The following techniques are only suitable (and advisable) for people who are reasonably flexible and not carrying too much excess weight. It is also important to remember that the exercises should be carried out carefully, gently and, above all, sensibly. Only push your body as far as it can “comfortably” go. The “no pain, no gain” mantra has no place in Hatha Yoga. Finally, allow a couple of hours to pass between eating and attempting these exercises.
The following practice is called NAULI and can be split into two stages. Once you've mastered the first then the second should prove straightforward. The first stage is called UDDIYANA and here's how to do it:
Dressed with loose-fitting clothing or (preferably) little or no clothing at all stand with the feet apart. Lean forward and place the hands on the thighs just above the knees with the fingers pointing inwards. Slowly exhale until you've expelled as much air as you can from your lungs then pull the abdominal muscles back towards the spine. Hold for a second then relax, letting the muscles fall back to their original position. Repeat the process four or five times in as many seconds before slowly filling your lungs with air. Immediately exhale and do another round of abdominal lifts.
You will probably be capable of more than five lifts per exhalation but at this early stage it is more important to master the process. As the muscles strengthen you can add a few lifts to each exhalation now and again until you are able to comfortably do twenty or thirty. Four or five rounds of lifts is adequate for most people although you can easily aim for more if you wish. But GENTLY does it. NEVER overtax the lungs or the muscles. Your breathing should always be smooth and controlled, inwards and outwards. Remember that patience is the order of the day.
Once you have become comfortable and familiar with the process of UDDIYANA then you can have a go at NAULI proper. Here's how:
Once you've exhaled and lifted the abdominal muscles back towards the spine try to make the central recti muscles stand out. This can be difficult to achieve at first. It's a little like patting your head and circling your stomach at the same time. Try tensing your fingers on your thighs to help isolate the muscles. Don't be downhearted if you can't do it at first. Keep working at UDDIYANA and all of a sudden you will find that you can make the central recti muscles stand out in a vertical line. This is NAULI.
Once you've managed to isolate the recti muscles you can slowly learn how to tense and relax each muscle in turn so that the abdomen rolls like a wave from side to side. This technique takes time but with practice you will get there quickly enough.
The benefits of NAULI should be obvious. The abdominal muscles will not only become stronger and harder but, unlike banal sit-ups, you will gain full control of these muscles, and their natural position will soon be hard up under the rib cage rather than hanging “loose”. Your figure will improve and daily practice will ensure that any digestive problems you may have will soon disappear. Fifteen minutes or so per day will be sufficient time, although you can devote more time to NAULI if you so wish. Just build up your number of lifts slowly. The body needs time to develop. Some yogis think nothing of doing over a thousand lifts per session but this is extreme and unnecessary.
After time you may wish to adopt some other Hatha Yoga postures to strengthen and condition other parts of your body. There are many but most yogis make use of only a dozen or so. NAULI is not about punishment or pain like some other forms of “exercise”; it is about learning to gently gain control of your body. Take your time, concentrate and, above all, enjoy the process.
