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Core
Strength Yoga is an approach to hatha yoga that emphasises the
importance of using the inner body to support the outer body.
This means developing awareness of core muscles, including the
pelvic floor, the
transverse abdominus and the deep back
postural muscle, multifidus.
Awareness of, and work on,
the iliopsoas and other abdominal muscles
is also important in
developing a strong sense of core around which a
stable and
aligned posture can be held. In hatha yoga, core muscles
should be strengthened and used to stabilise the centre of the body
so
that students are supported from within when they are doing asanas.
Core Strength Yoga is suitable for all abilities
and everyone benefits from
working with core muscles.
Posture improves, students are less prone to
back pain and the
structure of the body comes into better alignment around
gravity. My approach to what I call Core Strength Yoga is influenced by
my
own experience of working with bandhas (energy seals or locks)
in
Ashtanga Yoga. I found myself bringing a lot of that work
into my general,
much more gentle, hatha yoga classes. I
have also been influenced by the
work of Tom Myers in his book, Anatomy Trains.
The whole Rolfing view
of the body as a tensegrity structure is
fascinating and very relevant to yoga practice. I should pay tribute to my anatomy teacher, David Keil, for
inspiring me down this path. His website is always worth a
look at www.yoganatomy.com

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