A strong core provides a lot of
benefits to a yoga asana practice. I love that it helps make some
challenging poses like bakasa (crow pose), adho mukha vrksasana
(handstand) and astravakrasana (eight angle pose) more accessible.
I've been taken with handstand for sometime now and I'm ready to get
serious about pressing up verses kicking up. But, to do that I'm
going to need more core strength.
So, for the month of May I'm going to
challenge my core. Are you up for the challenge? Inspired by a yogi
friend and fellow teacher, I'm going to do core exercises every day
in May. I'm hoping that this will lay the foundation for a
breakthrough with handstand, but a stronger core will have lots of
other benefits.
The core muscles located on the front
AND back of the body, help align the spine, ribs and pelvis. They
help to fuel the energy center of Manipura Chakra , the fire center.
This chakra bridges the upper and lower chakras providing energy to
all of them. Think of it as the central heating furnace in your home.
The stronger the core, the more energy to be shared. Knowing how to
activate and connect to that energy can help you draw upon the energy
when needed.
These muscles also protect the spine
and abdominal organs, create stability and balance in the body, and
good facilitate posture. I'm all for that. The strength of the core
allows your body to safely complete daily tasks like picking up
children, turning around to pass something and playing sports.
Finally, there's the vanity factor. Let's face it, who doesn't feel a
little better in jeans or a swimsuit when your core is tightened and
toned.
To keep it interesting, here are some
of my favorite core exercises. If you're up for the challenge, try
for 108 or 108 seconds depending on the work. It can be done all at
one time or break it up throughout the day. Be sure to counter your
core work with a nice stretch. Bhujangasana (cobra pose) or a
reclined twist will usually feel good and provide some relief after
core work.
Namaste!
Navasana
Sit-Ups:
Exercise
Begin in navasana (boat pose), with and inhale transition to ardha
navasana, exhale back to navasana.
Modifications
Hands can be on the ground for support, you can also keep the toes
on the ground and extend one leg at a time.
Variations
Parsva navasana (side boat pose), shift weight to the left glute,
reach hands to the right, find the same transition to ardha navasana
keeping the weight on the left and hand to the right. Be sure to
switch and do the other side.
Row the boat – begin in navasana with hands at heart center. Turn
to the right and dip the right elbow down in a rowing motion, then
take the same motion on the left side. Continue to alternate from
right to left.
Vasistasana:
Exercise
Find vasistasana (plank pose) and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Modifications
Knees can be down on the ground, but continue to engage the core.
Forearms can also be down.
Variations
Utthita Vasistasana (extended plank). Find vasistasana and lift the
right toes off the ground, actively press out the ball of the right
foot. Repeat on the left side.
Side Vasistasana (side plank). Balancing on one stagger the feet
one in from of the other or stack. For additional challenge, hover
the top foot off the ground.
Leg Lower
Exercise
Recline, keep the hips on the ground and reach the feet up, so the
legs make a 90* angle with the body. Slowly, lower one leg at a time
to hover off the floor.
Modifications
Knees can be bent and hands can be placed under the hips for
support.
Variations
Extend arms over the head.
Add a twisting motion, bring the hands to the back of the head,
elbows and twist toward the top leg (i.e. left leg lowers, twist to
the right), hands can also extend.
Reverse the action by hovering the feet and then lifting one at a
time to 90*.
Sirsasana
Exercise
Find sirsasana (headstand) and hover the legs in a tuck or pike
position. ***Please do not attempt if you are unstable in sirsasana
or have ANY neck issues.***
Variations
Tuck the legs and bring the
knees down to hover on the left side. Then, lift up and repeat on
the right side.
