Details Updated: 05/11/2019 20:35 Published: 05/18/2013 20:24

Anastasia Listopadova

14 yoga asanas to train the muscles of the face and neck

Anti-aging cream, peeling, botox injections, facelift are well-known anti-aging remedies. Is it possible, without chemicals and expensive procedures, to tighten the skin of the face and neck, prevent premature aging?

Annleise Hagen, a yoga instructor from New York, claims that devoting a few minutes a day to simple asanas from Yoga for the face, you can get rid of existing wrinkles, avoid the appearance of new ones, achieve a face contour lift, remove a double chin, get fresh, elastic skin, forget about botox and plastic surgery.

The complex of radically rejuvenating facial exercises by Annleise Hagen, called Yoga for the face, has already gained quite a lot of fans. Among them are American celebrities - Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow, who look great at their age.

Facial Yoga by Annleise Hagen(Annelise Hagen) is based on a simple principle: the muscles of the face are trainable, just like the muscles of the body. If you do not exercise the muscles of the body, then they become weak and flabby, the same will happen with age with the facial muscles. Annleise Hagen's Facial Exercises Are Designed To Regenerate All 57 muscles of the face and neck, enhancing blood circulation to muscles, improving and strengthening muscle tone.

All one has to do to restore a radiant, youthful complexion is simply to spend 15 minutes every day doing Yoga Facial exercises.

Contraindications for Yoga for the face of Annleise Hagen are diseases of the skin and too fragile blood vessels located very close to the surface of the skin.

Yoga exercises for the face

You can easily do yoga asanas for the face of Annleise Hagen for a few minutes a day, in between times.

1. Exercise Buddha Face

During this exercise, the muscles of the face are smoothed and relaxed. Start with one minute and work up to 2-3 minutes. Close your eyes and concentrate on the point between the eyebrows. Imagine a small, rainbow disc, concentrate on it (eyelids closed).

2. Free Your Tongue Exercise

This is a versatile exercise that has a beneficial effect on blood circulation and facial muscle tone.

Open your mouth wide. Stick out your tongue as much as you can. Hold this pose for 60 seconds. It is good if your eyes become wet, the toxins that have accumulated there go away with moisture.

3. Exercise Surprise Me!

The exercise smoothes forehead wrinkles and between the eyebrows.

Open your eyes wide, as if you are surprised, while trying not to wrinkle your forehead. Focus on a point in front of you for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

Watch online video"Surprise Me" exercises performed by Annleise Hagen

4. Exercise Temple Dancer Eyes

it Exercise for wrinkles around the eyes... It trains the eye ring muscles, prevents sagging of the skin around the eyes and chicken feet.

Slowly move your eyes from right to left and vice versa, while keeping your head straight, do not turn after your eyes.

Watch online video exercises for wrinkles around the eyes

5. Crow fly away exercise

The name of the exercise speaks for itself, we erase the "chicken feet" in the corners of the eyes.

Smile. Place your index fingers at the outer corners of your eyes. Use your fingers to gently pull the skin out to the sides and close your eyes at the same time. Tighten and relax the muscles around your eyes. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.

Watch online video exercises from wrinkles in the corners of the eyes

6. Exercise Smiling fish face

Exercise forms and tones cheeks and lips.

Smile as you purse your lips and fold them in a bow. Pull your lips forward and pull your cheeks in. In this position, try to smile and freeze, strongly straining the corners of your mouth. Count to ten. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

7. Lion Face Exercise

The exercise stretches the muscles of the face (not the skin!) And relieves tension from them.

Inhale deeply through your nose, clench your fists, close your eyes, and tense all the muscles in your face. Exhale through your mouth, stick out your tongue as far as possible, roll your eyes up and unclench your hands. Repeat 3 times.

8. Exercise Marilyn

Exercise keeps lips strong smoothes wrinkles around the lips.

Stretch your neck forward, depict blowing a kiss. Tighten your facial muscles and blow out air. Don't strain your forehead, keep it smooth. Repeat the exercise 4 times. Then press your index and middle fingers to your lips, press lightly. Blow 3-4 kisses.

9. Exercise Monkey

This exercise strengthens the muscles of the jaw and neck very good for the lips.

Tilt your head back a little. Fold your lips with a straw. Stretch your lips up, hold in this position for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position and relax. Repeat the exercise 4 times.

