How core work makes your students stronger, healthier and more resilient

Bakasana Crow pose Yoga at the beach
Photo by Lenka McCarthy Photography

In our challenging times, I’d like to share why core work has never been more important and offer you five classes as a bonus.

More and more, science is proving that exercise improves mental health and reduces anxiety and depression.

Read the proof here, here and here.

 

Since 2020, many of us have found that conscious movement builds the strength and resilience we need when life gets challenging. And when do your students feel exceptionally strong after your classes? Exactly, after core exercises!

We all know core can be tough ( but also fun!) but there are exercises for everyone: young, senior and even for the not so fit ones. Acknowledging, that “core” has a wide range of meanings. 

 

What do I mean by “core”?

Our core is our centre, linking the upper and lower body.

I’m not just talking about the 6-pack muscles – rectus abdominis and external obliques. I mean the abdomen, lower back and waistline with the pelvic floor as the lowest extent of the core.

The “core” of something is its most valuable part. The same is true for our bodies.

 

What happens when we connect with our core?

For a start, every motion of our body begins in our core or moves through it. Looked at like that, every asana is a core exercise.

But to work our core is way more than just a muscular action.

“Connecting with our core” also means to move with integrity, using our bandhas.

When we work our core, we connect with our breath. Deep diaphragmatic breathing influences our nervous system.

We connect with our third chakra, the Manipura chakra – our solar plexus, our sun. It’s the centre of our self-esteem, willpower and discipline as well as warmth in our vitality and personality.

 

10 reasons to offer your students core exercises

Core work:

 
  1. Builds balance, preventing falls and injuries during sports or other activities.

  2. Improves posture, affecting your health and helping you project confidence.

  3. Gives space to the lungs, enabling us to breathe more effectively because our spine is stable.

  4. Strengthens the muscles that support the heart.

  5. Supports the lower back to decrease back problems.

  6. Improves digestion, which helps strengthen the immune system.

  7. Strengthens the muscles over the digestive organs unprotected by bones.

  8. Helps reduce anxiety disorder by increasing core body temperature, some studies have found out.

  9. Supports us spiritually in our lives – a strong core makes us more resilient. It cultivates strength beyond the mat. If our core is weak, challenges in life are much harder to take.

  10. Strengthens our emotional balance by emotionally centring us. Being centred helps to face challenges.

 

Receive my 5 suggestions to bring core practice to life in your class for free

Do you want to give your students more strength, from inside out?

 

I love teaching core work and its always at the centre of my own classes. I’ve put together 5 different class suggestions for how you can inspire your students, whatever their age and strength level, to love core work too. And to get the real benefit out of it. (update: sorry, not available anymore.)

 

Why not try them out yourself first?

 

Thank you so much for your time! I bow down to you

 

AGNES