2 Exercises for Strong Abs

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Yoga > Yoga Therapy

2 Exercises for Strong Abs (and a Healthy Back)Try these abdominal exercises to strengthen your core and support a

healthy, pain-free back.BY Doug Keller ON June 4, 2013

e article No More Back Pain !one the "ight Abs (#article#$ie%#no&

'ore&back&ain&tone&the&right&abs) exlains in detail ho% the abdo'inal'scles are designed to rotect the l'bar sine against disk roble's*and

ho% yo can strengthen the right abs to re$ent this co''on sorce of lo%er

back ain+ Here are t%o 'ore yoga exercises yo can try at ho'e+

Exercise 1: Working Back and Forth in Boat

and Half Boat PoseBegin in(ari()rna na$asana(boat ose)+ !o 'o$e into ardha na$asana(half

boat ose), bend yor knees, lo%ering yor feet to the -oor+ .las yor

xercises for Strong Abs (and a Healthy Back) | Yoga International https://yogainternational.com/article/view/2-exercises-for-strong-abs-a...

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thighs %ith yor hands and crl do%n throgh yor lo%er back*lling on

the thighs %ith yor hands to slo% yor descent*ntil yor lo%er back and

sacr' are on the -oor and there is no in%ard arch in yor lo%er back+ (As

the abdo'inals get stronger, yo %ill no longer need to hold yor thighs, or

e$en bend yor knees+)

/ir' yor lo%er belly belo% the na$el, ressing yor lo%er back into the

-oor %hile keeing yor er back (at the sholder blades) lifted a%ay fro'

the -oor+ Extend one leg and then the other leg ot abot 01 degrees to the

-oor, %ith yor lo%er belly r', as in the re$ios exercises+ 3f yor back

begins to arch, yor soas is o$ero%ering yor abdo'inals, and yo need to

bend yor knees and hold yor thighs, so that yo can reestablish the

ronding of yor lo%er back+

!o co'lete the ose, extend yor ar's for%ard, arallel to each other and to

the -oor+!o co'e back into arirna na$asana, bend yor knees, clas

yor thighs %ith yor hands, and rock onto yor sitbones, straightening

yor sine+ (As yor lo%er back and thighs get stronger, yo %ill be able to

lift into the ose %ith straight legs, dra%ing yor sholders back as yolift and oen yor chest+ e secret lies in -iing the el$is for%ard into a

for%ard tilt+)

4ork back and forth bet%een the t%o oses se$eral ti'es, and then go fro'

rirna na$asana into baddhakonasana (bond angle ose), bending

for%ard slightly to stretch and release yor addctors and his+

Exercise 2: Rocking the Boat

Here5s another %ay to %ork to%ard ardha na$asana (half boat ose)+ Start on

yor back and clas one knee %ith yor hands+ Press yor knee into yor

hands to hel yo crl ntil yor er back and sholder blades co'e

a%ay fro' the -oor6 yor thigh shold be $ertical+ At the sa'e ti'e, lift yor

other leg*flly extended*abot 21 to 01 degrees fro' the -oor+ 7or lo%er

belly is r', yor lo%er back ressed into the -oor and ronded enogh that

yo can rock back and forth slightly, like a rocking chair+


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Slo%ly change legs %ithot droing yor er back or arching yor lo%er

back+ 7o5ll feel yor abdo'inals 8' into action+ Slo%ly alternate legs+

/inally, extend both legs %hile keeing yor er body lifted, yor ar's

reaching to%ard yor feet+ 3f this $ersion cases ain or disco'fort in yor

neck, ractice the reclining $ersions %ith yor head sorted co'fortably+

3f yo ha$e reexisting disk roble's, stick %ith the gentler $ersions of there$ios exercises+

ABOUT Doug Keller (https://yogainternational.com/proile/!"#Doug Keller

has a masters degree in philosophy from Fordham University. His yoga

ourney includes 14 years of practicing in Siddha oga ashrams! intensive

training in the "yengar and #nusara methods! and nearly a decade of

teaching in the U.S. and a$road. #sana instruction! essays! and other

enlightening information are availa$le on his %e$site&http'((%%%.doyoga.com).

*hoto $y lululemon athletica+pelvic , a$dominal

-o ore /ac0 *ain 2one the 3ight #$s

By Doug Keller

The health o your $ac% &epen&s on the support o your a$&ominals'$ut notthe ones you thin% )*AD +O)* (/article/,ie-/nomore$ac%paintone

55 Hour 2eacher 2raining 6 *itts$urgh

0T1 Himalayan Institute Pittsburgh

)*AD +O)* (/e,ents/,ie-/233hourteachertrainingpitts$urgh#

4 5ae 5tretch )ules

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0nner )esol,e -ith Yoga

Ni&ra

1o- to 5tretch an&

5trengthen the 6soas

By Julie Gumesta

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0n7uries 8 9ore 5trength

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#ll 7ontent 8 7opyright oga "nternational 516*resent. #ll 3ights 3eserved.


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2 Exercises for Strong Abs

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