What’s up yoga fam?

Today’s post is all about the CORE, how to work it, how to strengthen it, how to build upon what you have, how to fire it up, how to tone it, and…. this sentence could legit never end.

In everything we do, especially our yoga practice, it’s CRUCIAL to engage, activate, and use the core.

So what does that even mean?

I know it’s repeated hundreds of thousands of times across the fitness community – but why is it so crucial?

Well, per usual, I got you… please keep reading (then get ready to work)!

And if you want to try another short core class here you go: Intense Core Strength Workout: 20 Minute Yoga Practice

First off – let me clear up the misconception about what you core is and isn’t.

It Is:

• Both the front side body and the back side body.
• Your power center from where all movement should originate.
• The location of your third chakra, the place where you literally fire into action/creation/movement.

It Is Not:

• Your abs or what would be your abs (it’s so much more).
• A place of negativity, scorn, or false beliefs (your body is beautiful, never forget that).
• To be forgotten – it’s a powerful center that should be utilized, always.

Now that we’re on the same page, why should you do core work and how does it benefit your yoga practice.

Let me speak from personal experience here…..

I’m a naturally bendy human being, it’s a byproduct of gymnastics/cheerleading, but after practicing yoga for a few years, I was experiencing SERIOUS lower back pain.

This pain transformed into self-induced sciatica and that’s when my practice had to change – like pretty drastically. I broke up with yoga for a few months, let my body rest and refuel, started regularly seeing a chiropractor, and now I’m on the journey to learning my body & how to move it properly.

It’s a work in progress.

But my biggest takeaway from the entire experience was this – where there’s flexibility, there’s vulnerability, which equals injury. To combat this situation, strength has to exist. And not just yoga strength, but cross-training type strength, and hence why the exercises below mimic an aerobic type workout.

Aside from preventing injury, integrating core exercises into your yoga practice will drastically improve the below –

• Arm balances, like crow pose.
• Inversions, like headstand, forearm balance, and handstand.
• A greater understanding of your body mechanics which will quickly translate into your movements.

And with all of that said – unroll your yoga mats, throw on your favorite yoga threads, and let’s do this yogis.

How’s that middle region feeling?

I’m hoping fired up, motivated, strong, and also stretched and open?

You should be feeling all the feels! 

If you’re a yoga teacher and wanting to incorporate these core exercises into your class, here’s a quick recap of the sequences:

• Downward facing dog – plank pose (back and forth, 5x)
• Plank pose – knee to tricep (1ox each side)
• Plank pose – step foot outside wrist, drop hips/open heart, back to plank pose (5x each side)
• Side plank + thread hand through (5x each side)
• Plank + knee boxes (5x each side)
• Reverse tabletop – swing throughs (3-5x)
• Upavsita konasana (lying down)  + core work (10 x + pulse at the top)

Want more core? Check out this flow: Core Yoga Practice: Fire Up Your Solar Plexus

Until next time – xoxo.