Yoga Sequence for the Core

This is a little sequence of yoga postures done for core strength. Because of the way you are balancing in these postures they cause the deep muscles of your abdomen and the deep muscles of your spine to work together in a way that is very useful in strengthening the muscles of postural alignment for the health of your spine and lower back. The central technique that would make these postures more effective at getting the core to work is using the breath so that the exhale causes you to scoop your belly inward hollowing out your abdomen while trying to keep the chest expanded, and on the inhale using the breath so that the lower part of the abdomen continues to stay scooped inward as you fill the chest and ribcage. Even without these exercises, if you use this breath technique you will work your core in a useful way. If you add that breath technique to these postures, it will make the work you do in the postures far more powerful. As with all practice, the postures should be adapted to the actual needs and abilities of the practitioner for them to be useful and effective.