10. The Sphinx smile exercise

Exercise helps to get rid of laugh lines, mimic wrinkles around the mouth.

Smile, lift the corners of your lips upward, trying to maintain a neutral eye expression. Smile with your lips alone, without using your eyes or other facial muscles. Repeat 3-4 times.

11. Puppet face exercise

This exercise smoothes nasolabial folds making the face coarser and older.

Smile, press the nasolabial folds with your fingertips. Smile broadly as you lift your cheek muscles upward, while the pads of your fingers apply additional resistance to the pressure. Repeat 20-30 times.

14. Bumble bees Exercise

The exercise trains the muscles of the cheeks and lips, the lower jaw.

Breathe in through your nose and make a sound as if you are chewing. Exhale slowly through your nose, vibrating the "mmm" sound. Continue until you have enough breath. Repeat 4 times.

Finish the face yoga with the soothing Buddha Face exercise.

Tip: During the exercises, mentally ask yourself the question: "Why am I doing this?" And answer, something pleasant for you, tune in to a positive mood.

Judging by the reviews, visible results can be expected after 2 weeks of yoga for the face. The most important thing is to do it every day.

Summary : Yoga for the face offers a simple, safe and effective solution to help women turn back the clock and preserve their beautiful, youthful-looking skin. In addition, funny yoga exercises for the face give positive emotions and great mood.

In addition to asanas for the face, in the book "Yoga for the face" by Annleise Hagen, separate chapters are devoted to meditation, self-massage techniques, and also classic yoga asanas for a slim, flexible, strong body such as bow, grasshopper, baby, bridge, head / shoulderstand, back crunches, etc.

It is believed that with the help of yoga you can improve stretching, calm your nerves, and if you do asanas at a good pace or with weights, you can lose weight. But recent studies have shown that some postures can improve the condition of the most poorly studied tissue in the human body - fascial.

Fascia- This is the tissue that covers our organs, muscles, ligaments, bones, the inner side of the skin. It is not just a "wrapping" material: its functions are much broader. Due to it, the load on the muscles and joints is distributed more evenly, the skin looks taut and elastic. According to scientists from the Fascia Research Society, it is able to affect the metabolism. That is, having learned how to influence the fascia, you can solve three urgent female problems - extra pounds, the first wrinkles and fragile joints.

"Cardio and power Exercise works well on the muscles, but not the fascial tissue. She is trained by asanas aimed at stretching and twisting the spine. With the help of them, you can work on the deep layers of the skin and thus avoid early aging. The even distribution of the load on the internal organs, arms and legs helps to reduce excess weight and strengthen ligaments, ”says Gwen LAWRENCE, yoga instructor, author of Power Yoga for Sports training.

1. Mountain Pose with Neck Stretch

Increases skin tone in the neck area, relieves tension from the shoulders

Stand up straight with your feet together, your arms relaxed and down at your hips. Tighten your buttocks, draw in your stomach, straighten your shoulders. Close your eyes if desired. Place the palm of your left hand on your right ear and slowly, gently pull your head to the left. Hold this position for 3 breathing cycles, then return to the starting position (move smoothly, do not rush). Change sides. Follow 2 sets.

2. Tree pose

Tightens the skin on the hands, helps to stretch the spine

Stand straight with your hands at your hips, feet together. Press the foot of your right leg against the middle of the thigh of your left leg, raise your arms, palms together over your head. Hold this position for 3 breathing cycles (if it is difficult for you, then 2), then gently lower your leg and arms. Change sides. Follow 2 sets.

3. Crescent Pose

Improves skin tone on the thighs and buttocks, increases metabolism

Stand straight with your hands at your hips, heels together, toes apart. Raise your left hand up. Transfer your weight to your right leg, lift your left leg off the floor (hold it as high above the floor as you can) and, having tilted to the right side, touch the floor with your right hand. Hold this position for 2 breaths, then change sides. Follow 2 sets.

4. Pose with the capture of the foot

Promotes the elimination of cellulite, relieves tension from the lower back

Stand straight with your arms at your hips and your feet together. Bend your right knee at hip level. Grab the middle of her foot with your hands and straighten your leg. Hold this position for 3 breathing cycles, return to the starting position, change sides. Follow 2 sets.

