Both yoga and CrossFit [1] have been essential in strengthening my core, but when I'm not firing up my abs doing thrusters [2], working on pull-ups [3], or doing countless reps of knees to bar [4], these are the core-blasting yoga poses I do every week. Some are basic and some are pretty advanced, so choose the ones that best suit your ability.
Warrior 3
- Stand with your feet together. Inhale as you extend your arms out wide in T position or straight overhead for a more advanced variation.
- Exhale as you bend forward at your hips, lifting your right leg straight behind you coming into Warrior 3 [6].
- Draw your navel toward your spine, and hold for five breaths.
- Then come to stand, lower your right leg, and repeat with the left leg lifted for another five.
Standing Hand to Big Toe D
- Stand with your feet together in Mountain pose.
- Ground firmly with your left foot then raise your right leg into the air. Bring your hands to your hips.
- Straighten and lift your right leg as much as you can, keeping your shoulders stacked over your hips. If this is too hard, bend your right knee.
- Flex your right foot, holding here for five breaths.
- Release and repeat on the other side.
Extended Standing Straddle
- Stand so your feet are parallel and about three to four feet apart.
- Inhale to extend your arms straight above you. With strong legs, exhale as you hinge at your hips, holding your torso parallel to the floor.
- Focus on drawing your belly in, and shift your weight forward toward your toes. If this causes too much strain on your lower back, bring your hands to your hips or thighs for support.
- Stay in Extended Standing Straddle for five breaths.
Plank
- Come into plank position with your legs and arms straight and shoulders stacked over your wrists.
- Pull your belly button in toward your spine and hold for five deep breaths.
Knee-Up Plank
- Come into plank position with your legs and arms straight and shoulders stacked over the wrists.
- Bend your right knee and squeeze it into your chest. Hold here in Knee-Up Plank for five breaths.
Jump Up
- From Downward Facing Dog, bend your knees and come onto the balls of the feet.
- Inhale to gently hop your feet forward between your hands. Use your abs to slow down your lower body so you can land softly without making a sound.
- Do a total of five jumps.
Four-Limbed Staff
- Begin in plank position. Bend your elbows straight behind you, brushing them against the sides of your body, lowering into Four-Limbed Staff (Chaturanga).
- Keep your body parallel to the ground and your shoulders parallel with your elbows. Draw your navel toward your spine to protect your lower back, holding for five breaths.
Dolphin Plank
- From Downward Facing Dog [7], inhale and shift your weight forward coming into plank position.
- Exhale as you lower onto your forearms so that your shoulders are stacked directly above your elbows and your body is parallel with the floor.
- Dolphin Plank is an intense pose, so if you can't hold for five breaths, lower one or both knees to the floor.
Superman to Hollow Hold
- Begin on the floor on your belly and raise your arms and legs into the Superman Hold [8]. Hold here for a solid three seconds, actively engageing the glutes and hamstrings.
- Without using your hands or feet for help, roll to the right side and onto your back, coming into a Hollow Hold. Make sure you're actively pressing your lower back into the floor and drawing your belly button into your spine. Keep your arms and legs as low to the ground as possible while still keeping your lower back pressed into the mat.
- Roll to the right, coming back into Superman Hold for three seconds.
- Roll to the left, holding Hollow Hold for three seconds.
- Roll to the left, coming back into Superman Hold for the another three seconds.
- Repeat this cycle for 30 seconds.
Side Plank
- Begin in Downward Facing Dog [9]. Step both feet together so your big toes are touching.
- Move your right hand over to the left so it's at the centre of your mat (still at the top of your mat). Roll over to your right side and plant your right heel down so you are balancing on the outside edge of your right foot, stacking your flexed feet.
- Reach your left arm up above you and, if you can, gaze up at your palm. Stay here for five deep breaths, trying to keep your core strong and the pose steady.
- Lower your upper hand to the mat. Repeat this pose on the other side.
Balancing Star
- Begin in Downward Facing Dog, and step both feet together.
- Move your right hand to the left about six inches so it's at the upper centre of your mat.
- Step your right foot forward two inches, and plant the sole of your right foot firmly on the mat, so your toes are pointing away from you. Inhale as you roll open to your right side, and lift your left hand off the mat. Raise your left leg up into the air.
- Gaze at your lifted hand and hold Balancing Star for five breaths. Keeping your core engaged will help you stay balanced.
- Repeat this pose on the other side.
Boat
- Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you.
- Bend your knees, and lift your legs off the floor, bringing your knees in toward your chest with your shins parallel to the floor.
- Sit up as tall as you can, and take a breath in as you slowly straighten your legs. Your legs don't need to be straight since the action of keeping your spine long and drawing your belly in is what works your abs here.
- Hold Boat pose for five breaths.
Camel
- Stand on your shins with your knees hips-width distance apart.
- Exhale to lean back, and place your hands on your heels, arching back and allowing your head to fall between your shoulder blades.
- Hold for one breath, then use your abs to lift your torso up. Repeat four more times.
- On the last one, hold Camel for five breaths, focusing on pressing your hips forward to engage your abs, thighs, and glutes.
Intense East
- From a seated position with your legs extended straight out in front of you, place your hands behind your hips about six to eight inches, with your fingers pointing toward your toes.
- As you inhale, press into your hands and feet firmly, lifting your hips into the air. Lift them as high as you can so your spine is in a long line. Slowly release your head back, looking behind you, and open through your throat.
- Stay here in Intense East pose for five deep breaths, then lower your hips to the floor.
Crow
- Begin in a squat, placing your hands shoulder-width distance apart on the mat. Spread your fingers as wide as you can, creating a strong, stable base.
- Straighten your legs slightly, placing your knees as high up onto your triceps (back of your arms) as possible.
- Slowly shift weight into your palms and float your feet off the ground.
- Stay here for five breaths gazing at the floor in front of you.
Eight Crooked Limbs Prep
- Sit on your bum with your legs straight in front of you.
- Bend your right knee, and hold your right foot with your left hand. Bring your right arm underneath your right leg, and use your left hand to help push your right knee as high as you can on top of your right tricep.
- Plant your palms on the floor, and bend your right elbow slightly to keep your knee in place.
- Press into your palms firmly, engage your abs, and with an inhale, lift your hips off the floor. If it's easy, lift your left leg off the ground, too. You're sure to feel a burn in your belly after five breaths.
Headstand B
- Begin on your hands and knees. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace your fingers, bringing your lowest pinkie in front of the other pinkie, forming a semicircle with your hands.
- Place the back of your head against your palms, and the top of your head on the mat, so your skull is vertical with the floor. Once your head and forearms feel stable, straighten both legs and walk your feet toward your face as far as you can.
- Shift your hips over your shoulders, and keep your elbows planted firmly on the mat. Lift both legs into the air, coming into Bound Headstand.
- Stay in Headstand for five breaths, relaxing the jaw as well as the shoulders away from the ears. Take a breath in, and as you exhale, slowly lower both feet toward the mat so they are parallel with the floor. Hold here for another five breaths.
- Inhale and then exhale to raise the legs back up into Headstand. Repeat four more times.
Handstand Split
- Come into Downward Facing Dog. If you're nervous about falling in handstand, do this in front of a wall.
- Raise your right leg into the air, coming into Three-Legged Dog.
- Bend your bottom knee and gently hop off your left foot, lifting the hips so they're balanced over your shoulders.
- Hold your legs in split position, gazing at the ground below you for five breaths, keeping your core tight.
- Lower down and repeat with your left leg lifted.