Best Yoga Poses to Do While Lying on Your Stomach

July 31, 2018

Yoga has the ability to soothe your mind and give you relief from various conditions and ailments. Yoga poses can be performed on your back, sitting down, standing upright or on your stomach. Let’s get our bellies working and practice some yoga to improve our health and well-being.

Benefits of yoga poses while lying on the stomach:

Tones the belly
Massages internal organs for improved function
Alleviates lower back pain
Works your upper and lower body
Keeps you active

Best Yoga Poses to Try on Your Stomach

Challenge your yoga practice and incorporate poses that you may not normally add to your routine.

1. Locust Pose

Engage your lower back muscles and glutes to boost strength with locust pose.

Directions:

Lie on your stomach with your arms and legs extended out in a straight line.
As you inhale, bring your right leg up and keep your leg straight without twisting your hips.
Hold this pose and focus on your breathing.
Exhale and bring the right leg out.
Repeat this exercise using the left leg.
Then, as you align your breath, lift both your legs up as high as you can, making sure to keep your knees straight.
Hold this pose for about six breaths.
Exhale to release and go back to the starting position.

2. Sphinx Pose

Improve flexibility in your spine and strengthen your core muscles with sphinx pose.

Directions:

Lie on your stomach with your legs extended out back. Keep your tailbone long and rotate your thighs inward.
With your shoulders stacked above your elbows, keep your forearms on the floor, parallel to each other and palms facing down.
As you inhale, lift your upper torso and chest away from the floor to perform a gentle backbend.
Hold this pose for about 10 breaths.
Exhale to release and go back to the starting position.

3. Cobra Pose

Cobra pose opens up the chest and increases spinal flexibility.

Directions:

Lie on your belly with your feet and chin on the floor. Your legs should be together with your toes touching and your heels a sliver apart.
Place your palms underneath your shoulders and draw your elbows in close to your sides.
Inhale and slowly lift your chest and abdomen. Make sure your shoulders are away from your ears and your chest is open. Your gaze should be in a neutral position in front of you or up at the ceiling.
Push up with your arms to perform the backbend and only go as deep as you can.
Hold this pose for about 30 seconds.
Exhale to release and go back to the starting position.

4. Superman Pose

Superman pose is great to strengthen the back, especially targeting the lower back.

Directions:

As you lie on your belly, extend your legs and arms out.
Inhale and lift your chest, arms, thighs and legs off the floor to hover.
Feel the stretch as you lengthen your arms and legs away from your torso. Make sure that your elbows and knees stay straight.
Focus on your breath and hold this pose for a couple of minutes, or however long you are comfortable.
Exhale to release and go back to the starting position.

5. Bow Pose

Perform a deep backbend to open up the chest with bow pose.

Directions:

Lying on your stomach, keep your feet hip-width distance apart and extend your arms out beside you.
With a gentle bend in your knees, bring your legs up and extend your arms to grab on to your shins or ankles.
Focus on your breath and your balance as you perform this pose.
Your breathing should be deep and long and only stretch as far as you can.
Hold this pose for about 15 to 20 seconds.
Exhale to release and go back to the starting position.