5. Pose of the King of Dancers

Increases the elasticity of the skin on the biceps, helps to stretch the muscles of the arms and outer thighs.

Stand straight with your arms at your hips, feet shoulder-width apart. Transfer your body weight to your left leg, raise your left arm up. Bend your right leg at the knee and, grabbing the toe behind your back with your right hand, lift it up as high as you can. Bend at the lower back. Hold this position for 3 breathing cycles, return to the starting position, change sides. Follow 2 sets.

6. Monkey pose

Eliminates double chin, trains the buttocks.

Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your hips. Raise your arms up and join your palms over your head. Lunge with your right foot forward and lower yourself as low as possible to the floor. Hold this position for 3 breaths, return to the starting position and change sides. Follow 3 sets.

7. Seated Twisting

Removes cellulite from the abdomen, relaxes the back muscles.

Sit on the floor with your legs crossed in front of you, so that the toe of your left leg rests on your right thigh. Place your right hand on the knee of your left leg, put your left hand behind your back and grab the toe of your right leg. Hold this position for 3 breathing cycles, return to the starting position. Change sides. Follow 2 sets.

8. Pose with an incline

Tightens the skin on the abdomen, relaxes the spine.

Sit on the floor with your legs spread apart. Bend your left knee and bring your foot to the inside of your right thigh. Raise your hands up, bend to the right side to the toe of your right foot (try to grab it with your hands). Hold this position for 2 breathing cycles, return to the starting position. Change sides. Follow 3 sets.

9. Boat pose

Improves blood circulation in the deep layers of the skin, subcutaneous fat and pelvic organs.

Sit on the floor, straighten your legs, lower your hands along your hips, and put your palms on the floor. Lean forward, grab your toes with your hands and lift your legs up as high as possible. Try to keep your arms and legs straight. Hold this position for 2 breathing cycles, return to the starting position. Follow 2 sets.

10. Child's pose

Promotes muscle relaxation and soothes the nerves.

Sit on your heels, keep your back straight, and lower your hands down along your hips. Lean forward and, resting your forehead on the floor, extend your arms forward on the floor. Hold this position for 6 breathing cycles, slowly return to the starting position. Follow 2 sets.

Be slim and beautiful with!

Imagine my surprise when many students, whom I suggested, in addition to practicing ordinary Yoga, to introduce into their daily diet also, refused, expressing distrust and "fear of ruining their face." I heard the same prejudices from completely different people from different social strata: “I’ll press somewhere in the wrong place and stretch the whole skin”, “Some wrinkles will go away, while others, mimic ones will appear”, “I’ll only cause myself irreparable harm!”

To be honest, the initial surprise even gave way to irritation and anger. But then I realized that this resistance to Yoga for the face simply showed all the accumulated unconscious fears that my lovely clients fed, stabbing themselves with botex and heliuronic acid to the point of maddening, inserting fillers into all parts of my face and stitching myself with golden threads through and through, like a down jacket.

And then I decided to declare an information war on artificial methods of rejuvenation, not only popularizing the method of natural restoration and maintaining a youthful face, but also highlighting all the terrible consequences that invasive interventions of cosmetologists, not to mention plastic surgeons, often lead to.

Story 1

My friend and student moved to Switzerland and decided to put herself in order. She went to a well-known clinic with a request for lip augmentation. She was advised to insert super modern and completely safe fillers, which were supposed to not only give the lips the necessary charm, but also somehow magically refresh and tone the entire lower third of the face.

However, a few weeks after the procedure, it turned out that my client had an individual intolerance to the substance that was injected to her, and it began to spread all over her face, disfiguring the woman who had fallen into shock in an unpredictable manner. First of all, she ran into that very blade, begging to somehow help her. However, here an even deeper shock awaited her. The doctors said that they had never seen her and did not perform any procedure, and she can only prove the opposite through the court, presenting a paid check for this service. Unfortunately, my friend didn’t keep the check and realized that there was no one to expect help in Switzerland.

She returned to Russia, to a well-known specialist in narrow circles who specialized precisely in correcting such errors. As a result, she underwent many hours of surgery to excision the inner surfaces of the lips and cheeks in order to get the substance that had spread in all directions. In total, about 120 incisions were made, which later turned into scars. Fortunately, outwardly this is almost imperceptible: apart from a slightly slanted to the left grin, he says almost nothing about the injury he suffered.

