Yoga for Slim Legs (Intermediate): Core Strengthening Exercises including Prone, Hip Lift, Cobra Stretch, and Boat Pose

The prone position is beneficial for the muscles of the arms, legs, buttocks, abdomen and lower back, chest, back and thighs. Practice steps: (1) Lie face down on the mat, supporting your body with your elbows, arms spread shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing straight ahead. Tighten your body muscles and lift your buttocks. Keep your body in a horizontal line, with your toes supporting the ground. You will feel pressure at this point. (2) Try to tighten your abdominal and leg muscles, hold for a while, and then rest on the ground for a moment. Repeat this movement several times. The practitioner should tighten the muscles of the abdomen and inner thighs to prevent unsightly fat deposits from forming in the arm muscles.

The hip-lifting exercise benefits the gluteal muscles, thighs, waist muscles, and lower back. Steps: (1) Lie flat on the ground, face up, feet flat, hip-width apart. Bend your knees until your shins are perpendicular to the ground. Tighten your gluteal muscles and lift your hips a few inches off the ground, forming an arch with your body. (2) With your arms close to the ground, tighten your gluteal and leg muscles to lift your hips, clasping your hands tightly together under your body. Once your body is in an arch, place your hands as far under your body as possible to further lift your body and hips, which will also tighten your gluteal muscles.

The modified snake stretch can lift sagging buttocks, make the back line more perfect, and make the left and right sides of the spine more even. It can correct people with uneven shoulder height, body tilting to one side, or uneven legs. Practice steps: (1) Lie face down. Extend your right hand forward and grab your right foot with your left hand. (2) Inhale, and then raise your right hand while holding your breath, and raise your upper body with your right hand. Grasp your right leg with your left hand, and keep your right knee on the ground while keeping your left leg on the ground. Exhale and return to the starting position. The curve of the chin will also be more beautiful. In addition, all types of twisting exercises or modified twisting exercises have these effects.

The chair cycling exercise effectively improves lower body discomfort and obesity caused by prolonged sitting at work, promotes blood circulation in the lower body, strengthens lower limbs, and beautifies leg lines. Exercise steps: (1) Sit upright on the back of a chair at about 1/2 of its length. (2) Lean back and firmly grasp the chair handles with both hands to stabilize your center of gravity. (3) Bend your legs, breathe normally, and perform a cycling motion with both legs forward, holding for 20-30 seconds. Return to the starting position and relax.

The function of the boat pose is to use the strength of the abdominal and front thigh muscles to keep the lower body in the air. Practice steps: (1) Lie on your back with your legs straight. Place your arms flat at your sides with your palms down. (2) Inhale, raise your legs 45°, and at the same time lift your head, upper torso, and arms off the ground (if possible, your arms should be extended forward and parallel to your legs). Hold your breath and hold this position for as long as possible. (3) Slowly exhale while lowering your legs and torso back to the ground. Relax your whole body. Repeat this exercise 6 times. The back of the boat pose should be straight and the shoulders relaxed. The prerequisite for the boat pose is to keep your back straight and your abdomen tucked in; place your tailbone flat on the ground and find your balance point. Then lift your legs off the ground. In fact, whether the legs are straight or bent, as long as you hold the pose for a few breaths, you will find that the boat pose not only works the abdominal muscles, but also requires the support of the back muscles, especially the lower back. When a person's legs are straight, they will feel the muscles in the front of their thighs contracting and the muscles in the back of their legs lengthening.

Crocodile pose yoga practice helps correct spinal disc misalignment and other spinal dysfunctions, and also helps relieve fatigue. Practice steps: (1) Lie face down, lift your chest up, and place your forearms flat in front of your chest. (2) Breathe naturally and hold this pose for as long as possible.

