In week three of our four-week toning yoga special, Stretch London's Sophie Whippy shows you three simple moves to tighten up your bum.
Ardha Utkatasana, aka Half Chair or Fierce Pose
How To Do It: From Utkatasana (chair pose), lift the sacrum so the back is flat and extend out through the fingertips. Imagine you have a cocktail resting on your lower back and extend through the spine to keep the back flat like a table top. Keep the chin slightly tucked to lengthen the cervical spine (neck). Evenly spread your weight from the heels to the balls of your feet. To challenge yourself further, try lifting all 10 toes.
Garudasana, aka Eagle Pose
How To Do It: Spreading through your toes, firmly root your right foot on the floor. Pick up the left leg and wrap it around the right, hooking your toes around the calf muscle, while bending into the left knee. Try to square your hips by rolling your right hip slightly forward. Next, sweep your arms out to the sides and hook the right arm underneath the left, bending at the elbow. Place the palms to touch. Lift the elbows to shoulder level and relax the shoulders down the back. To challenge yourself, on an exhale sink your hips deep towards your heels, your elbows towards your knees and your chin to chest – this is Sleeping Eagle. Repeat on the other side.
Virabhadrasana III, aka Warrior 3
How To Do It: From Warrior One (aka High Lunge), lean forwards over the front thigh and lift the back leg, straightening your standing leg. Reach out through the fingertips and square the hips, pressing back through the lifted heel. To modify, you can take hands to prayer at your heart centre, or aeroplane your arms out to the sides. Hold the pose for as long as you can, then repeat on the opposite side.
