TOEven the belly suffers the consequences of daily life between stress, unregulated nutrition and poorly targeted workouts. And it happens that, if during the rest of the year it is put aside a little, with the arrival of summer the attention is concentrated right there. To run for cover, yoga can help for a flat stomach. «This discipline has the particularity of train not so much the superficial strength as above all the deep one allowing you to keep your stomach flat, “he explains Paola Miretta, personal trainer. But, as the expert points out, training aside, it is very often a problem with posture.
Flat stomach, the causes of an unfit belly
The causes of a stomach that is not quite flat are many and include a dose of genetics and physical conformation but also nutrition, a “wrong” training that perhaps focused on other parts of the body, possible pregnancies and caesareans and even life intimate.
“Poor nutrition and poor posture go a long way. For example, an unregulated intake of alcohol and sugar causes the classic belly. But also the posture, very often underestimated, gives us its own. In this case, not only the abdominals should be trained, to have them toned and to avoid a prominent belly, but also the lower back muscles that help keep the back straight and therefore a flatter abdomen“.
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Added to this is pelvic floor training: «In this case we resort to hypopressive gymnastics that creates negative pressure not on the abdomen but on the pelvic cavity. By doing so, not only do the organs return to their natural position but this area regains strength and helps to lose extra weight both on the stomach and at the waist ».
How yoga works for a flat stomach
For this, yoga helps a lot “Essential to train the abdomen is to activate the corethat is the whole central area that extends from the thighs to the chest. So you have to work not only the muscles of the abdominal area but also of the lumbar and the buttocks region which are often overlooked ”explains the personal trainer.
Training this area which includes all the abdominal muscles such as the rectus abdominis, the obliques and the transverse, but also the corner protectors, those of the pelvic floor and the square of the loins, the hip flexors, means first of all give greater structure to this band but also greater support and stability to the whole body, being the core a sort of central nucleus of the organism given its position. Training it also means improve your posture thus avoiding back pain and possible injuries.
Flat stomach with Mulabandha and Uddiyana Banda
«To train this part of the body we resort to The Bandhas, muscle contractions that help train certain areas. Specifically, for a flat stomach it is necessary to concentrate on Mulabandha, or training the perineum area, and Uddiyana Bandha which includes the abdominal muscles ».
In the first case it is a muscle contraction in the lower part of the abdomen, at the height of the pubis, the same one that is involuntarily exercised when holding the pee. This exercise allows you to strengthen the muscles of the area and “rearrange” the organs in their place.
Uddiyana Bandha, on the other hand, is an abdominal contraction of all the navel muscles which occurs through inspiration and which, in addition to toning the muscles, also helps to remove stress and tension but also stimulates digestion and the functions of the liver and pancreas.
The other more suitable positions
But these aren’t the only ones. For a flat stomach other suitable positions are the Axis Positionwhich allows you to train the muscles of the abdomen but also of the arms and shoulders and legs, the Navasana or Boat Pose that helps strengthen the abdomen and which, in addition to eliminating abdominal fat, contributes to the function of the glands and gives stability to the mind by lowering the level of anxiety and stress.
“Don’t forget to train the sides too: you can proceed with the Vasisthasana, or the Lateral Axis Position, which already provides a more toned musculature because it leverages only one arm and wrist. You can also proceed with some torso twists that help slim and train the oblique muscles, with a warning: these are positions that act on the liver and kidneys, while performing it is normal to feel a bit of nausea because it helps eliminate internal toxins ».
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