Students often come up to me after my Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga workshops and tell me how surprised they were about what they learned. Many of them didn't expect the kind of information they got during a class they walked into thinking was going to just target their abs for two hours. That's because I teach that the core is more than just the abdominals.

Abs are an integral part of yoga, or any movement form, to be sure. They help stabilize and mobilize most everything we do, on or off the mat. However, they are only one aspect of what gives us the power to be strong and resilient in our practices and in our lives.

Whenever I teach core work, I always interplay the abdominal actions with their muscular counterparts, such as the erector muscles along the spine, which help keep the abs in check. I also discuss and work with the diaphragm to make sure we're able to keep our core resilient enough to enjoy the freedom of the breath.

Anatomy and yoga experts like Tom Myers, author of Anatomy Trains, and my mentor Leslie Kaminoff, author of Yoga Anatomy, tell us that the abdominals link up and communicate with other muscles in fluid lines that run from the feet to the head.  I love to see students' faces light up when they find out they have a "core" body running close to the skeleton that they can access to amplify the effectiveness of any pose.

But there's more. In addition the holistic nature of the abs (for example, what you do with your rectus abdominis muscle affects the whole front line of your body) this root area contains so much latent energy waiting to be accessed. It also harbors our most personal fears, the very resistance that often blocks us from realizing our inner truth. Making a core connection might begin with working and releasing the more obvious outer body, but the yogi learns to sense the more subtle world within--whether this is the quietly powerful core myofascial line, the still space between the thoughts, the unwavering heart at center, or the soulful state of being aligned with who you really are.
 
All of this awareness leads us straight to one place: satya, or the practice of honesty. In my experience, being true to yourself comes from developing a consistent relationship with your inner nature of goodness, clarity, and peace. When you can tap into this part of you, an ocean of energy and wisdom opens. Once you find your way to the deep water inside, you can always return, even as you express what you've found out into your world. Your satya will always be there, offering a sometimes-surprising perspective that can truly rock your world from the core.

CORE POSE: Eagle Curl

Here's one of my signature Core Poses to target your abs that also lets you practice being uber-honestly you. It's hip and shoulder opener even as you work your rectus abdominis (the six-pack) and transversus abdominis (the girdle that wraps from sides to front of the torso) muscles.  The bound arms and legs means that you can't rely on them as much for support, so the movement of this posture has to come almost entirely from the abs.

Come onto your back. Wrap your left arm over your right at the elbow, and your right leg over your left leg at the knee, as in Garudasana (Eagle Pose). Both legs are lifted with your left knee stacked over the hip joint.

Inhale with your shoulders and head on the floor. Exhale and firm your belly to curl your shoulders and head up, so just the tips of your shoulderblades remain on the floor. Don't move your knees closer to your arms, but do try to touch your left elbow to them.

Do 5-15 repetitions of this pose then lie flat on your back with legs long and arms overhead. Take a few belly-stretching breaths.

Note: If this variation is too intense on your neck, place your fingertips into the back of your head and do the pose this way. Be mindful not to yank yourself into the pose with your arm strength, but use the abdominals to initiate the movement.