6-Minute Yoga For Abs

Yoga is a natural detoxifier, it can help alleviate back pain, and yoga will help you sleep better. But did you also know yoga can land you a strong core and better abs? It’s true!

If you’re engaging your abs, you can strengthen your core through pretty much any yoga pose, but certain yoga poses are particularly good at working the abs, and those are the ones we’ve included in the following 6-minute yoga for abs flow.

Whether you’re a yoga beginner or a regular Vinyasa mama, this quick workout is perfect to squeeze in when you want a stronger core and flatter abs.

Along with the yoga for abs workout, if you want flat abs there are a few lifestyle tips to help you achieve a sculpted stomach even faster.

How To Get Abs

Let’s be honest: if getting a toned stomach were easy, everyone would have one. It’s really not as simple as doing one specific exercise (ahem, crunches) or eating one specific food. So before we get to our 6-minute yoga flow, here are some tips on overall lifestyle changes to make if you want better abs:

Include Cardio Into Your Routine

In addition to keeping your heart healthy, cardio burns mega calories and will help you shed any extra fat covering up those abs. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of cardio per week, and you can break that up however you like.

Here are some different forms of cardio that can count towards your weekly 150 minutes:

• Biking
• Power Walking
• Running
• Spin class
• Swimming
• Kickboxing
• Dance
• Bodyweight workouts

Strength Train For Abs

Aside from heart-pumping cardio to burn fat, you also need to build muscle to rev your metabolism. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you can burn at rest. (Score!)

You can use weights or your own bodyweight, but try to do two strength training workouts per week.

Eat Clean For Toned Abs

Plain and simple, you can’t work off a bad diet. Eliminating processed foods, added sugars, and calorie-laden beverages like soda should be your first step.

Next, replace pre-packaged foods and high-calorie dishes with healthy grains like quinoa, lean protein like salmon or chicken, and plenty of vegetables.

Add in fruit, healthy fats like avocado, and you’ll be on the path to a cleaner diet and slimmer waist.

6-Minute Yoga For Abs Flow

Now that you know to get your heart pumping with cardio, strength train weekly, and eat clean, we can get to the final step: our 6-Minute Yoga Flow For Better Abs.

Dust off your yoga mat, get some water ready, and get ready to banish belly fat and reveal tight, strong abs patiently waiting underneath. 

For Best Results, use this yoga flow 2-3 times per week. 

To Get Started:

Use a yoga mat or soft surface to perform each of these moves

Hold each of the poses for 30 seconds.

Go through this yoga for abs sequence twice for a 6-minute ab routine that will having you feeling the burn the next day!

High Plank

1) Begin on your hands and knees. Pull your abdominals in and step your feet back behind you until your legs are straight.

2) Keep hands directly under shoulders and your eyes at the front of your mat, keeping your neck aligned.

3) Hold your abs and legs tight and make sure your back stays long. Avoid sagging in the low back.

4) If you struggle to hold the position, lower knees to mat while keeping everything else the same.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Related: 6 Plank Variations For Awesome Abs

Boat Pose

1) From a seated position, draw your naval to the spine and brace the abdominals. With your hands on the floor behind you, bring your legs up off the floor with your knees bent in front of your chest.

2) Keeping abdominals tight, slowly lift hands off floor and reach them forward and up while simultaneously lengthening legs upward. Your body will look like a “V” shape. Lengthen spine as you hold. (If your hamstrings are too tight, bend knees slightly.)

3) Keep abdominals tight and breathe.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Warrior 3

1) Engage your abs and lengthen your spine as you reach your arms toward the front of the room and begin lifting your left leg behind you.

2) Continue reaching your arms forward and your left leg back until your body is parallel to the floor and your eyes are gazing at the front of your mat. Keep those abs tight! Try not to let your back sag.

3) Relax your neck and shoulders and breathe gently in and out.

Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs for another 30 seconds.

Side Plank

1) Begin in a full plank with hands under your shoulders and your feet and thighs touching.

2) Squeeze abdominals tightly and open the right arm straight into the air, turning your body to the side so the right foot rests on the left foot.

3) Lift your body through your waistline and hold abs tight as you breathe.

Hold 30 seconds and switch sides for another 30 seconds. Then go back to the beginning and start your second round.