Yoga Corner: Strengthening Your Core, Both Physical and Mental

by Laurel E. Anderson for July/Aug 2005 City Health Magazine

You don’t always have to bend it like Beckham or in this case, like a pretzel, to achieve strength when exercising. Yoga is an ancient pursuit developed in India almost 4,000 years ago and to say that yoga has become a popular form of exercise, both for the body and mind, would be an understatement. And as with many forms of exercise, yoga has been used to promote health and prevent disease through a combination of physical exercises, breathing exercises and meditation. Many individuals with back problems have found yoga provides several benefits including relief of pain, an increase in strength and flexibility and as well, provides them with tools to learn to relax the mind.

Our core strength both physically and mentally, is crucial to a healthy body and mind as everything stems from our core. The strength or ability to get strong and stay strong isn’t just in the muscle, it’s also in our head and with these thoughts in mind, I asked a few yoga instructors to share a favourite pose or meditation that they find is good for both our physical and mental core.

Georgia Morissette, founder of georgiayogainc is “totally hooked” on the 5 Tibetans and has been doing 21 repetitions daily since February and says that it is fabulous.  It’s a great way to keep in shape on a limited time budget and can be done in a very small space. As for strengthening the mental core, Georgia takes part in a daily guided mediation with her favourite right now being ‘Journey to the Heart’ by Melody Beattie. There are many different meditation cd’s available at bookstores and new age shops around town.

When posed with the same question on how to improve one’s physical and mental core strength, Kim Barkley, principal of the Kanata Yoga Centre and Yoga Collective, shared her belief that core strength is made up of both physical and mental aspects. She believes that by integrating the two together in our yoga workout, we not only create toned and strong bodies, but that this process allows us to open our hearts and minds, thus enabling us to reveal our true nature. She uses Hatha Yoga as an example of a practice of stillness of the body and mind and that moving in and out of asanas (poses) with consciousness and breath is a dynamic form of meditation that strengthens our mental core. By meditating, our awareness increases and we are able to see life in a more positive nature and this allows us to stop and breathe before reacting.

As for the physical aspect, Kim believes having a strong physical core (torso, lower back, abdomen and hips) assists in stabilizing the spine and pelvis and creates a strong foundation for all other movement in the body. The benefits are many including a reduced chance of having poor posture and lower back pain and in some cases, alleviating it. “If I were to pick one pose that I believe is great for both the mind and core strength, it would be Bakasana (crow pose). This is not only a physically challenging asana based on upper body and core power, but emotionally we are moving through a resistance as well.” She continues that many people may be afraid of falling on their head, or just get frustrated for having the balance or strength to do the pose but that the most important thing is that you have a willing spirit and continue to strive while honouring your edge.

Over at MountainGoat Yoga in Barrhaven, owner and yogi Heather Moore picked Navasana or boat pose as a great core exercise. “This balancing and strengthening posture tones the abdominal wall and hip flexors. It strengthens the obliques bilaterally, giving the lower back support internally.” She adds that mental benefits include an enhanced focus, which creates structural integration by working with the balance aspect of this posture.

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