Core - Week 7
It feels good to have stability in our lives and in our bodies. To build stability into our body we need to exercise our muscles, we want them to be toned and flexible. It is important for our core muscles to have strength and flexibility to give us core stability.
The core muscles interlace and surround the middle section of our body. There are three layers of lateral abdominal muscles, each layer working in a different direction. These muscles benefit from being toned and strengthened, but we do not want them rock hard,
The organs of the body are located in the core and they function better if they have freedom of movement, our body needs to be able to twist and turn with ease. By strengthening our core muscles we are also helping to support our back, some back pain may be a result of weak core muscles.
Your body will tell you which of the exercises are the right level for you. If your back starts to hurt then more basic core work is needed.
A good place to start, lie on your back with the knees bent and hands on tummy. Lift the feet off the floor, you should feel your tummy muscles begin to work, take your feet as close to the floor as is comfortable for you, if your back hurts the feet have to go higher.
Next into cat position, take one leg back, tuck the toes under, then take the second leg back, toes tucked under, bring the bottom down so the body is in a straight line- plank pose. The tummy muscles automatically come into action when the second leg goes back. You can walk in and out of this pose working the core muscles.
To give the wrists a rest from plank pose, the front part of the body can be supported by the forearms. Interlace the hands, have the elbows straight under the shoulders, the legs are the same as for cat, take one leg back, toes tucked under then the second leg back, toes tucked under, and bring the bottom down so the body is in a straight line, otherwise known as dolphin plank.
To work the core from a seated position try these variations of boat pose. Sitting with the knees bent, hands supporting underneath the upper thigh, keep the chest open, walk the toes in closer to the body and lift them off the floor. take the hands away from the legs and you will feel the core muscles begin to work. If you are comfortable with this and would like to take it to the next step you can bring the feet up until the lower leg is parallel with the floor, again take the hands away.
Always work within your comfort zone, It is good to feel the muscles work but be aware if they are tiring. Building up the muscle tone slowly is much better than straining and risking injury.
Finish with a gentle twist, sitting cross legged lengthen the spine before turning first to the right then to the left, repeat 3 times always turning on an exhale.
A final thought on core, do not forget the core of your individual being, take time to sit quietly once a day to touch base.