6 Best Hatha Yoga Asanas & Exercises to Lose Belly Fat

Hatha yoga is a type of mind-body exercise that involves the practice of physical yoga poses or asanas in conjunction with awareness of breath to help develop mental focus and to connect the mind, body, and spirit. It has become a popular and effective form of exercise among healthy, clinical, and athletic people beacuse of its many health and fitness benefits.

The question is, can hatha yoga help you lose belly fat? Well, it can - but only when performed regularly and in combination with a healthy and balanced diet. To lose any kind of fat from your body, you need to create a calorie-deficit.

You can do that through your diet or exercise or both. However, lowering the number of calories gradually while performing regular and challenging workouts is the best and most sustainable way to achieve fat loss.

If you are looking for hatha yoga poses and exercises that can target belly fat, you have come to the right place. However, you must combine them with a calorie-deficit diet to see the best results.

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Hatha Yoga Exercises for Belly Fat

Check out the following six hatha yoga asanas and exercises to target belly fat.

1) Kumbhakasana

The plank pose is one of the best ways to burn belly fat and tone the muscles. It's one of the most popular and well-known poses.

Here's how you do this hatha yoga asana:

• Lie face down in a prone position.
• Raise your body up onto your arms that are completely straight (your palms must be exactly below your shoulders).
• Try to balance yourself on your toes. Face forward or downwards.
• Hold for as long as you can; take a break, and do it again a few times.
• Every day, try to stay in this pose longer. Increase your time by 30 seconds every day.

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2) Bhujangasana

This Hatha yoga pose works primarily on strengthening the abdominal muscles and relaxing the lower back.

Here's how you do this asana:

• Lie face down on the floor in a prone position. Spread your hands out next to your shoulders on the floor.
• Stretch your legs back so that the top of your feet touch the floor. Take a slow breath in, and slowly lift your upper body.
• Make sure your crotch and toes touch the floor and form a straight line.
• Stay there for 25 to 30 seconds.
• With an exhalation, let go, and go back to lying down.

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3) One-Legged Downward Dog Pose

This Hatha yoga pose can help you learn to balance your body and strengthen the abs.

Here's how you do this asana:

• Perform the Adho Mukha Svanasana or the downward-facing dog pose.
• Stretch out, and lift up one leg. Lower your straightened leg under your core.
• Do this move ten times on each leg, and take a break.

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4) Dhanurasana

Even though this Hatha yoga asana looks simple, it can be quite challenging for the abs, which is exactly what will help them get stronger.

Here's how you do this asana:

• Lie down in a prone position on the floor. Bend your knees, and use your hands to hold your feet.
• Take a deep breath in, and lift your hands, feet, thighs, and chest at the same time.
• Hold this pose for at least 30 seconds and up to 90 seconds over time.
• Release with an exhale.

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5) Naukasana

This Hatha yoga pose works fabulously on the obliques and abdominal muscles and also strengthens the core.

Here's how you do this asana:

• Lay face down on the ground, with your back to the ceiling.
• Put your hands next to you, and loosen up your shoulders. Keep your legs straight.
• Slowly lift your hands and legs off the ground while keeping your belly in and above the ground.
• Reach a 45-degree angle so that the body looks like a 'V'. Hold it for a minute, and work on taking deep breaths.

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6) Ustrasana

This Hatha yoga pose is a little harder than the last one. So make sure you only do this if you don't have any back problems.

Here's how you do this asana:

• Kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart and thighs straight and perpendicular to the floor.
• Rest your hands on top of your buttocks, with your fingers pointing down. Curve your back in slightly.
• Lean back slowly, and touch your heels; hold them with your hands. Keep your back straight, but don't strain your neck.
• You can stay in this pose for up to a minute.

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Takeaway

For the best results, it's best to do the aforementioned Hatha yoga asanas in the morning.

A big part of how well the asanas work is how often you do them. If you can't do all the poses, you can choose to do 3-4 different ones each time to avoid getting bored.

In any case, the most important thing is to stick with the asana sessions and give them your full attention. Also, make sure to practice deep breathing during the sessions. Don't forget: combine the asanas with a calorie-deficit diet for the best results.