Living Yoga

The first things I used to think of when I heard the term “core strength” was a flat tummy and ripped abdominals. Yes, those can be nice too, but are secondary in yoga. Not everyone with ripped abs has core strength.

Having core strength in a yoga practice (and in your life) allows you to open up your posture, giving more space for your lungs and other internal organs to function at their best and in turn creating more strength and flexibility in your body. Primarily in yoga when we refer to the core we’re talking about the inner core, not the external abdominal muscles that crunches and sit-ups build.

Try this: Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair and close your eyes. Notice how your butt is resting on the seat and how your lower back and belly respond to that. If your lower back is arched, you’re not engaging your core. Now imagine that you’re tucking your tailbone underneath you and drawing your belly button back in towards your spine. Keep breathing. This action should bring your sit bones more firmly on your seat (this also helps with hip flexibility) and your lower back to lengthen upwards. Notice what it did to the rest of your body. Probably your chest and shoulders are now more open and confident. Did it change your attitude also? It changes mine.

That’s an awareness exercise and from there you can take that core awareness to more difficult exercises like boat pose and scale pose. It is a simple action that takes little effort and creates more space in your body to breathe and function. Keep reminding yourself during your yoga practice or any other time of the day and notice how it changes everything.

Flat tummy and ripped abs are simply icing on the core cake.