The newest Instagram trend is out of this world.
Yogis are posting videos of themselves contorting their stomachs into unnerving shapes that closely resemble what you might imagine an alien torso would look like.
But the trend, dubbed alien yoga, is actually known as Nauli, and it’s been around for a long, long time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSb6nMkDLnY/The traditional yoga move is supposed to “cleanse” the digestive system and strengthen the core through a series of abdominal movements.
According to Nauli.org, the somewhat unsettling move is challenging but can be easily mastered by anyone, regardless of age or experience level. However, the website recommends learning from a skilled yoga teacher, as it can cause discomfort if done improperly.
“Nauli cleanses the internal organs and tones the abdominal region via a side-to-side rolling motion of the abdominal muscles,” the website states.
To achieve the four moves of Nauli, you have to first master “”Uddiyana bandha,” which is where you empty your lungs and pull your abdomen under your rib cage. Next, you perform Madhyana Nauli, Vama Nauli and Daksina Nauli— which isolate and contract the central, left and right side of the abdominal muscles.
In addition to stronger abs and better digestion, performing Nauli is also said to correct hormonal imbalances, keep your organs in tiptop shape, improve willpower and produce happiness and emotional stability. Which, wow.
Basically, the trend is the complete opposite of drinking that unicorn Frappuccino you Instagrammed.