Yoga finds its origins in ancient India and is a primary philosophical tradition for many Indians. It consists of several physical, mental and spiritual practices which help the human body maintain its vitality over the years. It has also gained international recognition and following.
It is the most trusted and foolproof method of strengthening the body and reshaping it. Yoga has also proved to improve concentration abilities as well as improve one’s mood. Practicing Yoga can lower blood levels, reduce insomnia, increase body flexibility and enables a person to live for a longer time than those who do not practice it. It includes not only physical positions but also makes use of mental processes to tone the body.
Yoga techniques can be implemented to maintain the physique of almost all the body parts, including the face. These exercises can reshape the jawline, laugh line, reduce fat from the cheek and chisel the face.
Facial yoga is a natural way of carving your face. It is free of cost and helps in reducing tension lines and relaxing your face muscles. It makes the face look young and prevents the skin from sagging. By devoting only a few minutes every day, you can perform these facial exercises and target your problem areas while enjoying the comfort of your own home.
Here are some exercises that will help you in slimming your face.
1. Simha Mudra (Lion Pose)
This exercise is effective in toning almost all the facial muscles and is widely popular.
Start with lying on your knees and placing your hands on your thighs. Open your jaw as wide as possible. Stretch your tongue downwards forcefully and breath through your nose. Produce a sound from your throat, resembling that of a lion’s for at least ten seconds.
Repeat this a couple of times while taking relaxation breaks after each repetition and gradually increase your threshold.
2. The Mouthwash Technique
This exercise helps in toning your cheek muscles and reduces the double chin.
In this technique, you need to blow up as much air as possible inside your mouth, while keeping it closed, and move the air from one side of your face, to the other. You can also concentrate the air towards the center of your mouth (behind your lips), towards the top of your mouth and the bottom too.
You can start this exercise by doing two repetitions and holding the air for ten seconds on each side, relaxing after each repetition. You can gradually increase the number of repetitions and how long you hold the air in for.
Another alternative to this technique is to blow up a lot of air in your mouth and just hold it for a good ten seconds, initially.
3. Blowing Air Technique
The Blowing Air Technique targets the chin and neck muscles, reducing excess fat deposited in them. It also naturally lifts the face and makes it look lean.
This technique requires you to sit or stand erect while tilting your head backward. You need to look up at the ceiling and blow air through your lips.
You can also do this exercise by looking up straight. While blowing out air, gently tap the area around your laugh line to increase resistance. This will make the exercise more effective. Make sure that you are not pulling your upper lip downwards. This can increase the distance between your nose and your upper lip, making you look older.
Perform this technique by blowing the air for ten seconds and repeat the same, ten times.
4. Fish Face Technique
Your cheek muscles are stretched and the face gets a clean and chiseled look by performing this technique.
As the name suggests, your face should resemble that of a wish while performing this technique. To do so, you need to suck in your cheeks and lips inwards so that you can almost feel the insides of your left and right cheek touching. You now need to try and smile while holding the fish face and do it until you feel your jaw and cheeks start burning.
You can repeat this exercise five times and relax in between repetitions.
5. Clenching Your Jaw
This exercise will help in reducing the appearance of double chin and reduce the fine lines on the lower half of the face, making you look younger.
In this exercise, you need to pull back the muscles surrounding your jaw and chin until they are tight and stretched out. Your chin muscles must feel tightly stretched. When this happens, release your muscles gradually while inhaling and exhaling from your nose.
You can perform this exercise ten times for ten seconds and gradually increase it to as long as you can hold the burning sensation.
6. Jihva Bandha (Locked tongue Pose)
This yoga technique is great to give your jawline a sleek structured look. It will eliminate excess fat from the jaw area, giving it a carved finish.
You can start off this exercise by assuming the padmasana positions and place your hands on your lap. Place your tongue on the upper wall of your mouth and open your mouth as wide as you can. You should feel your throat and neck stretching. Remember to breathe from your nose while performing this exercise.