In each of these cases, which I come across in real life, and do not read somewhere in the newspapers in the gossip, I experience mixed feelings of compassion, resentment, pain and desire to help women who are ready for everything for the sake of beauty, except that it is necessary - to engage in relaxation and proper activation of the facial muscles.

I did not choose this story by chance, all these horrors could have been avoided, and the effect promised by the doctors would have been achieved on their own if my client had obeyed me and regularly performed the complex proposed below.

A COMPLEX OF EXERCISES FOR CHECK AND LOWER FACE MODELING

To achieve the maximum effect, these exercises are recommended to be performed in the proposed sequence, but in the absence of time, you can do them separately.

Exercise 1. "Hood of a cobra or Bhujangasana tongue"

Open your mouth slightly. It should look natural and almost invisible. First, relax your tongue, and then activate it, directing the root and middle of the tongue towards the upper palate, while the tip of the tongue remains relatively relaxed and directed downward. Visualize the shape of your tongue - this is the hood of a cobra, imagine that you can touch your tongue to the sky. Breathe deeply and calmly through your nose.

If you feel that the throat is tightening, this is completely normal, we also work with the appearance of the neck. If at first the language doesn't listen and you can't create the correct form of the tongue, imagine that you are yawning or even fake a yawn - you will immediately understand how it works!

Hold for 30 seconds to a minute. After a month of regular daily practice, the time can begin to increase by 10 seconds per week.

Advice to Experienced Yoga Practitioners. To enhance the effect of this exercise, it is advisable to use Mulabandha. You can also breathe Ujjayi.

Benefit: shaping and strengthening a well-defined oval of the face without a double chin, toning the muscles of the lower third of the face

Exercise 2. "Kiss of Lakshmi"

The mouth is slightly open, check that the upper teeth are clearly over the lower ones. The exercise is performed in several stages.

Activate the muscles of your upper and lower lips, pretending that you are reaching for someone with your lips in a kiss. Gradually, really begin to stretch your lips forward, as if you are now kissing your beloved. It should look completely natural, without exaggerated stretching and protruding of the lips forward, so that if you do this exercise at work or in any other public place, it will be invisible to others. This is more of an internal work of muscles, and if you start to feel small tremors in the upper and lower lips, then you are on the right track. Breathing is carried out by the nose. Execution time 35 seconds. After 2 weeks of regular practice, you can build up 5 seconds a week.
Open your mouth as wide as possible, but try not to strain your throat and jaw muscles. And now, with this jaw position, begin to stretch your lips forward in a kiss, as in the previous exercise. Imagine that you not only want to stretch your lips, but also close them. As actively as possible, push your lips forward and to each other at the same time, it's good if you even have a feeling that the tip of the nose is also starting to stretch down. Breathing and execution time as in option 1.
Advanced option. Activate your tongue as in the Cobra Hood exercise and add a forward extension of the lips as in the first Lakshmi Kiss. At the same time, visualize the stretching of the facial muscles in different directions: the muscles associated with the root of the tongue are pulled back, and the muscles of the mouth area are pulled forward following the movement of the lips. The more clearly you can not only imagine, but also feel this stretch, the more correctly the pumping and toning of the muscles will occur. After 2-3 weeks of practice, add Mulabandha and Ujayi.
Benefit: deep workout of the facial muscles of the cheeks, jaw and chin, activation of the circular muscle of the mouth.

Exercise 3 "Come on, take it away!"

Option 1. Purse your lips so that your facial expression resembles a very offended person - remember the idiom "pout your lips", while your teeth remain open. Now imagine that you have a pen between your lips and someone is trying to take it away, pulls it hard from your mouth, there is a struggle and you win! At the same time, watch out, you can use a mirror so that the lips in no case protrude forward and the upper lip does not wrinkle from the effort. The expression on your face should be completely natural and no one around you at the moment should, observing you, guess that you are training your facial muscles.

Execution time 35 seconds. After 2 weeks of regular practice, you can build up 5 seconds a week.

Option 2. First, activate the circular muscle of the mouth, doing everything as in option 1, and then add work with the muscles that raise and lower the corners of the mouth. To do this, keeping your lips closed and not releasing the handle, smile only with the right corner of your mouth, lower it, returning to the neutral position of no smile. Smile only with the left corner of your mouth, lower it, returning to a neutral position. Smile both corners at the same time.

