My favourite is to do 100 bicycle crunches or hold Navasana (Boat Pose) for several counts a few times. Otherwise I’ll teach abs after the igniting, or back bends series. Sometimes I like to start off my practice with some ab exercises, if my body isn’t already warmed up. To add in a little more try out a hot power yoga class for extra warmth, which helps relax your muscles while releasing toxins from your body. Your flexibility and balance comes from your core, so it’s crucial to condition this part of the body in yoga. Power yoga uses isometrics in many postures, especially those that target your core and back. Sun Salutations would fall under the dynamic movement category. Conversely, concentric and eccentric exercises involve dynamic movements with a range of motion. An example of an isometric exercise in power yoga is holding plank for 5 or 10 breaths, while you engage your triceps, core and quads.
Basically, the muscle length and joint angle do not change during contraction. Isometrics are static exercises or a type of strength training that isolates muscles without movement. Doing isometric exercises is one of the best ways to strengthen your abdominals. While all yoga practices increase your overall strength, I find power yoga to be especially effective at targeting your middle.īesides some light ab exercises done during the practice, most of your core-strength building comes from holding poses. I teach power yoga and practice it religiously. One of those sweet extras is a stronger core. Yoga is about reconnecting with your mind, body and soul–and if physical changes accompany that, it’s a bonus. To me, yoga isn’t about looking a certain way, getting a better body or being a pose master.