38 MAY 2014 | THEHEALTHJOURNALS.COM FITNESS focus onthecore, thesefive provide thestrength andendurance you needtomove efficientlyandavoid injuries. thesidesoftorso,of thelower thehipsandpelvis. back, Whileyou couldeasilyfinddozens ofyoga posesthat Building astrong core isaboutmore thanjustworking onyour six-pack abs. Your core alsoincludesthemuscles Supine Chair strengthen your core Side Plank VASISTHASANA ❥ WRITTEN BY SHAWN WRITTEN RADCLIFFE 5 POSESTO 2 1 ❥ muscles, not just theabs. you touseallofthecore plank smoothly requires Philadelphia, Pa. Doingside of Nava Yoga Centerin Biz Magarity, co-founder muscles,” says yoga teacher way tostrengthen core “Stabilizing isagreat Williamsburg, Va. founder ofStudio Southin instructor Katy Henderson, powerful,” says yoga movement, butit’s really core muscles. “It’s astatic builds awareness ofthe chair whileonyour back of thispose, holdinga Like thestanding version ILLUSTRATIONS BY LIZLANE WHAT IT DOES: WHAT ITDOES: between your thighs. leg orholdingayoga block inner thighoftheother of your topfoot onthe more, tryplacingthesole the core muscles.” For draw theawareness to of thehand,inorder to on theforearm instead recommends “balancing For beginners, Magarity soften slightly. let thestomachmuscles as you exhale. As you inhale, Pull your stomachinandup WORK THECORE: WORK THECORE: THEHEALTHJOURNALS.COM | MAY 2014 39 WORK THE CORE: WORK WORK THE CORE: THE WORK WORK THE CORE: WORK Engage the abdominal the Engage and exhale, muscles as you as you them slightly relax let the don’t Also, inhale. back round. lower If you find yourself find yourself you If clenching the buttocks, the hips slightly until lower the muscles can relax you Or try of the bottom. hips with supporting your block.a yoga “Do this with the block on the highest is comfortable,” height that to “in order Magarity, says of the feel a nice stretch abdominals and hip lower muscles.” flexor For a less intense version, a less intense version, For your arms over your cross chest and bring the side your torso toward of your the core work thigh. To Henderson, says more, arm up bottom “lift your both, through and reach to ignite both have so you your keeping obliques,” to the line arms parallel torso. your formed by

: IT DOES WHAT : IT DOES WHAT : IT DOES WHAT Boat is a classic core pose core is a classic Boat the abs, the lower targets that and the muscles hip flexors jumping “Avoid of the spine. right into the full expression Magarity, says of the pose,” “because it is so easy to go for the final pose and end up with bad alignment and breath.” restricted Bridge pose not only only pose not Bridge muscles, the core strengthens the but will also stretch abdominal and hip lower muscles. flexor Extended side angle and stretches strengthens the muscles of the side of a Because it’s the torso. will also you pose, standing the muscles of the legs work and hips. 5 4 3 UTTHITA Boat Bridge SETU Extended Side Angle