How to Engage Your Core While Practicing Yoga

Photo by Miguel Chalmers

What is Core Engagement?

Core engagement refers to the activation of the muscles in your abdominal and back regions. These muscles work together to support your spine and help you maintain good posture.

There are many ways to engage your core muscles, including:

1. Sucking your belly button in towards your spine

2. Tucking your pelvis slightly

3. Bracing your abs as if you're about to be punched in the stomach

4. Drawing your lower ribs down towards your pelvis

To engage your core effectively, it's important to focus on maintaining proper alignment in your spine and avoiding overarching your lower back. This will help you keep your core muscles engaged and prevent strain on your lower back.

The Benefits of Core Engagement

It's important to engage your core muscles for several reasons:

1. Improved posture – Strong core muscles help you maintain good posture and alignment in your spine. This can help reduce strain on your lower back and prevent back pain.

2. Better balance and stability – Your core muscles help you maintain balance and stability in your body, which is especially important when you're performing activities that require you to move or change direction quickly.

3. Increased strength – A strong core is essential for overall body strength and can help you perform everyday activities, such as lifting heavy objects or playing sports, with ease.

4. Improved athletic performance – Engaging your core muscles can help you perform better in sports and other physical activities by improving your balance, stability, and power.

5. Injury prevention – Strong core muscles can help reduce the risk of injury by providing support and stability to your spine and other joints.

Incorporating core-strengthening exercises into your fitness routine is an effective way to improve your overall strength and well-being.

Key Muscles Involved

The core muscles include a group of muscles located in the abdominal and back regions of the body. These muscles work together to support the spine, maintain good posture, and provide stability and strength.

The main muscles that make up the core include:

1. Transverse abdominis – This muscle is located deep within the abdomen and wraps around the spine to provide stability and support.

2. Rectus abdominis – This muscle, commonly known as the "six-pack muscle," runs down the front of the abdomen and helps with flexion of the spine.

3. Obliques – These muscles are located on the sides of the abdomen and help with lateral flexion and rotation of the spine.

4. Erector spinae – This group of muscles runs along the spine and helps with extension and stability of the back.

5. Multifidus – This muscle is located in the lower back and helps with stabilization of the spine.

In addition to these muscles, the core also includes the hip flexors, glutes, and quadriceps. These muscles help with movement and stability in the hips and lower body.

Yoga Poses for Core Engagement

Here are five effective yoga poses that help strengthen your core muscles:

1. Plank – Start in a downward-facing dog position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart. Shift your forward to plank pose with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Engage your core by sucking your belly button in towards your spine and slightly drawing your sitz bones towards your heels.

2. Side plank – Start in a plank pose. Shift your weight onto your right hand and stack your left foot on top of your right. Lift your left hand off the ground and reach it towards the sky. Lift the left side of your hips and ribs up. Engage your core by sucking your belly button in towards your spine and slightly tucking your pelvis under.

3. Boat pose – Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your feet off the ground and balance on your sitting bones. Engage your core and extend your arms straight in front of you. Broaden across your chest as you lift upwards from your sternum.

4. Crow pose – Start in a malasana pose. Place your hands on the ground in front of you, about shoulder-width apart (think chaturanga arms). Shift your weight forward and lift your feet one at a time off the ground, balancing on your hands. Engage your core by drawing your navel towards your spine.

5. Warrior III – Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then shift your weight onto your right foot and lift your left leg off the ground. Hinge from the hips your torso forward and gaze out in front of you. Keep your left pinky toe pointing at the ground while spinning your left inner thigh for the ceiling. Engage your core by drawing your pubic bone towards your sternum.

Remember to engage your core muscles and maintain proper form as you hold these poses to get the most benefit. Hold each position for 30 seconds to one minute, then rest and repeat on the other side (if needed).

Explore additional ways to improve your core strength by giving these videos a try.