Enhance your abdominal strength by regularly performing these three yoga postures, according to a yoga instructor.
Strengthen Your Core with Yoga: Expert Tips from Gwenn Jones
Gwenn Jones, the founder and director of Auburn Yoga & Fitness, emphasises the importance of a strong core in yoga. Core muscles, she explains, protect the body's vital organs and maintain posture in various positions, from standing and balancing to walking and sitting [1][3].
Jones recommends the bird dog hold as an effective exercise for strengthening the core. To perform this pose, balance on hands and knees, extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back (both parallel to the floor), hold the position for 3-5 breaths while keeping the abs tight and hips square, then alternate sides [3]. This move engages the back, core, and glute muscles, challenges balance, and strengthens the posterior chain [3]. For increased core engagement, Jones suggests pressing the grounded foot into the floor and flexing the foot of the raised leg [3].
Another exercise Jones recommends is the bear hold. To perform this exercise, get on hands and knees with a flat back, tuck your toes, and raise your knees just off the mat. Pause for five breaths (or to fatigue), then return your knees to the mat [2]. The bear hold challenges the core, hamstrings, shoulders, chest, quads, and ankles. To maintain correct form, keep shoulders over wrists, biceps facing forward, upper back engaged, glutes and legs engaged, and resist the temptation to raise knees higher [2].
The side bend exercise is another recommended move by Jones. To perform this, stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, arms extended to the sides, turn the right foot to the side, activate muscles in legs, upper back, and core, lengthen your spine, lift your crown, inhale as you reach to the right, pause, exhale and lower your right arm, raise your left arm, hold for three to five breaths, return to the start, then repeat on the other side [3]. This exercise works multiple muscle groups, including the hamstrings, quads, glutes, abdominals, hip flexors, upper back, arms, and shoulders.
Maintaining correct form is crucial in the side bend. Keep your hips in line with your body, and if your buttocks drop backward, the side bend is likely too low. Raise your torso higher to pull your hips forward into alignment [3].
Jones, who has been a personal trainer for 25 years and is certified at four levels through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), also recommends the triangle pose for strengthening the core. No further details about the triangle pose are provided [1].
References:
[1] Auburn Yoga & Fitness. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://auburnyogaandfitness.com/about-us/
[2] Jones, G. (n.d.). Bear Hold Exercise. Retrieved from https://auburnyogaandfitness.com/exercise-library/bear-hold-exercise/
[3] Jones, G. (n.d.). Bird Dog Hold Exercise. Retrieved from https://auburnyogaandfitness.com/exercise-library/bird-dog-hold-exercise/
Yoga includes exercises, such as the bird dog hold and bear hold, that significantly enhance core strength and flexibility. By engaging the back, core, and glute muscles, these poses not only strengthen the body but also challenge balance and strengthen the posterior chain. The side bend exercise also targets multiple muscle groups, improving overall fitness and wellness. Jones, a seasoned personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise, advocates for maintaining correct form in all exercises to ensure effectiveness and prevent injury, especially in the side bend and triangle pose. Overall, practicing yoga as part of a health-and-wellness routine contributes to a stronger, healthier, and more balanced body.