Repeat this cycle 15 times. After 2 weeks of regular practice, you can start adding 5 cycles per week.

Benefit: strengthening the circular muscle of the mouth and the muscles that raise and lower the corners of the mouth as a prevention of lowering the corners of the mouth and the manifestation of nasolabial folds.

Ivanova Elina, certified Yoga therapist and instructor of Critical Alignment Yoga, instructor of Anti-Gravity Yoga for the face, has been teaching at the Yoga Class studio since 2012.

In order to rejuvenate and improve the condition of the facial skin, both whole yoga complexes and specialized techniques designed to work out individual facial zones can be used. Having calmed the mind and tuned in to the lesson, with the help of special exercises, you can work out even small muscles and get rid of expression lines. The advantage of the complex lies in the effective relaxation of the facial muscles while improving the psychological state through a certain setting.

A complex of yoga exercises specifically for the face area appeared relatively recently. The development of this direction was carried out by yoga instructor Annleise Hagen, who created a program of rejuvenating exercises for the muscles of the face in accordance with the traditions of Eastern practice. Also, an effective yoga complex for influencing this area is presented by Fumiko Takatsu - the author of the Face Yoga Method.

The combination of strengthening and massage exercises from yoga practice allows you to quickly tighten the facial muscles and improve blood circulation in this area.

The principle behind facial yoga is a simple statement: facial muscles are trained in the same way as muscles in other parts of the body. Indeed, with insufficient load, the body becomes weak and saggy - this also happens with facial muscles. The technique allows you to activate and tone all 57 facial and cervical muscles with a simultaneous increase in blood circulation in this area.

Yoga exercises differ from ordinary gymnastics in that they allow you to harmonize your inner state and improve your mood. The complex is performed after preliminary preparation of the body and face in the form of calming the mind and achieving the most relaxed state. The lesson helps to eliminate tension from tired muscles, restore them vigor and freshness, as well as tone them and tighten the face.

Doing yoga for the face is especially important for busy people who spend most of their time in high stress conditions.

Yoga exercises for the face area are indicated in the following cases:

dryness, swelling and sagging of the skin;
sagging and sunken cheeks;
the appearance of wrinkles in various areas of the face;
excessive muscle tension, often associated with a stressful lifestyle;
age-related changes in the shape of the face, the omission of its lower part;
pale or dull complexion.

Since during the classes special attention is paid to the development of facial muscles in individual zones and relaxation of the entire area of the face, this complex contributes to the rejuvenation and restoration of the skin and muscles. During exercise, the epidermis is enriched with oxygen, a light massage is performed, the skin becomes elastic and taut. Yoga is becoming a kind of lifting procedure that ensures that the shape of the face is preserved in a natural way. A high-quality result can be achieved after 3 weeks of classes.

Preparation for the lesson

Since the complex is designed not only to strengthen the facial muscles, but also to create a relaxed state, it is necessary to prepare for a yoga session. It is recommended to carry out several procedures before starting the lesson:

select evening time for the session;
cleanse your face from excess oil and makeup, wash your hands;
Apply a soothing moisturizing cream to your face and hands;
calm your thoughts and enter a relaxed state;
tune your mind to positive and calming vibrations;
choose a place where no one will bother you;
ideal posture - sitting with a straight back;
use a mirror to monitor the correctness of the exercise.

Exercise is best done daily. Try to do your workouts regularly, starting with a 5 minute session and gradually increasing the duration of your facial workouts.

Complex of yoga exercises for facial rejuvenation

For convenience, yoga exercises for the facial area are divided into groups depending on the area being worked out. During one session, you can focus on a particular area, and the next day you can do exercises for a different area. You can also work out several areas of the face in one lesson, if time permits. On average, the duration of the entire complex is about 20 minutes.

During training, watch the alternating work of the muscles: during the tension of one facial muscle, the others should be in a relaxed state.

Exercises for the cheekbones, chin, shoulders and neck

The yoga complex for training the lower face area effectively affects the muscles of the chin and neck area, helps to eliminate sagging skin.

