15 Fun Yoga Poses for Core Strength

We all know that developing core strength is important, not only for our yoga practice, but also for our everyday lives.  A strong core helps us to have good posture and to catch ourselves when we fall.  Building a strong core is not always fun, and takes some work, but the benefits are definitely worth it.

I have never been a huge fan of sit ups and crunches, probably because my core has historically been very weak.  So, I always like when one of my teachers sneaks in core strengthening poses and transitions that are unique and different; by the time I figure out what I am doing with my body, I am working core muscles without the mental insecurity that arises when the teacher mentions boat pose (Navasana).  Thankfully, my inspiring teachers and mentors have given me ideas for the following fun and unique yoga poses for developing core strength:
 

1.  Belly - arm and leg lifts with block between hands:  Lay on the belly with the arms extended up by the ears.  Squeeze a block between the hands.  Gently lift the legs off the mat.  Then lift the arms, head, and chest off the mat, keeping shoulders away from the ears and the neck soft.  Hold for three full breaths and then lower everything back down to the mat.

2.  Pike toe grab with roll up:  Sit upright, grab toes with pointer and middle fingers, and extend legs into a pike position.  Gently roll back and then back into the pike position.  This takes enough momentum to return to sitting but enough control to keep from falling forward.  Roll back up and up five times.

3.  Roll from boat pose to standing forward fold: Start in boat pose (Navasana).  Gently roll back and forth a couple of times until there is enough momentum to come to a standing forward fold (Uttansana).  Try not to use the hands to come to standing.

4.  Plank to forearm plank walk:  Start in plank pose.  Place the right forearm on the mat, then the left forearm on the mat.  Place the right hand on the mat, then the left hand on the mat.  Repeat three times on each side.  Keep a line from the back of the head to the heels and hug everything in towards the midline.

5.  Plank – heels side to side:  Start in plank pose.  Keep the upper body exactly where it is, gently lower the heels to the right, then back to center and over to the left.  Repeat three times on each side.

6.  Side plank – knee to elbow to low lunge:  Start in side plank (Vashistasana).  Slowly draw the top knee to the elbow of top arm.  Gently bring top foot down by the bottom hand, come on to the ball of the back foot, and end in a lunge.  Repeat on other side.

7.  Funny Side Plank:  Start in extended side angle (Parsvokonasana) with the bottom palm firmly planted on the mat on the outside of the front foot.  Press into that hand and hug the bottom knee into the chest.  Hold for three full breaths.  Repeat on other side.

8.  3 leg AMS with foot grab twist:  Start in downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana).  Lift the right leg up and back and open up the right hip.  Press into the palm of the right hand and draw it towards the left foot, while pressing into the ball of the left foot and drawing it towards the right hand.  Come on to the finger tips of the left hand and find your balance.  Then lift the left hand and grab the inside of the left ankle.  Hold for three full breaths and repeat on the other side.

9.  Pistol:  Start sitting with the legs extended straight out (Dandasana).  Hug the right knee into the chest.  Extend the arms straight out towards the front of the mat.  Put weight into the right foot with the heel rooting down, press the left heel into the mat while pushing it to the front of the mat, then lift the hips and left foot off the mat.  Grab the left foot with the hands.  Hold for three breath and repeat on the other side.

10.  Extended side angle with arm hover:  Start in extended side angle (Parsvokonasana)  with the forearm on the thigh.  Then place the palm of the lower hand on the outside of the front foot.  Slowly over that hand an inch above the mat and hold for three full breaths.  Repeat on the other side

11.  Forward fold with foot hover:  Start in a standing forward fold (Uttanasana).  Hover the right foot an inch above the mat; keep the right leg in line with the left leg and plug the right thigh bone (femur) up into the hip socket.  Lower the right foot and then hover the left foot.  Repeat three times on each side.

12.  Crow with block between feet (lift and lower):  Start with a block between the feet in a squat.  Place the hands as wide as the shoulders with the fingers spread wide.  Lift the hips and bring the knees to the arm pits or upper arms.  Bend the elbows toward the back of the mat to roughly a right angle.  Look to the front edge of the mat while pulling the heart forward.  Slowly lean forward until the feet gently lift of the mat.  Lift heels towards the buttocks and then slowly lower the feet and tap the toes on the mat.  Repeat the lift and lower of the feet five times.

13.  Supine hug knees in and lift head and shoulders:  Lay on back and hug knees into chest.  Gently lift sacrum off floor.  Place hands behind head and hover head and shoulders off mat.  For more of a challenge, straighten one leg and then the other (alternating three times).

14.  Lay on side and grab big toe:  Lay on the side and rest the head in the hand of the lower arm.  Line the entire body against the long edge of the mat (laying straight makes this more challenging).  Slowly bend the top leg and grab the top toe with the top hand.  Extend the leg straight up and hold for five breaths.

15.  Leg lifts lowers with block between feet:  Start lying on the back with a block between the feet and legs perpendicular to the floor.  Squeeze the block between the feet to engage the adductor muscles of the inner thigh.  Rest the arms by the side or place the hands under the sacrum for more support.  Take an inhale, and on the exhale, lower the legs any amount towards the floor (the goal is a hover about an inch above the mat but only lower the legs to a place that is comfortable).  Repeat five times.  Be aware of the low back; if it lifts off the floor and arches, do not take the legs as far down.  Or if there is any pain in the low back, do not take the legs as far down or stop.

Some of these poses and transitions are definitely challenging, but with practice, they will become easier.  Not only will building this core strength help in everyday life, it will also help for more challenging yoga poses such as arm balances and inversions.

Have fun!