10 ASANA-s to Detox the Gut
Are you ready to ramp up the health kick and rid those rude love handles threatening to throw off your lycra A-game?
Well, forget the $300 charcoal juice cleanse, detoxing your gut is as simple as swapping a stale fitness routine for a spiced up core sequence.
Through practicing ASANA-s that awake AGNI (fire) in the gut, we get the digestive juices flowing, and rinse plus release unwanted toxins from the body. And that’s just the beginning! As the gut acts as a ‘second brain’ (thanks to the vagus nerve connecting brain to belly), when we are able to shift the dormant energy from the belly through yoga (ASANA-s, as well as PRANAYAMA and LAYA YOGA) we switch on the parasympathetic nervous system, activating MANIPURA CHAKRA along with the ‘rest and digest’ mode, clearing nervous energy and restoring calm.
So, not only will you tone your tum and you’ll get a complete conscience-body reset, but you’ll be refreshed and renewed for summer.
Try this sweet core blasting sequence sure to cleanse your gut (and liver) in time for the summer vacation.
Child Pose (BALASANA)
• Bring big toes together, widen knees to the corners of the mat and draw sit bones to rest towards (or on) the heels.
• Allow the forehead to gently land on the mat, maybe rolling it side to side until eventually settling into stillness.
• Stretch arms out in front of you, allowing fingers to be active but shoulders relaxed.
• Begin to breathe through the nose, deeply inhaling into the belly for the count of three.
• Hold the breath at the top.
• Slowly release the breath through the nose for three counts. Continue for 5-10 breaths.
One-Legged Downward-Facing Dog (EKA PADA ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA)
Transitioning from child’s pose…
• Press palms firmly into the ground.
• Tuck the toes, flatten feet to the earth and lift the sit bones and hips to the sky, finding your downward facing dog.
• Stay for a full breath (and if you need walk out the feet to stretch the calves).
• Slowly begin to rise the right leg, keeping leg straight and hips square.
• Flex through the right foot and lift and keep left foot grounded firmly to the earth.
• Keep shoulders relaxed and away from ears.
• Stay for a full breath before transitioning straight into tiger curl.
Tiger Curl (PHALAKASANA – Knee to Nose variation)
Transitioning straight from one legged dog…
• Keeping palms firmly pressing into the earth as you begin to draw your right knee through to your chest.
• Draw the knee forward as you drop your head, maybe enough to kiss your knee.
• Hold, feel the core switch on.
• Release right leg back up towards the sky for one legged dog.
• Repeat tiger curl with right leg 3-4 times, exhaling as you draw knee to chest and inhaling as you kick back towards sky (building fire in the body and breath).
Crescent Lunge (ANJANEYASANA)
Transitioning from tiger curl…
• With knee close to chest, slowly drop the right foot between hands, grounding the foot to the earth and bending the right knee to create a strong, stable 90 degree angle.
• Square the hips so both face forward and keep left foot facing forward, heel raised
• Draw arms up to sky, lengthening the fingers, relaxing the shoulders and opening the heart and head to sky.
• Slowly edge a little deeper into your lunge if space and knee remains in alignment with ankle.
Crescent Lunge Twist
F6
Transitioning from crescent lunge…
• Keeping feet and hips squared, lengthen the arms straight up and inwards
• With a tall spine, begin to twist through core, spiralling the arms open to the left
• Turn the head to face towards the left hand
Crescent Lunge with Backbend
Transitioning straight from the twist…
• Circle the left hand down until it lands on the left hamstring.
• Edge slightly out of the lunge, lengthening spine and drawing right arm up to sky
• Slowly deepen lunge again, lifting heart, drawing ribs towards the sky and right arm over head
Plank (KUMBAKASANA)
Transitioning straight from crescent lunge with backbend…
• Circle both arms towards the ground, placing palms to earth at shoulder width.
• Step right foot to back of the mat, pressing feet firmly to earth while lifting heels, keeping feet hip-width apart finding your plank pose.
• Start to draw navel towards spine to engage core, puff out through the kidneys allowing spine to lengthen in line with sit bones.
• Allow neck to be neutral, but gaze facing a little in front of hands.
• Stay for 3-5 breaths, toning to the belly.
Boat Pose (NAVASANA)
Transitioning from plank…
• Push into hands and lift hips to sky to find downward dog.
• Bending the knees, look forward of the hands and lift the heels high to sky.
• Spring forward with both feet to land in UTTANASANA (standing forward fold).
• With control, draw navel to spine and begin to squat down until sit bones land on the mat.
• Keeping legs drawn together, lengthen spine and lift both knees until they are at a 90 degree angle with feet touching.
• Lift arms in line with shoulders, gaze forward.
• Stay for 3- 5 breaths (note: you should really feel the AGNI burning in the abs now).
Half Lord of the Fish (ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA)
Transitioning from boat pose…
• Drop both feet to the earth and begin to tuck right knee under left bent leg.
• Keep the left knee lifted and place sole of left foot on the earth beside right knee.
• Lengthen the spine then begin to twist from the core.
• Right elbow lands on top of left knee (pushing elbow firmly to deepen the twist) and left hand lands behind body.
• Keep gaze in line with core or turn to look over left shoulder if neck allows.
Repeat sequence on other side of the body.
Counter Twist
Transitioning from half lord of the fish pose…
• Slowly release head to face forwards, placing careful attention to neck.
• Begin to draw naval into spine and release the twist so core comes back to neutral.
• Spiral the arms over to the right hand side so both hands fall to the earth at least shoulder width apart.
• Bend the elbows and take a baby push up to the earth to release the twist.
• Stay for a breath then slowly sit back and unbind legs.
Repeat sequence on other side of the body.
yogaesoteric
July 15, 2019
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