Tilt your head back to your shoulders and press the tip of your tongue against the tubercle of the upper palate. After that, turn your head slightly to the left side and stretch the cervical region as much as possible. Turn to the right and repeat the action. Do 4 repetitions left and right.
Pull your lips far to the left, feeling a pull on the cheek area. Then raise your head and turn it to the left, maintaining the elongated shape of the lips. Feel the neck stretch. Hold for 3 seconds, relax, and then do 3 more reps.
Squeeze all the muscles of your face as tightly as possible so that it takes on the appearance of pronounced discontent: purse your lips, lower the corners of your mouth, grit your teeth and squint your eyes. Fix the position for 7 seconds. After that, adopt the opposite facial expression in the form of a wide-spread smile with a grin and wide eyes. Do 6 rounds of exercise.
Extend your lower jaw as far forward as possible and freeze for 30 seconds. After that, perform the opposite movement - push the jaw deep back also for 30 seconds. Perform similar movements to the sides. The whole cycle is performed 4 times.
Raise your head as high as possible and perform opening and closing movements with your mouth. Try to feel the tension on the lower chin and neck area. Perform the movement for 1 minute.

Exercises for the mouth and nasolabial folds

Consistent execution of the exercise for the mouth area helps to eliminate the nasolabial folds, strengthen the deep muscles along the smile line, and raise the drooping areas of the face.

Try to smile with your lips only, without involving other muscles. The eyes are not included in this exercise. Repeat the movement 4 times.
Smile broadly and press with your fingertips on the area under the nose. Lifting your cheeks with your fingers upward, tighten the muscles. Perform the movement 25 times.
Perform 20 mouth movements as if you were exhaling smoke in the form of rings.
Turn your head to the sides, blowing kisses with your lips. Do 15 reps.
Bring your palms to your temples and pull your face up and down with your hands. At the same time, fix your lips in a position as if you were pronouncing the letter "o", lowering the lower jaw as far as possible. Lock the position for 5 seconds and do 5 repetitions.

Exercises for the cheek area

Strengthening the cheek muscles is the main factor in preventing sagging of the midface. As a result of these exercises, the jawline is also corrected, blood circulation in the cheeks and at the base of the face is restored.

While inhaling, reproduce the sound that is characteristic of chewing food. As you exhale, make a long sound "mmm" until the lungs are completely free. The number of repetitions is 4 times. Inhale and exhale through the nose.
Press your lips together in a bow shape and extend them as far away from your face as possible while pulling in your cheeks. Fix the position for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat 5 more reps.
After drawing air into the cheeks, inflate them and roll the air from left to right in the cheek area. Do 3 repetitions of the movement.
Move your tongue vigorously all over the inside of the mouth. The lips should be compressed, move the tongue from right to left, passing along the lower and upper parts. According to yoga tradition, 36 repetitions of this movement must be performed. Relax after finishing the exercise.

The cheek puffing exercise is called Louis Armstrong after the famous jazz trumpeter. During performances, he also puffed out his cheeks deeply.

Exercises for the forehead and eyebrows

The complex of yoga for the upper face area allows you to eliminate the glabellar, as well as transverse wrinkles. With its help, horizontal wrinkles in the forehead are effectively worked out while simultaneously relieving stress from this area.

Without lifting your forehead muscles, open your eyes as wide as possible. Look forward with open eyes for about 7 seconds, relax and repeat the movement 4 times.
Move the brow area towards the bridge of the nose and freeze for 5 seconds. After that, relax and look surprised by raising your eyebrows up. The number of repetitions is 5 times.
With the fists of both hands, rest on the central part of the forehead and press down with the middle and index fingers. Slowly move the skin in the forehead area with your fists. When you reach the area of the temples, then lightly press on it and lower your hands. Perform the movement 4 times.

Exercises for the area near the eyes

Exercising the muscles near the eyes removes puffiness and fine wrinkles in this area. At the same time, the eyelids and sagging skin are tightened.

Alternate eye winks 10 times.
Use your fingertips to lightly press down on the skin near the outer edges of the eyes. With a slight movement, slightly lift the skin up and close your eyes. Wait 20 seconds and release the skin. Repeat the exercise 5 more times.
With slow movements, move your eyes to the sides, fixing your head in one position. Perform the movement for 30 seconds.
Place your index fingers on your upper eyelids. Pull your eyelids up lightly, while using your muscles to resist the movement of your fingers as you try to close your eyes. Hold for 3 seconds and release your eyelids. Repeat the movement 7 times.

