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Tired of doing hundreds of crunches and still not seeing a six pack? Yoga might be the change your core training needs.
Almost every yoga pose asks your core to work hard to keep you steady, and the six poses below hit your abs, obliques and lower back from every angle.
But here’s the honest part up front: these poses build your abs, and your body fat decides whether anyone can see them. We’ll cover both, so the work you put in actually shows.
The 6 poses at a glance
| Pose | What it works most | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Side plank | Obliques, whole core | Beginner |
| Boat pose | Upper and lower abs, hip flexors | Beginner to intermediate |
| Crane pose | Abs, arms, balance | Advanced |
| Four limbed staff pose | Whole core, arms, chest | Intermediate |
| Forearm stand | Abs, shoulders, balance | Advanced |
| Plow pose | Lower abs, flexibility | Intermediate |
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Can yoga give you a six pack?
Yoga can build strong, defined abs. But no amount of core training will burn fat from your stomach on its own.
When researchers had people do ab exercises five days a week for six weeks, their ab endurance improved, but their belly fat didn’t change.
So the six pack formula has two parts:
- Build the muscle with poses like the ones below, two or three times a week.
- Lose the fat covering it by eating a little less than you burn, with plenty of protein.
Our fat loss gym plan for beginners and guide to cutting fat without losing muscle cover the second part.
1. Vasisthasana (side plank)
A classic for good reason. Side plank makes your whole core work to keep you balanced, and it hits your obliques, the muscles along the sides of your waist, especially hard.
How to do it:
- Lie on your right side with your legs straight and feet stacked.
- Place your right hand on the floor directly under your shoulder.
- Lift your hips until your body makes one straight line from head to heels.
- Reach your left arm up toward the ceiling.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.
Too hard? Rest your forearm on the floor instead of your hand, or put the soles of your feet against a wall to help you balance. Move away from the wall as you get stronger.
Too easy? Hold for longer, or lift your top leg as high as you can into a star side plank.
2. Paripurna Navasana (boat pose)
Boat pose is one of the toughest ab holds there is. It works your upper and lower abs together, plus the hip flexors, or the muscles at the front of your hips. It’s also one of our 7 best yoga exercises for men.
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Lean back slightly, keeping your chest lifted and your back straight.
- Lift your feet until your shins are level with the floor, or straighten your legs if you can.
- Reach your arms forward alongside your legs.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, rest and repeat 3 times.
Too hard? Keep your knees bent, hold the backs of your thighs, or loop a band around your feet for support. Most people struggle at first, so don’t worry.
Too easy? Try a twisting boat: hold the pose and rotate your chest to one side, then the other, to bring in your obliques.
3. Bakasana (crane pose)
Crane is a pose for when you’ve built a solid base. Balancing your body on your hands takes serious core strength, along with strong arms and wrists.
How to do it:
- Squat down and place your hands flat on the floor, shoulder width apart.
- Bend your elbows slightly and rest your knees high on the backs of your upper arms.
- Lean forward, shifting your weight into your hands.
- Pull your belly in and lift one foot, then the other.
- Hold for a few breaths, then lower with control.
Safety first: put a cushion or folded blanket in front of you in case you tip forward, and have a partner nearby when you’re learning. If your wrists are sore, skip this one for now.
Build your strength with the side plank, boat pose and four limbed staff pose before you try it.
4. Chaturanga Dandasana (four limbed staff pose)
Think of this as the lowered half of a push up, held still. It tenses your whole body, with extra load on your arms and abs.
It’s a smart pick for your obliques, too. A study of 11 yoga poses found that high and low plank positions like this one were effective for strengthening the obliques.
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders.
- Shift slightly forward onto your toes.
- Lower until your elbows are bent to about 90 degrees, keeping them close to your sides.
- Keep your body in one straight line from head to heels.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
Too hard? Drop your knees to the floor and keep the same straight line from your knees to your head. Move up onto your toes as your core gets stronger.
5. Pincha Mayurasana (forearm stand)
Also called feathered peacock pose, this one is fun, impressive and hard. Balancing upside down on your forearms takes a strong core and plenty of practice.
How to do it:
- Kneel facing a wall and place your forearms on the floor, shoulder width apart, a hand’s length from the wall.
- Lift your hips and walk your feet in toward your elbows.
- Kick one leg up, then the other, until your heels rest on the wall.
- Pull your belly in and press firmly through your forearms.
- Hold for a few breaths, then come down one leg at a time.
Safety first: always learn this one at a wall, and only start moving away from it once you can hold the pose steadily for 30 seconds. Skip it if you have shoulder or neck problems.
6. Halasana (plow pose)
Plow looks uncomfortable, and it can be. It challenges your lower abs to control your legs over your head, and it needs good hamstring flexibility.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms down.
- Use your abs to lift your legs over your head.
- Lower your toes toward the floor behind you, keeping your legs as straight as you can.
- Keep your weight on your shoulders, not your neck, and look straight up.
- Hold for a few breaths, then roll down slowly, one vertebra at a time.
Too hard? Rest your feet on a chair behind you instead of the floor.
Safety first: plow pose puts pressure on your neck. Never turn your head while you’re in it, and skip it if you have neck or back problems.
A 20 minute yoga core workout
Do this two or three times a week. Beginners can stop after the first three poses.
| Order | Pose | Hold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Side plank | 3 x 20 seconds each side |
| 2 | Boat pose | 3 x 20 seconds |
| 3 | Four limbed staff pose | 3 x 15 seconds |
| 4 | Plow pose | 2 x 5 breaths |
| 5 | Crane pose | Practice for 2 minutes |
| 6 | Forearm stand | Practice at a wall for 2 minutes |
Rest about 30 seconds between holds, and breathe slowly the whole time.
Questions people ask
Can I just do yoga instead of ab exercises?
Yes. These poses are ab exercises, just without the crunching. For extra challenge, add some weighted ab workouts once a week.
How long until I see a six pack?
It depends mostly on how much body fat you have to lose. Your abs will get stronger within weeks, but they’ll only show once your body fat is low enough.
Do these poses work for women too?
Absolutely. Every pose here works the same way for anyone.
What should I do next?
Once these feel comfortable, try our hard yoga poses or add some oblique exercises to your routine.
Enjoy the burn, and give those crunches a well earned rest!
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have an injury, or neck, shoulder, wrist or back problems, check with a doctor or physical therapist before trying these poses.
