Yoga for Core Strength

When we think of balancing in yoga, Tree Pose (Vrksasana) is often the first pose that comes to mind. Of course, there are lots of other poses that can challenge, and therefore cultivate, good balance. But how do we train our bodies to practice these poses? A while back, I posted a blog on the 6 Elements of Good Balance. All the elements of balance are of equal importance, but today’s post will focus on yoga for core strength as a way to stabilize our balance.

When most of us think of the core, we think of the abdominal muscles. But the core is a whole system. It includes the abdomen, sides and back; and even the abdominal organs. Wait … the organs? Yes, how the contents of the abdomen seat inside the structure can determine whether our core actually engages—or doesn’t.

In this post, I’ll suggest a short sequence that can help you stabilize your core, in order to support your body’s ability to stay in balance. But first, a lesson on a small bone that can make a big difference.

The Hyoid Bone and the Core

The hyoid bone is a small, u-shaped bone in the front of your neck that sits just below your chin and above your thyroid cartilage. Place your right thumb on the right side of your neck just below your chin and your index finger on the left side. You can feel the ridges on its surface if you palpate the area. Because it is the only bone in the body that is not attached to another bone it is quite mobile. If you press on it from the right, you will feel the left side pushing out against your index finger and vice versa. Its primary functions are to help move the tongue and to facilitate swallowing.

The position of this little bone powerfully affects your posture. If your chin and hyoid bone are jutting forward or your head is tilting back, your entire core—internal structures such as your organs—will push forward into your abdominal wall. When you draw your hyoid back, lengthening the back of your neck and lifting the base of your skull, your organs and abdominal wall draw back giving frontal support to your spine.

Core Stability in All Your Poses

So what does this have to do with core stability? If you are jutting your chin out and throwing your head back in Plank Pose (Phalakasana), Bird Dog Pose (Parsva Balasana), Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana), your organs and abdomen will sag toward the ground, making the pose even more difficult as your arms fight the weight of your core. Drawing your hyoid back allows your core to lift up into your back body, stabilizing your pose. You can apply this principle to literally every pose we practice in yoga. Yoga for core strength starts with keeping your head in a neutral position relative to your spine and drawing your hyoid bone back.

Yoga for Core Strength: A Short Sequence

I’ve designed this sequence to address all the different aspects of the core.Keep your hyoid bone in mind as you practice this sequence.

Bird Dog (Parsva Balasana) Flow

The Bird Dog Flow challenges balance while it stabilizes both the front and back sides of the core. Because our head position is horizontal, the flow stimulates the vestibular system. Here’s an explanation of the series.

Baby Backbends (Salabhasana Variations)

Baby backbends are often given short shrift in yoga classes. Because their movements are more subtle than, say, Upward Bow Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana), they’re often relegated to “beginning” classes. While Upward Bow requires more shoulder, spine and hip joint mobility than Locust Pose, it doesn’t require as much strength. In the so-called “baby” backbends, your back muscles are totally on their own, with no help from your limbs. Baby backbends are an essential tool in your yoga for core strength toolbox. Read this blog on a sequence for practicing baby backbends.

Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Dog Pose is good for whatever ails you. It strengthens the core as it stretches the torso. The pose also stretches the shoulders and hamstrings, while it strengthens the upper body. Feel free to sprinkle Dog Pose in between poses throughout this series. Practice with bent knees so that you can focus on lengthening your torso.

Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

Plank Pose has replaced sit-ups as the mainstream ab-strengthening pose of choice. Even the U.S. military has replaced crunches and sit-ups with Plank Pose. Like Bird Dog Pose, Phalakasana strengthens both the front and back sides of the torso as it strengthens the upper body overall. Since we don’t yet have a post on the how-to on this blog, I’ll describe it here. You can practice with hands on the floor, or if you prefer to bypass the potential pressure on your hands and wrists, you can practice on your forearms.

How to Practice Plank Pose on Your Hands

1. Begin in Downward Facing Dog Pose on a Yoga Mat.
2. With your toes turned under, shift your body forward so that your shoulders are directly over your wrists.
3. Activate your legs by stretching your heels back, and make sure your hyoid bone is drawing back.
4. Your body should be in a straight line. If your pelvis is either too high or too low, your core will not engage. Raise and lower your pelvis until you feel your abs engage.
5. Stay for 3 to 5 deep breaths, or longer if you like.
6. Release your knees down to the floor and rest in Child’s Pose (Balasana).

How to Practice Plank Pose on Your Forearms

1. Begin in Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) on a Yoga Mat.
2. Place your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders, and interlace your fingers.
3. Step your feet back. Activate your legs by stretching your heels back, and make sure your hyoid bone is drawing back.
4. Your body should be in a straight line. If your pelvis is either too high or too low, your core will not engage. Raise and lower your pelvis until you feel your abs engage.
5. Stay for 3 to 5 deep breaths, or longer if you like. In my classes, we practice the forearm version of the pose and stay for 60 seconds.
6. Release your knees down to the floor and rest in Child’s Pose.

Side Plank Pose (Vasisthasana)

Side Plank Pose strengthens the sides of the body as it promotes balance. In the traditional version of the pose, we practice with straight arms. As with Phalakasana, some people may benefit from practicing on their forearms instead. Here are a few posts that explain Vasisthasana and several wrist-saving variations:

Vasisthasana: Balancing Outside Your Comfort Zone

Side Plank: Strengthen Your Core, Save Your Wrists

Side Plank Pose: Vasisthasana

Finishing Up: Yoga for Core Strength

Now that your core is heated up, there are several directions you can go. Here are some poses you might want to practice to stretch the core:

And of course, don’t forget to practice a nice, long Savasana (Final Relaxation).

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is titled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST Magazine and serves as editor for Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy awards.