Many times in my teachings I get the comment,

“You make it look so easy”

Yes, I do…  So I reply:

With practice and dedication, any of you could make it look easy.

“Some people move through yoga asanas or any acrobatics postures with grace and ease that is fluid gently, strong and very relaxed.

It is as if their strength of calmness permeates from the core of their bodies to the tips of their fingers, to the tips of their toes, and softly out of their bodies.” -Susi Hately Aldous-

To achieve this control and gracefulness in your movements is important to have a strong core but…

What is the Core?

A lot of us believe that a strong core is equal to  = 6-pack abdominal muscles popping out your belly.

Even I was making a mistake by referring to the abdominal muscles using the word “core” when I was researching what will be the proper term to use in English.

(I am original from Argentina, and in Argentina, we talk Spanish no Argentinean )

 

The core is not just the abdominal muscles.

I know I use the term pretty often in my classes but I am not sure if everyone understands what it means and why is so important.

In a few words, our core is the muscles in charge of keeping bodies able to perform simple tasks like to seat, walk, run, dance, climb or even more complex activities like yoga, acroyoga and to practice your inverted postures  (headstand, forearm balance or handstand)

Strong core muscles make it easier for you to perform in aerial acrobatics, pole dance, rock climbing or something as simple as getting up of your chair once you are done with your computer work.

 

These are the muscles included:

• Pelvix floor muscles
• Transversus abdominal,
• Internal and external obliques
• Rectus Abdominis
• Erector of the spine
• Transversuspinali
• Diaphragm
• Latissimus dorsi
• Pelvic floor muscles
• Gluteus

Core stability is a balance of strength and mobility- the balance of strong core muscles, found along the midline of the body from the base of the skull to the bottom of the feet, combined with the freedom of movement of the hip, shoulder and vertebral joints as well as the elbow, knee, wrist, and ankle joints.

Without this balance, the body will be either to rigid (too much strength with too little nobility) or limp and spiritless (too much mobility with too little strength).

How Yoga can help you?

Stability and strength are generated from relaxation.

Relaxation, is initiated by breathing easily, calmly and fluidly.

In a yoga practice, we focused on integrating or physical movements or postures with our breathing. Regardless of the type of yoga, we are practicing ( vinyasa, Hatha, restorative) during a yoga session your teacher should guide you through your physical practice and help you to bring your awareness to your breathing.

Sometimes focusing more on pranayama exercises ( breathing techniques) to increase our Prana  (energy) than others, that will depend on the class you are taking.

And if you have doubts reach to your teacher and ask.

So, in order to nurture and develop core stability, it is necessary to breathe easily, calmly and fluidly throughout our practice

I understand that some times we need a “push”, a motivation to keep the practice going, especially if you don’t like going to crowded studios.

So I prepare a free session to share

Click in the image below to have access to a free session on how you can get your Core Strong

 

 

Link to the class

 

 

“The body is like a boat in the water, where the body is the boat and the external stimulus is the water. Both are stable and able to respond to the inevitable wobbles, turns and shifts only when are balanced”

-Susi Hately-