Good to the Core: Yoga to strengthen & flatten abdominals, tone back, legs, hips, and more.

Posted by: Julie Lusk

This yoga sequence helps with abdominal core strength and tones the back while also lengthening the psoas muscles.

The psoas, deep and large, runs from the lumbar spine, stretches over the hip joint and under the abs, and attaches to inner thigh bone.

Traditional leg lifts, “crunches” and sit-ups are often done to strengthen and flatten the abdominal muscles. The problem is that they also tighten and shorten the psoas tipping the pelvis forward, pushing your belly out (yuk) and misalignment of the back.

A tight psoas contributes to back, hip and knee problems, indigestion, dysfunctional breathing, instability, and other problems.

This particular yoga sequence activates the psoas muscle in a progressive manner: first facing forward, to the side, and then turning.

Other beneficial yoga postures are the forearm plank and side plank (creates core stability and strength with a neutral psoas) and pigeon (stretches and releases the psoas).

Consult a qualified yoga professional for instructions and contraindications. As with all exercise, practice for your own benefits and at your own risk.

Click here for your complete pdf handout on ” Good to the Core: Yoga to strengthen & flatten abdominals, tone back, legs, hips, and more” from Julie Lusk

Share|

Tags: flatten your tummy with yoga, strengthen your back with yoga, tone your legs and hips with yoga, yoga for core strength, yoga for the psoas muscles

« It’s Summer Bucket List Time Wabi Sabi – The Power of Imperfection »

2 Responses to “Good to the Core: Yoga to strengthen & flatten abdominals, tone back, legs, hips, and more.”

Claire Smith Says:
September 1st, 2011 at 4:42 am
Thanks for this series, Julie! We are working on the core in class this autumn and my students will love this, I’m sure. Certainly they will prefer it to leg lifts!

I also love your salute to the moon and I teach it each time there is a full moon.
Thank you for sharing your yoga knowledge.
Julie Lusk Says:
September 1st, 2011 at 8:16 am
You just made my day – and it’s my birthday too! I’m so glad that you and your students are using and enjoying this new series as well as the moon salute.

It’s cool to know that while we are doing the moon salute in the USA you’re also doing it in the UK. And now this series too.

As I said in my article, the ‘good to the core’ series is now a favorite of lots of people and it’s also based on some valid research that I didn’t go into fully on my post.

Namaste’