Another great exercise for working out the entire surface of the face and activating blood circulation is to make grimaces and actively engage the facial muscles for 30 seconds.

Contraindications

Yoga performed for the facial muscles has a minimum of contraindications that are associated with the characteristics of the skin:

too close arrangement of vessels to the epidermis;
skin diseases;
injuries and open wounds on the face;
postoperative period.

If you are in strong mental stress, then before the session try to bring yourself into a harmonious state and relax. Take a bath, do breathing exercises, read. This will make the workout more effective, since the right attitude takes an important place in yoga.

Types of yoga for facial rejuvenation

In order to tighten and rejuvenate the face, you can perform not only individual exercises aimed at working out this zone, but also a whole complex of yoga to tone the whole body. In this case, the body is tuned for healing and a high-quality study of all muscles. Improving metabolic and regulatory processes in the body will have a positive effect on the health of the face.

During yoga classes, muscle clamps are eliminated, the body and consciousness relax, and the mind is tuned in to a positive outlook.

There is a wide variety of schools and types of yoga. They are characterized by different approaches to practice, achieved effects and ways of influencing the body. Some of the most popular areas that can help in getting rid of wrinkles and rejuvenating the face are the following:

Hatha. It is a combination of physical and mental influences to achieve a balanced state. This is an effective workout for the whole body, including the face area. Improves blood circulation and body regulation, helps to eliminate tension and clamps.
Kriya. It includes a complex of cleansing measures by carrying out the techniques of yoga breathing and opening the chakras. Breathing exercises are very effective in oxygenating the body, in particular the face, which helps to get rid of wrinkles and relax the muscles in the facial area.
Kundalini. This type of yoga is aimed at increasing the energy concentrated in the lower chakra and lifting it up the spine. This is accomplished through meditation, breathing, and exercise. By increasing the energy content of the whole body, blood circulation and nutrition of the facial muscles are improved, which helps to rejuvenate and tighten sagging skin.
Iyengar. This is a kind of subspecies of the Hatha Yoga direction, which contributes to the achievement of a hardy and harmonious body through the use of static exercises. As a result, the muscles of the whole body are strengthened, even the smallest facial muscles, the skin of the face is effectively tightened and wrinkles are eliminated.
Ashtanga Vinyasa. The main emphasis in this yoga is placed on the dynamic performance of exercises, interconnected and smoothly passing one into another. Special attention is paid to breathing and focusing on certain parts of the body for a burst of energy, including the muscles of the face. This allows you to work out the facial muscles in an energetic and physical sense, improving blood circulation and nerve conduction in the facial area.

Whichever direction of yoga you choose to rejuvenate the facial area, exercises will effectively affect the entire body. Some types of yoga, such as hatha, iyengar and ashtanga vinyasa, are more focused on physically working out the body and strengthening the muscles, which will tighten the face and strengthen the muscles. Others, such as kundalini and kriya, primarily imply energetic and respiratory effects on the body to improve blood circulation, nerve conduction, remove clamps and, as a result, get rid of wrinkles and relax the face.

Inverted yoga poses, such as the shoulderstand, are very effective for facial rejuvenation. They should be performed with caution, after strengthening the whole body. They prevent ptosis and reverse the aging process.

Lately, many people - from “desperate housewives” to Botox-addicted celebrities who are ready to do anything to delay the approach of old age (yes, we mean you, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston) - are turning to yoga to slow down at least a little. inexorable passage of time. This is not about downward-facing dog exercises, but about yoga for the face.

Facial yoga is a series of exercises that promise the same effect that regular yoga has on your body: relaxing and toning your muscles. Reading these lines, you raised your eyebrows in bewilderment? This is face yoga (or something like that). So, I decided to find out if these special (not to say comic) facial exercises really prevent sagging skin and wrinkles, or even have a rejuvenating effect.

Yoga for the face: pros and cons

Some plastic surgeons and dermatologists think facial yoga is complete nonsense. "The earlier you start doing yoga for the face, the sooner you get wrinkles, says cosmetic and plastic surgeon Jeffrey Spiegel. - Wrinkles do not appear due to a decrease in muscle elasticity, it's all about changes in the structure of the skin. Repetitive movements create extra folds on the skin of the face. It's like folding a piece of paper. " Need more explanation? Even if you have facial muscles like the Hulk, it doesn't matter because cause the appearance of wrinkles is the stretching and bending of the skin.