The main purpose of Vespasque is to eliminate fat on the outer thighs and flanks, and relax the hips and lateral tendons. Practice steps: (1) Lie supine with your back to the ground, then turn to your left side. (2) Lift your head, bend your left elbow, and place your head on your left palm. (3) Keep your left arm and body in a straight line, and place your left palm above your left ear to support your head. (4) Take three deep breaths, lift your right leg, and grasp your right big toe with your right thumb and forefinger. (5) Inhale, straighten your right arm and leg until they are perpendicular to the ground. (6) Breathe normally and hold the pose for 20 seconds. (7) Bend your right knee and slowly return to the starting position. (8) Repeat the opposite movement. Do three repetitions on each side.

The single-leg head-touching pose allows for full leg stretching, strengthens leg muscle lines, and enhances leg shape. Practice steps: (1) Start in a cross-legged position, lift your right leg, then hug it with your left and right elbows, and gently rock your body back and forth for a few minutes. With your left and right elbows hugging, bring your right leg close to your chest, keep your head upright, lift your right leg, and straighten your back. (2) Release your right leg, grab the sole of your foot with both hands and try to keep the sole of your foot flat against your chest, slowly pull your foot up, first past your chin, then your nose, and finally to your forehead, bending your knee backward. (3) Slightly slide your right shoulder down to below your right knee, then try to straighten your body, bend your leg back and try to place it above your shoulder, try to sit up straight, and do not let your back and chest be compressed. (4) Slowly straighten your knee, try to move your foot behind your head, try to make fists with both hands in front of your chest, hold this position for a few seconds, then switch to your feet and practice, placing your palms together in front of your chest.

Crescent Pose is an excellent backbend exercise that allows the hips and legs to fully stretch. This series of movements not only enhances the curves of the legs but also strengthens balance and concentration. Practice steps: (1) Begin in Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose), using your knees to lift your hips and legs, and take a large step forward with your right foot. Extend your leg, point your toes backward, and place your calf and knee flat on the ground. (2) Place your hands together in front of your chest and hold the pose. Keep your eyes level with this pose and repeat on the other side when you get tired. Extend your arms straight, tilt your head back, and bend your chest and upper back backward. Lift your hips and extend them forward, with your knees directly above your toes, and place your right foot flat on the ground with the top of your foot touching the ground. If you have cervical spondylosis, do not lower your head while practicing. If you have high blood pressure, do not raise your hands above your head; you can place them in front of your chest in a prayer position. When you are in a lunge position, your ankles should be directly below your knees. You can kneel on the mat to protect your knees, but be careful not to overstretch.

The Mudra not only significantly benefits the lower nerve plexuses (pulsatile knots), especially the glands near the sacral chakra, but also strengthens back extension and reduces abdominal fat accumulation. More importantly, it increases the flexibility of the legs, helping to sit better in the lotus position during meditation. Practice steps: (1) Sit with legs crossed (or in a single or double lotus position), place your hands behind your back, and grasp your left wrist with your right hand. Inhale. (2) Exhale and slowly bend your upper body forward until your forehead and nose touch the ground. Hold this position and rest for 8 seconds. (3) Inhale, stand up, and return to the original position. First, when bending forward, bend your back first, then your head to avoid excessive blood flow to the head. Second, try to bend forward using your abdomen as the axis, rather than bending forward in an arch shape. In addition, choose one of the cross-legged, single, or double lotus positions without forcing yourself. Finally, when bending forward, do not lift your buttocks off the ground. After practicing this pose, it is best to practice it in combination with the opposite posture (such as the cobra pose). Auxiliary movements: (1) Stretching movements for the calves, thighs, and posterior muscles. (2) Spinal extension movements. (3) Do these movements 8 times a day.

Leg raises strengthen the lower back and nourish and strengthen the legs. It helps eliminate excess fat in the legs. Practice steps: (1) Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and breathe naturally. While exhaling, use your abdominal muscles to raise your legs until they form a 90° angle with your upper body. (2) Hold the position, feeling as if all the air has been expelled from your abdomen, then inhale as you slowly lower your legs. (3) Repeat this movement 10-20 times. The key to this movement is controlling your breathing and concentrating your mind. The breathing sequence is slightly different from your usual breathing; focus your mind on your abdomen.