The Importance of Yoga for our Core
By Anette Bohme
This month is dedicated to the core, your center, your ‘powerhouse’ as Joseph Pilates is said to have called it, and hence, so much more than just strong abs. In physical terms it includes your diaphragm, abdominal and oblique muscles, paraspinal and gluteal muscles, pelvic floor and hip girdle (Anderson & Huxel Bliven, 2013). A strong core lowers the risk of back pain or back injuries, improves your balance, gives you better posture and consequently helps improve your asana practices and mental well-being. Further down we show you a few poses that will help you strengthen your core.
What exactly is the Core?
It is really our torso’s rather complex muscle structure, on the whole designed to support and stabilize the spine, all the while allowing us to control movement. There is deeper muscle tissue and then there are muscles considered to be more superficial, like the abdominals, and they all work together symbiotically. Now, why is it so important to understand how our core works? Because in yoga practice a lot of attention is dedicated to postures that help to keep the core balanced. So, asanas for the core are the base of all classes, whether you’re an advanced level yogi or just a beginner.
Benefits
Strength and stability
Flexibility and movement
Helps hold those asanas longer and stronger
Lowers the risk of back-pain
Improves your balance and stability
Helps improve proper posture
Performing daily tasks requires less effort
Improves sex
Helps prevent incontinence
Its relationship to bandhas (more on these next)
Bandhas
You have probably heard this word during practice, but what exactly does it mean? The word bandha is the Sanskrit term for binding or bond, although many yogis refer to them as energy locks. As such, the bandhas are considered to be an energetic element within us.
Basically, there are three major bandhas that correspond to three of our diaphragms. In a way they are as much a technique of contraction or coactivation of muscle groups as they are the concept, and have the purpose, of locking life force energy, also called retaining prana.
There is also a relation between bandhas and chakras source “Bandhas stimulate the chakras by locking the energy around them. As the prana is always moving the bandha increases this flow around the chakras. When chakras are stimulated, they spread the pranas more efficiently throughout the body. This results in physical and mental well-being.”
“Even old person becomes young by constantly practicing Mula Bandha.”
— Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Mula Bandha
(also known as moola bandha)
With this bandha we’ll start from (literally) the bottom up source .
Also called the root lock, it’s located at the base of the spine at the pelvic floor where you contract the same muscles used in holding the urine mid-stream. It moves energy up, through the center of your pelvic floor towards your navel and keeps it from moving down. It helps balance sexual desire, is the foundation for core strength and considered to be the primary bandha.
Uddiyana Bandha
Located just above the navel, beneath the respiratory diaphragm, it’s aptly called the abdominal lock. Through a combination of abdominal muscle contraction and breathing this bandha source “massages and tones the heart muscles. It also moves the downward energy in and up, toward the chest”.
Jalandara Bandha
Located at the throat and corresponding to our vocal diaphragm it’s also called the throat lock. According to source “this is the first bandha a yogi should master”. “The benefits are the regulation of blood flow to the heart, the neck and head regions. It also guides the upward flow of energy down to fuse with the downward.”
As you can see, our core and the bandhas are of utmost importance for our mental and physical well-being. And since there is so much more to know about bandhas, especially on a spiritual level, we are preparing an entire post dedicated to these energetic elements.
“Of all the bandpass, Uddiyana is the best, for by its activation liberation comes spontaneously.”
— Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Daily Exercise
To keep your core strong and balanced you can practice these four asanas:
1. Side Plank - Vasisthasana
Resting on your forearms, hands, or even with one knee on the mat, engages the oblique muscles that run along the outer edges of the abdominal wall. If you can, try some elbow-to-knee taps to really feel the muscle contraction. By adding movement to the balancing and holding pose, your core engagement will definitely benefit!
2. Boat Pose - Navasana
This is probably my favorite posture, in which I feel my core more intensely. When you do it in proper alignment, the upper abdominal wall is the main target. Although it will also help strengthen your back muscles and hip flexors. The easier version is to hold your knees from the back putting your feet parallel to the floor. If you can, stretch out your arms, hold 5 breaths and repeat another 2 times.
3. Forearm Plank - Phalakasana Variation
This is a variation of the Plank Pose which you can do with your arms stretched, always looking down, to avoid straining your neck. As you “rest” on your forearms you can intensify the posture, placing your feet closer together. The easier way is doing this posture on your knees. Whichever way you choose it’s important to always keep your shoulders aligned with your elbows and your forearms parallel to the width of your shoulders. Stay static for 5 breaths. To make it more intense you can lift alternately one leg and then the other, 5 times each.
4. Crow Pose - Bakasana
Poses that require balance are great for strengthening the core. To get to this pose you must draw the abdomen up and in to round the spine and create more strength and height. If you find balancing on your arms too hard you can try balancing on your back. For this you need to place your knees in your armpits and your thighs on your chest, keeping your arms stretched upwards.