However, those who disagree with this point of view argue that facial yoga helps to relax the face and ultimately reduce the amount of tense expressions that involuntarily appear on our face every day. As a result, this relaxation of normally tense facial muscles can provide natural face skin tightening. Why would you need Botox to freeze your muscles to keep you relaxed when facial yoga can do the same thing naturally?

“Relaxation of the facial muscles, especially in areas of constant tension - for example, in the jaw, eyebrows and forehead - can prevent the daily appearance of grimaces that cause wrinkles on our faces,”

Says Anneliese Hagen, yoga instructor from New York and author of Facial Yoga: Get Rid of Wrinkles with a Natural Face Lift.

“The muscles in the face cannot lift weights or walk on the treadmill, so you need to press with your fingertips or adopt certain facial expressions to strengthen and tone them,” she adds. "I will never say that facial yoga eliminates all wrinkles, but it can definitely slow down the tendency to sagging skin."

Yoga for the face - 6 exercises at home

Well, the question of the effectiveness of yoga for the face is still open. But I got enough evidence to try this remedy myself. Here are six facial yoga exercises that I think are doing more good than harm.

1. "This is a surprise"

Smoothing the skin on the forehead

Open your eyes as wide as possible so that the maximum surface of the protein is visible. Hold until your eyes start to moisturize.

How it works: according to Hagen, this exercise trains the muscles around the eyes and forehead, eliminating the negative effects of frowning.

2. "Puffy cheeks"

Strengthening the cheeks

Take a deep breath with your mouth and puff out your cheeks like a frog; then exhale.

How it works: this exercise strengthens the muscles in the cheeks and prevents them from becoming thin and sunken. “Look at the people who play the saxophone - they always have strong cheeks. Using muscles in a specific way can change the appearance of your face. So do this exercise if you want tight, tall, rounded cheeks, ”says Hagen.

3. "Geese, geese, fly away"

Elimination of the effect of "crow's feet"

Try winking with your lower eyelid. Pretty hard, isn't it? Hagen says it takes a little practice and the brain will quickly learn to do it. First, gently lift and lower your lower eyelid without moving any other muscles in your face. Then press your finger slightly on the outer fold of the crow's feet. This will create pressure that the muscles will work against. The key is not to stretch or twitch the skin, Hagen says, because the area is very sensitive. You also need to cleanse and lightly moisturize your skin so it doesn't get too tight.

How it works: training the muscles around the eyes strengthens the skin and prevents it from bending, which causes wrinkles.

4. "The face of the puppet"

Raising the nasolabial folds

Smile showing your teeth. Then, lightly press your fingertips into the folds between your nose and lips. Lift your muscles up and press down with your fingertips for a little resistance.

How it works: One of the main signs of youth is plump, round cheeks, which is why some people use injectable drugs to increase the volume of their cheeks. Instead, Hagen advises trying this exercise, which "strengthens the muscles so that the cheeks don't sag." “When you press your fingertips against your facial muscles, they exert resistance, which makes them stronger and fuller,” she says.

5. "Chick"

Prevention of sagging skin on the chin and neck

Press the tip of your tongue to the palate, then smile and swallow. In this case, your chin should be directed towards the ceiling.

How it works: usually face never suffers from lack of sunscreen ( ), which cannot be said about the neck. That is why one of the first places where signs of aging appear is in the neck. Hagen says this exercise “is great for tightening the skin on the jaw, since you are training your chewing muscles and platysma, ie. the muscle that is located in the upper chest, collarbone and neck. "

6. Face of Buddha

Relaxing the face and giving it a neutral expression

Meditation can not only calm the mind, but it can also smooth out the wrinkles on your face. The good news: This is the simplest facial yoga exercise. According to Hagen, all you have to do is "imagine the Buddha's face superimposed on your face as if using Photoshop." Just close your eyes, mentally picture the point between your eyebrows and smile a little.

How it works: Hagen says this exercise can "help get rid of the characteristic grimaces" and acts like restarting your computer. “Most people don't even know they are grimacing. This happens unconsciously. But such repetitive grimaces cause wrinkles. This exercise helps to compensate for the negative effects of distorted facial features. "