By Faye Martins

Body shaping is not an exact art. Athletic bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Those who lift weights have bulky chests and arms; runners have lean legs, but often lack in upper body strength. Swimmers have broad shoulders, and dancers have thick muscled thighs.

When we talk about yoga, we often talk about balance. If you look at the effects of yoga on shaping the body, the first thing you might notice is that well-toned yoga bodies are evenly proportioned. This sets yoga apart from other forms of exercise that often key in on isolated body parts, thus creating unnatural looking bodies.

Yoga Body Shaping Tips

A typical yoga class will engage your entire body with stretching and strength exercises. These movements divided equally between your left and right sides create an elongated well-proportioned body.Below are some body shaping tips for you to organize your weekly routine.

Upper Body: Watch any yoga instructor’s video and you will notice right away the strong well-defined arms. Many yoga postures are weight bearing on the shoulders and arms, and this is excellent for strengthening and shaping the upper body as well as increasing bone density. The vigorous Vinyasa flow sequence of Sun Salutation burns calories and concentrates on upper body strength with poses like Downward Dog.

Core: Most modern-day trainers put a great deal of attention to the core. A strong core equals a strong back and abdomen and is vital for improving posture and strength. Three asanas that will shape and strengthen your core quickly are Dolphin Plank, Side Plank, and Boat. Beginners should hold these poses for a few seconds and then work up slowly.

Lower Body: The large muscles of your legs and buttocks are easy to target with a yoga routine. The warrior poses are excellent for your quadriceps. All the balance poses are great leg builders, and the Half-Moon will stretch and shape your hamstrings and calves.

Posture: One of the best and fastest ways to improve your shape is by improving your posture. By engaging in a regular yoga practice, you will find that you become more aware of your body, which is key in maintaining good posture. Mountain pose is something you can engage in often during the day to give yourself a posture check-in.

After a few months of engaging in a regular yoga practice, you will find that your body will balance out and sculpt into the shape that is right for your personal build. You may also notice the added bonus of some reshaping of your mind as well.

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