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November Yoga Core Challenge

Are you up for our November Yoga Core Challenge?
If you’re keen to increase your core strength, improve your posture and tone your torso, the good news is you can still achieve all three before summer officially arrives. Our line-up of easy-to-follow poses is guaranteed to challenge your core and improve your strength from the inside out – and it only takes 10 minutes a day!

Before you get going…
Be aware of your body alignment as you hold each pose – with your shoulders rolled back, brace your core. The more awareness you have of how your upper body and limbs work together to create each shape, the easier you’ll find it to keep your core muscles activated.

 

Boat Pose

  • Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you.
  • Place your hands on the floor a little behind your bottom and lift through your chest to open up your heart. As you do this, brace your core so that your muscles are activated, and take care not to round your back.
  • Bend your knees, then lift your feet off the floor. If possible, slowly lift your legs, raising the tips of your toes slightly above eye level.
  • Lift the arms parallel to the ground, palms facing in, shoulders drawing back and down while maintaining the lift through the chest.
  • Keep your chin tucked slightly toward your chest and lift your skull lightly through the crown of your head.
  • Hold the pose for 5–10 slow breaths. Stop and reset if you lose proper form.

 

Dolphin Plank

  • Start on your hands and knees, placing your forearms on the floor with your hands clasped together.
  • Check that your elbows are directly below your shoulders and that your upper arms are at 90 degrees.
  • Walk your feet backwards until your legs and pelvis are in line with your shoulders.
  • Brace your core so that your muscles are activated.
  • Pressing down through your toes, stretch from your pelvis through to your thighs and down to your heels.
  • Keep your head in natural alignment with your neck, keeping your gaze down and lengthening through the crown of your head.
  • Hold the pose for 10–20 slow breaths. Release immediately if you lose proper form

 

Plank

  • Stack your shoulders over your wrists and extend your heels to the back of your mat.
  • Pressing down through your toes, stretch from your pelvis through to your thighs and down to your heels.
  • Brace your core so that your muscles are activated.
  • Firm up your leg muscles, engaging your glutes.
  • Keep your head in natural alignment with your neck, and your gaze down, and lengthen through the crown of your head.
  • Hold the pose for 10–20 slow breaths. Release immediately if you lose proper form.

 

Side Plank

  • Starting in the plank position, shift your weight over to the outside edge of your right foot, stacking your left foot on top.
  • Position your hand slightly in front of your supporting shoulder, and shift your body to face the side of your mat, with the weight of your body evenly distributed between your right foot and right hand.
  • Straighten your arm by firming up your triceps. Press your fingers firmly against the floor or place your forearm against the floor for additional support.
  • Stretch your left arm up to the sky, opening your chest.
  • Lengthen your tailbone to the back of the mat and brace your core so that your muscles are activated.
  • Keep your neck soft and aligned with your torso, gazing straight out, or turn to gaze up at your top hand.
  • As an extra challenge, bend and lift your top leg with your knee pointing straight up.
  • Hold the pose for 10–20 slow breaths. Release immediately if you lose proper form.

 

Chair Pose

  • Stand with your arms at your sides and your feet hip width apart.
  • Inhale and raise your arms up parallel to the floor with your palms facing inward. Alternatively, join your palms.
  • Exhale and bend your knees, taking your thighs as parallel to the floor as possible. Your knees should be aligned over your feet, and your torso will lean forward over your thighs.
  • Roll your shoulders down and back and brace your core so that your abdominal, glute and leg muscles are activated.
  • Hold the pose for 10–20 slow breaths. Release immediately if you lose proper form.

 

Superman Pose

  • Lie flat on your stomach with your toes flat on the floor and your forehead resting on the ground.
  • Keep your legs close together with your feet lightly touching each other.
  • Stretch your arms out beyond the front of your yoga mat.
  • Pull your front ribs in and down and wrap your abdominal muscles around your torso.
  • Take a deep breath in and lift your chest, arms, legs and thighs off the floor while keeping your core muscles braced.
  • Bring awareness to stretching your arms and legs away from your torso to the opposite sides of your yoga mat, ensuring that your elbows are not bent.
  • Hold the pose for 10–20 slow breaths. Release immediately if you lose proper form.

 

About Kathy Cogill
Kathy discovered yoga through her career as a dancer. She practices and teaches Hatha with an emphasis on the vinyasa flow. Kathy’s classes move through the asanas with the fluidity of the constant breath, and into more challenging poses with a focused but gentle approach. Check the timetable to join Kathy’s yoga classes at both of our Bondi Junction and Bligh St clubs.

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