We often think of the core as being our abdominal muscles, or the ‘six pack’. While this may be aesthetically pleasing, you can still have a weak core even if you are sculpted like a Greek god or goddess.
Our core has three-dimensional depth and functional movement in all three planes of motion but many of these muscles are hidden beneath the exterior six pack that people tend to train more often. These deeper muscles include the transverse abdominals, diaphragm, TVR and pelvic floor. What many people do not know is that the core also includes the gluteus maximus, minimus and quadriceps, which create a trunk from the shoulders through to the knee.
Having a strong core is often referred to as having a ‘snug corset’ wrapping itself right around you, protecting you from knees to shoulders. It is also essential for sports and day to day activities to reduce the impact on our joints and bones, and it makes yoga practice easier and safer.
Very often we are told to strengthen the core if we have bad posture or lower back problems. This means strengthening what we deem the abs but it also requires strengthening the gluteus, lengthening the hamstrings and activating the hip flexors, which are often neglected. To truly create strength and stability in the core, we must concentrate on the front body as well as the sides and the back. This is because strengthening the entirety of the deep core area contributes to improved balance and better coordination and flexibility, which, in turn, will deepen our asana practice and enable us to transition more gracefully and controlled.
This workshop will give you the tools to use on and off the mat to help strengthen and deepen your practice. We will look into common problem areas that we encounter during our practice and develop techniques that you can incorporate into your own practice. This will be followed by a beautifully sequenced class that will strengthen the body, develop focus and balance the mind.
Cloudia’s workshop is on October 29th from 1:30 – 3:30pm and is now available for booking.
Cloudia Hill is a Yoga teacher and Actress in Theatre, TV and Film. She currently works in Studios around London and is Co/Founder of Yogalux.