Core Power Yoga for Beginners! Common Sequences and Asanas!
If you're reading this, you may have already decided to try Core
Power yoga. Even if you're a beginner to yoga, Core Power yoga may be right for you! This type of yoga is kind of a mixed bag, because of the sophisticated mix of
yoga and fitness and because of the dynamics and variety of exercises, it
offers. If you haven't done so yet, you can read more about what to except from your first Core Power yoga class here.
Unlike classical yoga, which many people would associate to being more about light stretching, poses, breathing, and mental focus, Core Power yoga, even for beginners, is intense. The enhanced body heat, increases muscles ability to stretch and pushes your limits. Muscle relaxation and elongation, can help protect against injuries, and makes it easier to obtain different body poses, as well as improve the way in which you perform your day to day activities.
In the case of Core Power yoga, you can certainly count this as part of your weekly moderate to vigorous aerobic workout. According to Johns Hopkins, Medicine yoga is a great way to increase muscle strength, flexibility and balance.
These types of yoga routines, really get your heart rate up so from that standpoint there're considered moderate to vigorous exercise. Core Power yoga is really a test of multiple disciplines within yourself. You are pushing yourself physically with the combination of modern fitness, but also testing your mindfulness and the "yoga" aspect of the routine.
A study published out of the Complementary Therapies to Medicine Journal 2016, even concluded that types of yoga, such as Power Yoga, increased muscle strength and power within older individuals with Parkinson's disease. Regularly performed yoga helped decrease muscle rigidity in even groups of individuals with chronic diseases processes.
Yoga is truly an art form that can improve your quality of life, regardless of your fitness ability. It's truly about finding the right fit for you!
Okay, back to Core Power Yoga for Beginners....
Let’s go through some of the most common poses and
sequences of Core Power yoga, for beginners, so you'll have an idea of what
Core Power yoga is all about.
Related Article: Core Power Yoga: Take your Mind and Body to Another Stratosphere With The Multi-disciplinary Approach That is Core Power Yoga
Custom Sun B
Custom Sun B is a very popular Core Power sequence when it
comes to Core Power yoga classes. It consists of four related yoga poses.
The first pose is Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha
Svanasana). Start by getting down on your arms and knees. While exhaling, lift the knees off the floor, and raise the hips as high as possible.
Straighten your legs, extend your arms and try to keep your heels on the
ground.
Then move on to the Three-Legged Dog pose (Eka
Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana) by inhaling and lifting your right leg
high.
From here, move on to the Low Lunge pose
(Anjaneyasana) by exhaling and making a big step forward with the same leg,
bringing the right foot next to the right palm.
The last pose in this Core Power sequence is Virabhadrasana
II. Take a deep breath and move on to Warrior II. Separate
your legs, turning your right foot forward, and rotate your left foot in the
direction of your right foot about 45/60 degrees. Inhale as you raise your arms
and keep them parallel to the floor, with straight shoulders.
Exhaling, bend your right knee and try not to let your knee
cross the line of your toes. Open the chest and hips.
In the same way, as we are doing the regular Sun or Moon Salutations, repeat all of this on the other side. This is a core power sequence that will energize you and get you ready for more upcoming poses.
Side plank (Vasisthasana)
Who has not heard about the famous plank? We all know about it and its power to transform our body and our core's endurance, but in Core Power yoga you can expect a little variation.
From the regular plank, place your right hand in the middle so that your hand is under your head. Transfer all the weight to the right arm, straightened it at the elbow, directly below the right shoulder. Turn to the left, raise your left arm to 90 degrees to the floor. Stretch your arm up. Keep your legs together, left foot on the right. Stay in this position for 5-10 breaths and then switch sides.
Repeating this pose throughout your core power yoga sessions can help improve core, and upper body endurance.
Horse pose (Vatayanasana)
Although this seems like a simple pose, after doing it, you will truly feel the places it affects the most.
Take a standing position, and spread your feet a little wider than your shoulders. Make sure that your toes are pointing outward.
While you are inhaling, place your palms behind your head and spread your elbows. Exhaling, bend your knees 90 degrees.
Adjust your breathing with your movements. When inhaling, twist to one side, and when exhaling, twist to the other. Repeat this several times, about 10-15 breaths are enough if you are a beginner.
Boat pose (Navasana)
This is a great yoga pose, as it truly tests your entire body, specifically it's endurance. Holding this pose, as a beginner, is not always easy. Find your calm and focus, you may even begin to shake, because this pose tests your core's balance as well. You will increase your longevity with this pose if done regularly.
Sit with your knees bent, feet on the floor, hands next to you. Straighten the spine and open the chest.
Try to find balance by slowly lifting your legs off the floor. When you have found your balance, lift and straighten your legs, extending your arms at knee height. The back is straight. If it is difficult for you to straighten your arms, you can lower them to your thighs, below the knees.
Stay in this position for 5 breaths. If it is too hard for you, you can do several series of 2 breaths.
Chair pose (Utkatasana)
This is a slightly more difficult position but, over time, it will become a lot easier.
From a standing position, inhale, raise your arms and join your palms.
Exhale, bend your knees, and try to keep your thighs as parallel to the floor as possible. Make sure your knees do not cross your toes, and the torso is bent slightly forward so that it makes a right angle with the thighs. Keep the abdominal muscles active and underline the pelvis so that the back remains elongated.
Stay 30 seconds to one minute. Inhale to straighten your knees. With an exhalation, put your hands down and return to the standing position.
Final Thoughts!
The most important characteristic of Core Power yoga for
beginners is the focus on your strength and flexibility, which you will quickly gain
doing Core Power sequences and poses as those mentioned above.
Regular practice will definitely increase your flexibility,
balance, and coordination of the body, at the same time, building more lean muscle.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27062960/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-yoga-heart-connection#:~:text=Yoga%20as%20Heart%20Booster,it%20a%20useful%20lifestyle%20intervention.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30057050/