a new fitness journey send me a message !
