Can a month of just yoga really give you a six-pack?

There’s a common misconception that yoga isn’t ‘proper’ exercise.

Many believe traditional forms of the practice – like vinyasa, yin or ashtanga – are designed solely to channel a spiritual energy and calm your mind, rather than to work up a sweat like a high-intensity spin class at the gym might.

But, in fact, the combination of controlling your breath while executing movements designed to push your strength to its absolute limit is where the challenge really lies. 

Chris, yoga master at the boutique gym Another Space London, explained: ‘People often mistake yoga as simply stretching, which isn’t the case. 

‘Physically you will explore the capabilities of your body in terms of strength, flexibility, mobility and balance, and mentally you will allow yourself to find focus, clarity, concentration and peace.’

FEMAIL decided to take Chris at his word, by sending an affirmed gym bunny (and yoga cynic) to complete an entire month of nothing but yoga, to see if it can really deliver similar results to a high-intensity work-out.

‘Drop the idea of being competitive with anyone else in the room, instead find the things that feel right for your body – it’s not about how it looks, it’s all about how it feels,’ said Chris. 

That said, we were still keen to see whether four weeks of seated twists could really give us a six-pack… 

WEEK ONE: ‘I HATE YOGA’ 

Pictured at the start of the month of yoga

After not attending the gym for a while it was time to get back on track for FEMAIL reporter Natalie Corner, 29, who lives in London. Pictured at the start of the month of yoga

Having only taken a few yoga classes in the past, I went into the first class in the middle of a busy week as a virtual beginner.

It was stressful (to say the least) trying to contort my body into an array of positions that I didn’t fully understand.

Concentrating on breathing while trying to avoid falling flat on my face in front of a 25-strong class also proved a struggle.

After two more classes like this, I really wasn’t enjoying it. In fact, I hated yoga. I’m the type of person that will do something once, expect to get the hang of it, and prepare to move to the next level – this was not the case with my introduction to yoga. 

WEEK TWO: ‘I’M A CONVERT’

After two weeks I can comfortably do the Vriksasana or tree pose

The Trikonasana a twisting triangle pose

After two weeks I can comfortably do the Vriksasana or tree pose, and the Trikonasana, a twisting triangle pose

An early attempt at an utkatasana or chair pose - the bottom should be lower in line with the knees, and balance with the arms

An early attempt at an utkatasana or chair pose – the bottom should be lower in line with the knees, and balance with the arms

At the start of week two I attended a very calming Sunday class all about yoga fundamentals and, in hindsight, this was a turning point.

I wasn’t thinking about work, I wasn’t thinking about the hour-long commute after an already long day, I truly was in the room.

I learned how exactly to manoeuvre myself into position and was helpfully corrected by the teacher. I should have started with this class but my schedule didn’t allow.

Every session at Another Space begins with the teacher speaking about setting your intention for the class – thinking about what you want to achieve and applying yourself to your practice. While some people find this idea too spiritual, the idea helps to focus and concentrate on only the exercise and nothing else and I was already a convert.

WEEK THREE: ‘I CAN BALANCE WITHOUT FALLING’ 

After the first attempt I can balance on my hands in the baksana or crow pose. The position you start in combined with breathing helps to keep it stable

The position you start in combined with breathing helps to keep it stable - but the leg starts to slip (right

After the first attempt I can balance on my hands in the baksana or crow pose. The position you start in combined with breathing helps to keep it stable – but the leg starts to slip (right)

My knobbly knees make this pose difficult, my tight hamstrings are loosened with the lunge before twisting and planting the hand and grabbing hold of my opposite hand 

My knobbly knees make this pose difficult, my tight hamstrings are loosened with the lunge before twisting and planting the hand and grabbing hold of my opposite hand 

The amount of lessons I was attending were extremely intense and the classes became harder as the teachers – a different one almost every time – encouraged you to push your stretch further.

The positions for me were the goal and the upper body strength I developed was just a bonus

As I’m someone who would rather sweat it out in the gym with a set of weights yoga became a different challenge.

I was sweating considerable amounts, perhaps more so than I ever did in the gym. My workout clothes were soaked and it was a pain doing more than two washes a week in a shared house of four people. 

By now the positions were the goal and the upper body strength I developed was just a bonus.

By week three I was able to do a crow pose (‘baksana’) on the first attempt, balancing on my hands without falling, along with a low lunge grabbing a foot with my hand -which felt extremely complex.

A simple part of the sun salutation actually proves quite challenging, planting your arms on your lower back and bending is pretty uncomfortable

A simple part of the sun salutation actually proves quite challenging, planting your arms on your lower back and bending is pretty uncomfortable

WEEK FOUR 

I lost a few extra pounds during my solid month of yoga and managed to go down a dress size – inspired by the exercise I also made sure to eat healthily cutting out as much sugar as possible.

In week four I felt more confident easing into the poses, and became familiar with the routines of the flows.

Yoga is made up of around 84 basic poses that can be developed and made more challenging with different adjustments.

While a six-pack didn't magically appear, after four weeks I had lost a few extra pounds and dropped a dress size

While a six-pack didn't magically appear, after four weeks I had lost a few extra pounds and dropped a dress size

While a six-pack didn’t magically appear, after four weeks I had lost a few extra pounds and dropped a dress size

This tests your body to its ultimate limits and I certainly felt new muscles popping out every session.

Even though I am not flexible in any way, the more I practised and breathed in the right positions, the better I became.

Did I achieve a six pack after a month? No. But the strength I gained helped tone my figure and if I was to progress further I’m sure the six pack would pop out in about a year…

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