If you’re anything like me, the thought of doing crunches for toned abs and a flat belly might make you want to avoid the gym altogether. Luckily, you don’t need crunches to build a strong core. Here are four beginner yoga poses anyone can try for a strong core and flat belly!
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Learning to engage the muscles that support your trunk, hips, and shoulders helps coordinate the power of your lower body with the agility of your upper body. Using your core this way, especially while moving, ensures functional stability in everything you do – from playing sports to lifting your kids, gardening, or walking on slippery surfaces.
Here are four easy core exercises you can do at home with no equipment needed, just your body.
If you’re new to exercising or have past injuries, especially to your back, shoulders, or wrists, make sure to check with your doctor or physical therapist first.
1. **Core Activation Exercise**
This exercise targets your deepest abdominal muscle, which helps support your lower back. Think of it as your corset muscle.
– Lie on your back with your feet on the floor and knees bent at 90 degrees.
– Place the heels of your hands on your hipbones, thumbs towards your navel, and fingers towards your pubic bone. Imagine tying a string around your waist, feeling your belly become flat and firm as you pull your waist into the midline.
– Keep your hands here or relax them by your sides.
– Lift your right foot off the floor, keeping the knee at a 90-degree angle. Switch feet in mid-air, keeping your belly flat and firm and your hips as still as possible. Do this 10 times per leg, then place both feet back on the floor. Rest by moving your knees side to side, then repeat.
If your lower back starts pulling away from the floor or your belly bulges, bring your first foot back down before lifting the second one. You can also press your palms down beside you for extra support.
2. **Hip Stability Exercise**
This exercise builds on waist activation and adds hip stability.
– Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart, close to your buttocks.
– Engage your waist muscles and lift your hips to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Instead of clenching your buttocks, lengthen your sit bones towards the backs of your knees.
– Slowly hover your right foot above the floor, keeping your hips still. Swap sides, walking the feet while keeping your hips steady. Repeat 10 times per side, then lower your feet and hips to the floor. Hug your knees to your chest to rest, then repeat.
If you can’t keep your hips stable, try lifting to tiptoes one foot at a time instead of lifting the foot off the floor entirely.
3. **All Fours Exercise for Waist and Shoulder Stability**
This exercise engages your waist and stabilizes your hips and shoulders.
– Get on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees narrower than hips.
– Keep your shoulders and hips parallel to the floor, firm your belly, and narrow your waist.
– Extend your right leg straight behind you, keeping your hips square. Push into your right hand to lift your ribcage and lengthen your neck.
– Reach your left arm forward, extending it away from your foot. Return to all fours and switch sides. Do this 10 times per side before resting in Child’s Pose, then repeat.
If balancing is difficult, keep both hands on the floor and just move your legs from side to side.
4. **Side Waist and Shoulder Exercise**
This exercise maintains core, hip, and shoulder engagement and challenges the muscles of your side waist.
– Lie on your right side with your elbow under your shoulder and feet stacked.
– Reach your left arm to the ceiling, stack your shoulders and hips, firm your belly, and narrow your waist.
– Push into your right elbow to lift your ribs and raise your hips high.
– Without twisting your hips or collapsing into your shoulder, lower your hips to hover just above the mat, then lift them again. Do 5 hip lifts, then switch sides. Rest on your back, then repeat.
If stability is hard, bring your lower knee to the floor for extra support.
Next time, try raising your top leg off the bottom leg or turn into a forearm plank to switch sides.
And there you have it, beginner yoga for a strong core and flat belly! Without doing a single crunch, you’ve learned how to use the deep muscles of your core to stabilize your hips, spine, and shoulders, even while moving. What a great workout! As you go about your day, notice how you can use these muscles to create stability in everything you do.
