This sequence is made up of poses that will improve your core\nstrength and help flatten your abs. While doing yoga is not the best way to get\na six-pack, you can expect to significantly tone and strengthen your belly.\nStrengthening your core can also help relieve back pain and improve your\nposture (nothing makes your belly look bigger than slouching!). Many of the\nposes recommended below are balances, which are a great way to work the core.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10 YOGA Pose FOR CORE STRENGTH <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CAT & COW POSES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

• Let’s get started by coming onto all fours with your knees underneath your hips and your wrists underneath your shoulders.<\/li>
• Do a few\u00a0Cat-Cow Stretches\u00a0to warm up, arching your back on your inhalations and rounding your spine on your exhalations.\u00a0Remember to keep your belly hugging in throughout both motions.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

  HAND & KNEE\nBALANCE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • Return to your hands and knees with your spine in a neutral position.<\/li>
  • Lift your right leg and straighten it, holding it\u00a0parallel to the floor. Flex your right foot strongly.<\/li>
  • When you feel stable, raise your left\u00a0arm, also parallel to the floor.<\/li>
  • Stay in\u00a0Hands and Knees Balance\u00a0for 5\u00a0breaths.<\/li>
  • Repeat\u00a0with the left leg and right arm raised.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Challenge Variation:<\/strong> If you need\nan extra challenge, bend the right knee and reach around your back with\nyour left arm to hold your right ankle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    DOWNWARD DOG\nSPLITS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • Come back onto all fours. Curl your toes under and draw your hips back as you straighten your legs into\u00a0Downward Facing Dog.\u00a0Keep your belly hugging in towards your spine.<\/li>
    • On an inhale, raise your right leg until it is roughly parallel to the floor, coming to a\u00a0Down Dog Split. It’s OK to lift your leg higher if you can do so while keeping your hips squared towards the floor.\u00a0<\/li>
    • Hold for 5\u00a0breaths.<\/li>
    • Repeat with the left leg lifted.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Challenge Variation: <\/strong>Slowly take your extended leg\nin three big clockwise circles. Follow up with three big counter-clockwise\ncircles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      PLANK POSE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • Come forward into\u00a0Plank Pose.<\/li>
      • Remember that the distance between your hands and your feet should be the same in Plank as in Down Dog. Pay attention to the position of your hips. You don’t want your butt to stick up or sag down.<\/li>
      • Hold 3-5 breaths.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Challenge Variation: <\/strong>When you come forward from\nyour Down Dog Split, keep your leg raised off the floor. Return\nto Down Dog Split, switch legs and then do Plank again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        SIDE PLANK –\nVASISHTASANA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • From Plank, shift your weight onto your right arm as you roll onto the outside of your right foot.<\/li>
        • Keep both of your legs straight as you\u00a0stack your left foot on top of the right. You can also stagger the feet one behind the other if that’s a better fit.<\/li>
        • Lift your\u00a0left arm up towards the ceiling and your\u00a0gaze to the left fingertips, coming into Side Plank.<\/li>
        • After 3-5\u00a0breaths, roll back to the center and do the other side, resting in Downward Facing Dog between the two sides if you like.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Challenge Variation:<\/strong> Lift your left foot,\nhovering it above the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          HIGH LUNGES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          • Come back to Downward Facing Dog and rest for five\u00a0breaths.<\/li>
          • Bring your right foot forward next to your right hand.<\/li>
          • Bend your right knee and align it over your right ankle so that your right thigh is parallel to the floor.<\/li>
          • Raise both arms up towards the ceiling, coming into a High Lunge.<\/li>
          • Stay for 5\u00a0breaths.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Beginners’ Variation:<\/strong> Place your hands on\nyour hips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Challenge Variation: <\/strong>On an inhale, straighten the\nright leg. Exhale and bend the right knee back over the ankle. Continue for\nfive breath cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            HALF-MOON POSE –\nARDHACHANDRASANA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            • From High Lunge, bring the left hand to your waist.<\/li>
            • Place your right fingertips 12-18 inches in front of your right foot and straighten your right leg\u00a0as you lift your left leg parallel to the mat, coming into\u00a0Ardha Chandrasana.<\/li>
            • Hold 3-5\u00a0breaths.\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              Beginners’ Variation:<\/strong> Take a block under\nyour right hand if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Challenge Variation: <\/strong>Bend your left knee and reach\nyour left hand around to grab your left ankle. This variation is called Sugarcane\nPose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              CHAIR POSE –\nUTKATASANA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              • From Ardha Chandrasana, drop the left foot down next to your right foot.<\/li>
              • Bring both arms up and bend your knees, coming into Chair Pose.<\/li>
              • Hold 5\u00a0breaths.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                EAGLE POSE –\nGARUDASANA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                • From Chair pose, shift your weight into your right leg.<\/li>
                • Lift the left foot off the floor, then\u00a0wrap the left leg around the right. Hook your left toes on your right calf, if possible.<\/li>
                • Take your arms out to the sides and wrap the left arm over the right, bringing the palms together.<\/li>
                • Balance in\u00a0Eagle Pose\u00a0for 3-5 breaths.\u00a0<\/li>
                • Unwrap your arms and legs, bring your palms to the floor and hop or step back to Downward Dog.<\/li>
                • Rest here five breaths before repeating the\u00a0previous four poses\u00a0on the left side.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  Challenge Variation: <\/strong>On each exhale, bring your\nelbows to your knees. On each inhale, return to your starting position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  BOAT POSE –\nNAVASANA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  • Come to sit on your mat.<\/li>
                  • Bring the legs straight up to a 45-degree angle, coming into\u00a0Boat Pose. The torso will naturally fall back, but do not let the spine collapse.<\/li>
                  • Make a “V” shape with the body.<\/li>
                  • Bring the arms out straight in line with the shoulders.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Beginners’ Variation: <\/strong>Bend your knees, bringing\nyour shins parallel to the floor. This is called Half Boat. If this is tough to\nmaintain, you can hold on to the backs of your thighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Challenge Variation: <\/strong>Once you have established the\npose, release the legs and torso simultaneously down towards the floor and\nhover there. Come back up into the pose like a sit-up. Do this as many times as\nyou can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Come to lie on the back for a well-deserved rest!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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