Dancing Core

When exercising, we tend to focus on the arms and legs, but not so much on our baseline—commonly known as the core. While practicing Yoga, our focus is on the proper alignment of the body and spine while moving from one pose to the other. The belly is what supports/guards our organs and is the base of flexion, the extension of the body. This is why it is called the core of the body.

Dancing Core

The core is an important part of our bodies. In Yoga, the navel (belly button) is found on the third chakra (an energetic center) called Manipura. It is believed to be the center of the body’s power and is symbolized by a yellow lotus with 10 petals. This is where—deep in the body—our emotions, intuition, personality, and psychic energies are integrated. During Yoga practice, you are guided to engage the bandas (locks) to help unite the breath and body movements. The banda that we engage is called Udiyana Banda (meaning ‘to fly up like a bird’) and it is applied while practicing Paranayama (a breathing technique) and some balance poses.

Inside the belly there is the gut, which is the second brain of the body. “The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine” by author Michael Gerson, MD offers proof of this amazing concept. I am certain that we have all experienced a gut feeling when something is not right, or when something is about to happen. That is our second brain trying to tell us something!

There is no doubt that the core is an important part of our bodies physically, emotionally, and energetically. For this reason, I believe that it is important for you to understand how it works and why you should work it out! The core is used to hold, flex, extend, and move our bodies:

There are four abdominal muscles in the core: the rectus & transverse abdominis and the internal & external obliques.

The rectus abdominis is the most superficial muscle that runs from the pubic bone to the breastbone to the cartilage of ribs 5,6, and 7. If it can be seen, it is often called a six-pack. The transverse abdominis is the deepest. It runs from the inguinal ligaments to the iliac crest (hip bone) to the cartilage of the six lower ribs. The internal obliques are deeper than the external ones. They start on the lateral half of the inguinal ligament, which runs from the hipbone to the pubic bone, the iliac crest, and the fascia of the thoracolumbar area. They both work together to create a twisting movement. The external obliques run downward from the eight outer ribs toward the midline, attaching at the linear alba like a bolero. You’ll notice that there is a lot going on in the core, but mostly it creates stability in our body. Like a baby learning to stand up and walk, every time he falls and gets up, he uses his core muscles to do this over and over again.

When we design our Aquatics and Yoga classes, we focus on providing you, the client, with the awareness, strength, and function of the core by adding balance movements to keep your legs and hips strong as you progress. Learning to use your core muscles as stabilizers will change the way you move, and it will protect your spine and back from injury. We provide mindful exercises using some routine movements, such as getting out of bed or sweeping the floor. These exercises can be an eye-opener and a great practice to help you build a stronger core!

Namaste,

-Millie