Elevate Your Yoga Practice with Uddiyana Bandha: The Secret to Stronger Breath Control and Core Engagement

Udiya Bandha is the stomach lock. It is the second of three internal body "locks" used in asana and pranayama practice to control the flow of energy (prana) in the body. Each lock seals a specific part of the body. The first lock is Moola Bandha (root lock) and the third is Jalandhara Bandha (throat lock). When all three are used together, it is called Maha Bandh, which means the great world. In Sanskrit, udyana (pronounced oo-di-yana) means "to fly," which very accurately describes the feeling of drawing the abdomen in and up required for this bandha. Udiya Bandha tones, massages and cleanses the abdominal organs and deep internal muscles.

How to tie Udiya Bandha
Udiya Bandha is easiest to learn in a standing position as the abdomen is not contracted. Come to stand with your feet as wide as the yoga mat. Bend your knees slightly and bring your palms up to your thighs just above your knees. Keep your arms straight.

Start by incorporating Mula Bandha. Briefly, this is done by drawing the pelvic floor starting from the perineum. Once you close the mouth, exhale, then inhale. To do this, draw the stomach in and up without taking air into the lungs. Hollow out the abdomen completely, drawing it under the rib cage. It is advised that you also take Zalandar Bandha at this time. Try to hold this position with all three bands active for a count of 10. To release, relax the abdomen and inhale. You can repeat this exercise three times.

When you are not used to holding your abdominal muscles like this, the feeling is very intense. You may also have abs the next day. Once you get used to the feeling, you can begin to see how the drawing of the pelvic floor in Moola Bandha naturally leads to the drawing in and up of the abdomen, which leads to the tucking of the chin that initiates the neck lock. This way the band works together.

Bandha of Udia when
In Iyengar yoga, bandha is usually performed separately from asana, often at the end of a session of asana. Ashtanga yoga offers a different approach. In Ashtanga, Mula and Udiya bands should be used in all postures. This is one of the basic principles of Ashtanga. However, Udiya Bandha is defined slightly differently in Ashtanga sources. It is usually described as more toning of the abdomen, pulling it towards the spine but not below the rib cage. This allows for normal breathing when the bandha is activated.