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Dear Friends,
Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
This edition will focus on helping you shape and strengthen your abdominal muscles, not just to give you a nice toned stomach, but also to help you improve your digestive system and increase your core power and energy.
For those who missed the previous newsletters you will find them archived here - Mastery of Meditation Newsletter Archives.
Also, there are some great new articles in the top 5 recent articles section on the top right, so don't miss those.
This Edition Features :-
- Best Yoga for Abs and Core Power.
- 50% Off Christmas and New Year's Sale.
Much Love,
Anmol
Best Yoga Ab and Core Exercises:
Some titles below are links to the article with all the details including cautions, benefits, practice tips, etc. So click that to read the full article.
Kundalini Yoga suggests that one of the first areas to work on if you are new to yoga is the navel center. There are many good reasons for this.
First, developing this region ensures you have great energy and power. Second, working on the stomach area helps alleviate and cure digestive problems. But, most importantly, developing your navel strength also helps you build your strength of character and this is important if you are to establish and maintain a strong, long-term yoga and meditation practice.
So to help you ascertain all these wonderful benefits I have compiled for you some of the very best yoga ab exercises and poses. Whether you are a beginner yogi or a seasoned practitioner, you will find some great exercises below to take your core health and power to the next level.
#1: EASY LEG EXTENSIONS OR STRETCH POSE
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2007/12/09/illustrated-kundalini-yoga-stretch-pose-for-core-abdominal-power/
One of the very first yoga exercises you learn when embarking on a traditional Hatha Yoga program are these Easy Leg Extensions.
This exercise is not just good for your abs, it is also excellent for keeping your knees lubricated and healthy. In addition, it promotes flexibility in the hamstrings and calves.
There are 2 variations to this exercise, with regard to how to place your hands. In the illustrations below, I am showing the variation where I am leaning back on the palms of my hands.
In an easier variation, you can place your entire forearm and elblows on the ground, with your palms facing down, and lean back. In this variation you will be leaning further back, have more support and the leg extensions will be even easier to do.
If you are just starting out do sets of 6-10 repetitions. You can also take a break by staying in the legs folded positions longer. You can slowly build up to doing this exercise for 1 to 3 minutes.
For your breathing, exhale as you extend your legs out and inhale as you bring them in.
Here are some illustrations to help you do this exercise correctly.
Easy Leg Extensions - Start
Easy Leg Extensions - Finish
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2010/10/25/yoga-ab-crunches-to-get-6-pack-abs/
Lately I have been sharing with you some wonderful poses and stretches you can do with the help with a chair and here are some excellent ab crunches you can add to that list.
There are 2 nice variations to these stomach crunches. The first is shown in Illustrations #1 and #2 below, they concentrate on the central abdominal muscles.
The second variation works on your side muscles or obliques. These are shown in Illustration #3 and Illustration #4 below.
I suggest beginners start with 4-6 repetitions and build up slowly from there.
Inhale down and exhale up for both these variations.
Chair Crunch Down
Chair Crunch Up
Chair Sit-up Left
Chair Sit-up Right
http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2009/08/04/best-yoga-exercise-to-get-firm-toned-abs/
One of the best poses for working on your abs is Yoga Boat Pose. As this is a difficult pose, there are 3 nice variations to make it easier. You can bend your knees, you can hold your knees or you can use a strap.
You will find useful illustrations below and of course all the details in the article. Do this exercise with Breath of Fire if you can. Start with as little as 15 seconds and build up from there. Some advanced classes require 3, 5 7 and even 11 minutes of Boat Pose!!
Yoga Boat Pose - With Strap
Yoga Boat Pose - Full
Yoga Criss Cross is part of the excellent Yoga Set to Shape Stomach, the link to which is above.
This is a great exercise with which to end any ab workout set, but you can also switch it with boat pose above as a finishing exercise.
To do this exercise you are criss-crossing your ankles at a fast pace, with the legs alternating which is on top. Full details are in the article.
Start with 15 seconds and build up to 1-3 minutes if you can.
Criss-Cross Left Over Right
Criss-Cross Right Over Left
#5: MORE GREAT AB SETS AND EXERCISES
For abdominal training it is good to mix up exercises and sets as this help to stimulate the muscles and will accelerate the results one gets. So here are some good sets from which you can choose more abdominal exercise to give you variety and options.
Learn Yoga and Meditation Super Sale:
50% OFF CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR'S SALE
If you are looking for health, happiness, peace and clarity, there is nothing better than incorporating a little Yoga and Meditation into your life. To help you do this I am running a very special sale on my Learn Yoga and Learn Meditation E-Programs.
Currently you can purchase either e-course for just $21, which is almost 60% the regular price of $47.
Here are links to sign up for the programs. Simply click link for more information.
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Mastery of Meditation and Yoga 
