Tone your thighs with these simple yoga asanas

If weight gain wasn’t a big deal already, accumulating it on prominent regions like thighs, hips and waist does it for us. These are areas that are easiest to compile fat and toughest parts of the body to tone. When it comes to getting rid of excess weight from areas around your thighs, yoga is your best bet.

Yoga is an effective tool against weight loss, which also increases your strength, flexibility and balance. Some yoga poses can be implemented to tone the leg muscles, especially the major muscle of the thighs, known as quadriceps. Here are a few asanas that will help you tone and strengthen the legs and slim down the thighs.

Natrajasana (Wide- Legged Squat) 

• Stand with straight leg and fold the right leg back.
• Breathe in and take the right hand back to grip the folded leg firmly, breathe out.
• Inhale and stretch the left arm up along side the ear.
• Keep the eyes focused, to maintain the balance without releasing the hold on the ankle; slowly begin to shift the line of the body, breathing normally.
• Stretch the right heel away from the buttock. Keep the weight on the left foot without losing balance.
• Slowly, bend forward till the chest, arm become parallel to floor and knee, thigh, hip, spine & arm come in a straight line.
• Relieve the pose in the reverse order and repeat on the other side also.

Benefits- Natrajasana reduces fat from thighs, shapes your calf muscles, and strengthen the ankles.

Janusirsasana (Head to Knee pose) 

• Sit with the legs outstretched in front of you (Staff Pose / Dandasana).
• Inhale, bend your right knee and place the right foot close to the perineum, exhale let the right knee move out to the side. The right foot now rests against the inside of the left thigh. The right lower leg rests on (or towards) the floor.
• Flex the left foot, press the top of the thigh down, lengthen the spine while you inhale and as you exhale, turn the spine a little to face the left leg and then fold forward from the hips.
• Keep your spine long, chest open and shoulders drawn down. Relax your face.
• Stay in the pose for 1-3 minutes.

Benefits- Janusirsasana helps remove stiffness from the spine along with stretching the calves, hips, thighs, and ankles. It removes unwanted flab from all these body areas.

Ardhakapotasana (Half- Pigeon Pose) 

• Begin with kneeling on the floor. Stretch out your right leg behind you. Bend your left knee such that your left foot comes close to your right pelvic bone with your toes pointed out. Lean slightly forward to puff out your chest.
• Take the support of the ground by placing your hands on it for balance.
• Look in front and maintain a steady gaze.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds and repeat. This is the pose for beginners.
• Relax in Corpse pose if you feel exerted.

Benefits- Ardhakapotasana helps stretch the outer portion of your thighs and brings them to shape. It also stretches the abdomen, thereby reducing flab from there.

Suptavirasana (Reclined Hero Pose) 

• Sit on the floor with your legs bent at the knees and tucked under your hips.
• Holding the heels, lean backwards and place your elbows on the floor with the neck stretched backwards. Slowly straighten your elbows and lie on the floor.
• Maintain this posture for thirty seconds to a minute by breathing evenly and deeply.
• Holding your heels, slowly move upwards placing your elbows on the floor. Press your palms on the floor and slowly return to the sitting position.

Benefits- Suptavirasana stretches your thighs and strengthens your knee joints and back muscles.

Prasarita Padatonnasasa (Wide- Legged Forward Bend Pose) 

• Place your hands on the wall at hip height, shoulder-width apart. Back away from the wall until your arms straighten.
• Step your feet about 3 to 4 feet apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Ground your feet, and press down with all four corners of your feet.
• Breathe slowly for 5 or 6 breaths. Then walk your feet toward each other, remove your hands from the wall, and come to standing.

Benefits- Prasarita Padatonnasasa stretches the inner parts of your thighs, hips, hamstring, and calf muscles and tones them.

Repeat these yoga asanas three to five times daily. You must make sure that your breathing should be slow and rhythmic while doing these asanas for best results. Also, after completing your session, lie down in corpse pose to cool down your body.

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