5 Yoga Poses to Build Core Strength

Make onlookers say "OHHHH my!"

Core strength is a key part of reaching your fitness goals, and yoga can help you get there. Strong ab and back muscles support you in a variety of yoga poses—and make you feel better as you move throughout your day. Tone your core more quickly by adding the following poses to your yoga practice.

Plank Pose

Practicing plank pose is very similar to holding yourself in a high push-up position, as if you were about to begin a set of push-ups. For proper alignment, your shoulders should be in a straight line above your wrists. Stay up on your toes and engage your legs by imagining that your heels are reaching toward the back wall. Pull your abs in tight and try to keep your entire body in one straight line as if it were a plank of wood. Hold the pose for several slow steady breaths.

Forearm Plank

As a variation, you can work on your core strength by moving into forearm plank. The difference between forearm plank and basic plank pose is that you lower down to your elbows and stretch your forearms and hands forward along the mat. Keep your shoulders aligned above your elbows and engage your back and abs to stay straight as a board from your head down to your toes.

Side Plank

Side plank is a challenging variation on plank pose which engages your abs and strengthens your arms and shoulders. Begin in plank pose (high push-up), then move your right hand closer toward the center of your mat. Rotate your body so your feet are stacked (right foot below left) and reach your left arm toward the ceiling. If this is too challenging, lower your right knee to the mat, keeping it in line with your hip. Hold for several slow breaths, then come back to plank and repeat on the other side.

Boat Pose

Boat pose is one of the most well-known yoga poses for building core strength. Begin in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet on the floor in front of you. With your back straight, hold onto the backs of your thighs and lean back until you're balancing on your sit bones. Your feet will come up off the floor. Straighten your legs until your knees are bent 90 degrees and let go of your thighs. If you can keep your back straight, work toward straightening your legs over time.

Warrior 3

Many standing yoga poses use your core strength to keep you in alignment. This is easy to feel in the balancing pose Warrior 3. Begin by standing up straight with your feet together. Shift your weight to your left foot and slowly bend forward at the waist while lifting your right leg straight out behind you. Ideally, your upper body and right leg will form a straight line while you balance on your left leg. You can hold your arms out to the side or move them forward to reach above your head. Hold for several breaths, keeping your core tightly engaged. Slowly return to a standing position and then practice the pose on the other side.