A strong core is essential for health and well-being. A strong core maintains posture, supports the back and enables you to perform everyday activities effortlessly. The core muscles include the abdominals, obliques and lower back. Furthermore, strengthening the back also has a strengthening effect on the core muscles - the core supports the back, and the back supports the core. 

When physical health is strong, confidence and self-esteem also improves, having a strong impact on mental health. In a certain sense, this improves how you show up in every situation, a shift in perspective and overall improvement in health and well-being. Yoga works on the overall strength, flexibility and balance of the body and mind. However, there are certain yoga poses that work specifically on core strength. 

Seven Yoga Poses For Core Strength

Boat pose

‍The Boat pose, Navasana, engages the abdominal muscles and back. It also strengthens the arms and legs. The posture requires you to pull in the lower abdominals to keep the legs lifted. Holding the position requires you to breathe deeply into the abdomen, engage the core muscles and work on stabilization. This has a strengthening effect on core strength. 

How to do Boat pose

• Lie down on your mat. Inhale, and as you exhale lift your upper body and your legs up. 
• Bring the legs straight up to a 45-degree angle. The torso will tend to fall back, but do not let the spine collapse. Keep your back straight. 
• Stretch the arms in a straight line with your shoulders. 
• Your body will be in a ‘V’ shape. 
• Stay here for 5-10 breaths or as long as comfortable. Keep taking slow, deep breaths and engage your core.

Plank pose

A part of the Surya Namaskar series, the Plank pose also requires you to engage the core muscles. The posture stretches and strengthens the back, legs and arms, along with the abdominal muscles.

How to do Plank pose

• From the standing forward bend (Uttanasana), walk both your legs back. You can also jump back if you have the right stability and strength. 
• Adjust your posture. Ensure your palms are below your shoulders, and shoulders are not moving ahead or behind the palms. Tuck your toes and keep the feet a foot apart. The back should be straight and should not sink down towards the mat. 
• Engage the core. Take deep breaths and hold the posture for as long as comfortable. 

Side Plank pose

‍A challenging arm balancing and core strengthening posture, the side plank pose strengthens the core muscles, back and arms. 

How to do side plank pose

• From Plank, shift your weight onto your right arm and simultaneously roll onto the outside of your right foot.
• Keep both of your legs straight. Bring your left foot on top of the right. You can also place the feet one behind the other if that's more comfortable.
• Lift your left arm up towards the ceiling and your gaze towards the left fingertips. 
• After 3 to 5 breaths, come back to the center and repeat this on the other side. 

Low plank pose

Known as Chaturanga, this low plank strengthens the core, allowing you to support the body as you come lower down without allowing the back to sag. In the posture, the abdominals remain tucked in and engaged. It also improves arm strength tremendously. 

How to do low plank pose 

• From Plank pose, shift your weight forward into your toes so that your shoulders come in front of your wrists.
• Slowly bend your elbows straight back to lower your chest toward the floor.
• Stop lowering when your shoulders are in line with your elbows or above the elbows. Do not let the shoulders dip toward the floor or come anywhere near to touching the floor.

Warrior poses

‍The warrior poses, Virabhadrasana 1 and Virabhadrasana 2 are both core strengthening poses. They help correct posture, strengthen the arms, shoulders, legs, back and core muscles. 

How to do the warrior poses

• The starting position of all these asanas is the same. Stand about 3 feet apart with your right foot facing forward while your left leg is straight behind you with your foot flat on the floor. The foot will be pointing outwards. 
• Come into a lunging position with your torso facing forward for warrior one. 
• Now raise your hands up and gaze forward. Make sure your front leg knee is in line with your foot and thigh is parallel to the floor. 
• For warrior 2, turn your torso to the side such that you are facing sideways. But turn your neck and look in the direction of the front foot. Bring your hands to shoulder level such that the hands are parallel to the mat. 
• For both poses you will have to engage the core, thigh muscles, abdominal muscles and take deep breaths. Keep the back straight, focus your attention on any stretch you are feeling in different parts of the body. 

Locust Pose

Known as Shalabhasana, the Locust pose is a backbend which stretches and strengthens the back muscles. To hold the posture, one has to engage the core muscles, giving the region a strengthening effect. The abdominal muscles get strengthened too. 

How to do locust pose

• Lie down on the stomach. Keep the forehead on the ground and arms stretched back, beside the thighs
• Breathing in, lift up both legs, hands, chest and head off the ground. Keep the legs straight and do not twist the hip.
• Hold and keep breathing. Make sure you look straight, keeping the neck long. 
• Hold the asana with your core muscles, and keep the thighs engaged. 

Cobra Pose

Similar to Shalabhasana, the Cobra pose is also a strong backbend which works on back strength. The posture strengthens the back and core muscles, stretching the abdominal region and improving digestion. It relaxes the back and relieves tension. 

How to do cobra pose 

• Lie flat on the stomach with the legs straight, feet together and the soles of the feet facing upwards. 
• Place the palms of the hands flat on the floor, below and slightly to the side of the shoulders, with the fingers together and pointing forward.
• Position the arms so that the elbows point backward and are close to the sides of the body.
• Rest the forehead on the floor and close the eyes.
• Relax the whole body, especially the lower back. Now slowly raise the head.
• Straighten the elbows, using the back muscles first, then the arm muscles to raise the trunk further and arch the back.
• In the final position, the pubic bone remains in contact with the floor and the navel is raised a maximum of 3 mm. 
• The arms may or may not be straight; this will depend on the flexibility of the back.

Yoga has a sustained and progressive effect on strengthening the core muscles. When practiced regularly, the muscles get a deep stretch, improved blood circulation and nourishment, which not only has a strengthening effect but also a calming one. Practice regularly with certified yoga teachers to benefit from the sustained impact.