You can perform this exercise ten times, each repetition lasting for a minimum of ten seconds.
7. Cheek Uplift
Many people are unhappy about the placement of their cheekbones and turn to surgery to change this. But often times, the results prove to be unsuccessful and it can cause great damage and is an expensive affair.
But Yoga offers a better and inexpensive way of doing the same, naturally. The Cheek Uplift exercise reduces the fat from your cheekbones and makes them look like they’ve been lifted. It results in taut skin and reduces saggy facial skin as well.
To do this exercise, you need to smile as wide as possible without showing your teeth. Then place your index and middle finger of both hands on each side of your cheek and lift the cheeks towards the eyes.
You can hold this position for ten seconds and repeat it two or three times. Remember to relax your muscles in between repetitions.
8. Smile Smoother
This exercise is perfect if you want to tone the area around your lips and lift your cheekbones. With the help of this exercise, you will be able to reduce the fat on your neck and tone your lip area.
Start the exercise by placing your index finger on your chin with gentle pressure and smile. Wrap your lips around your teeth and open and close your jaw while in this position. Gradually start tilting your head backward each time you open and close your jaw. Once you’ve tilted your head upwards as far as you can, bring it back down so that it’s straight. Again, move your jaw while you’re resuming the position of your head.
Perform this exercise three times and take short relaxation breaks in between.
9. Crow’s Feet Reduction
Crow’s feet refer to the wrinkles and the fine lines around your eyes which occur due to the loose and thin skin around the eyes.
To reduce this and firm the skin around your eyes, open your eyes wide. It should look like you’re startled or scared. While doing this, pull your skin backward with the help of your fingers so that the plumping agents in your skin get activated.
Repeat the exercise a couple of times for a minimum of ten seconds.
10. Swan Neck
This exercise helps in firming the skin around your jaw and neck area by strengthening the muscles underneath.
Turn your head towards one side while tilting it back. Clench your jaw muscles so that you can feel them tauten and stretch. The muscles at the side of your neck should lengthen and be engaged. Turn your head towards the other side slowly and repeat the same.
Repeat this exercise twice.
11. Neck Roll
This exercise will work wonders if you want to tighten the skin around your neck and get rid of your double chin at the same time.
Start by keeping your head straight and look forward. Bend your head to one side along your chin and move it in a circular motion. Ensure that your spine is erect and your shoulders aren’t bending. Turn your head to each side in the clockwise and anticlockwise direction.
Perform this exercise ten times in each direction and gradually increase the repetitions.
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12. Neck Massage
Performing this exercise will boost up the collagen and elastin in the skin on your neck and will activate the plumping agents which will help in tightening the skin.
Keep your spine erect and tilt your head backward. Gently pinch the skin on your neck using two or three fingers. Using your index and middle fingers, drag and press on your skin to heat it up a little bit.
Repeat this exercise for a few minutes and relax your muscles after you’re done.
13. SMILE!
Smiling is a great way to reduce the fat on your face and giving it a sharper look. It engages a lot of muscles on your face and reduces the fat deposits underneath the skin. It prevents the skin from sagging and also naturally helps in lifting the cheeks upwards.
These techniques are fairly simple and will require about half an hour to an hour each day. It is important to remember that consistency and regularity are key. You must continue doing these exercises almost every day if you want to see results. For most people, these exercises will display results in five to ten days. The changes on your face will look natural and will help your skin retain its tautness. However, these facial exercises should be performed in moderation, like any other exercise.
For faster and better results, you can also use coconut oil or moisturizers to regenerate the skin and make it look fresh and young.
You can also cut out sugar from your diet and regulate your food intake consciously. This will help in losing the fat on your face but you will need to incorporate facial yoga with your diet to tighten the skin.
As always, it is important to consult a professional Yoga practitioner and a dietician before taking extreme measures.
Remember that Yoga requires discipline, patience, and regularity. Hope you seek positive results!
