Exercises
Core exercises from yoga, done with your bodyweight
Good core exercises train the front, sides and back of the trunk, not just the stomach. A simple yoga based set is dead bug, bird dog, plank shoulder taps, side plank hip lifts, boat pose taps, forearm plank rocks, locust lifts and bridge marches: eight to ten slow reps each, breathing out on the effort.
The core is the whole trunk: the deep muscles that wrap around the waist like a belt, the long muscles along the spine, the obliques on the sides, the diaphragm above and the pelvic floor below. In yoga it works quietly, keeping you steady in a lunge or a balance.
All eight use your bodyweight and a mat. Each starts from a yoga pose and adds slow movement, building strength and control rather than simply holding still. The set takes about fifteen minutes.
Who should check with a doctor first?
See a doctor or physiotherapist before core work if you have back pain that spreads into a leg, a recent abdominal or back surgery, a hernia, or a known disc problem. If you have had a baby recently or are pregnant, ask your doctor or midwife first, and read about yoga in pregnancy and after birth for gentler options.
Stop any move that causes sharp pain, a bulge along the middle of the belly, or a pinch in the lower back.
How do you do core exercises with yoga poses?
Breathe out on the effort and breathe in as you return. Never hold the breath. Do eight to ten slow reps of each, or the time given, then rest for a few breaths before the next.
- Dead bug. Lie on your back, knees bent over the hips, arms reaching up, lower back gently towards the mat. Breathing out, lower the right arm behind you and the left leg towards the floor, only as far as the back stays down. Breathe in to return. Alternate sides, eight to ten reps each.
- Bird dog. Start in Table Top Pose, on hands and knees. Breathing out, reach the right arm forward and the left leg back, hips level. Breathe in and bring the elbow and knee to meet under you. Eight reps, then switch.
- Plank shoulder taps. From Plank Pose with the shoulders over the wrists, widen the feet a little. Lift the right hand to tap the left shoulder, then the left hand to the right. The hips should barely move. Ten taps in total, knees down if the lower back sags.
- Side plank hip lifts. Lie on your right side, propped on the right forearm, elbow under the shoulder, knees bent or legs long. Lift the hips into Side Plank, breathing out, then lower them halfway on the in breath. Eight lifts, then the other side.
- Boat pose toe taps. Sit in Boat Pose with the knees bent, hands behind the thighs, chest lifted. Breathing out, lower both feet to tap the floor; breathing in, lift the shins back to level. Eight taps, keeping the spine long rather than rounded.
- Forearm plank rocks. Come onto the forearms in a plank, elbows under the shoulders. On the out breath, rock the body forward an inch over the toes; on the in breath, rock back. Eight slow rocks. It shares its base with Dolphin Pose.
- Locust lifts. Lie on your front, arms by your sides. Breathing in, lift the chest, arms and legs a few centimetres; breathing out, lower. Eight reps, neck long and gaze down. The Locust Pose page explains how to keep the lift small.
- Bridge marches. Lift into Bridge Pose with the feet hip width. Keeping the hips level, lift the right foot an inch off the floor, place it down, then the left. Eight marches in total, then lower slowly.
Finish in Child’s Pose for a minute, knees wide and forehead on a cushion.
Common mistakes
- Holding the breath. It is the first sign a move is too hard. Choose an easier version and breathe.
- Arching the lower back in dead bug. Make the arm and leg movement smaller until the back stays down.
- Rushing the reps. Slow movement asks more of the core than fast swinging.
- Sinking into the shoulders. In every plank, press the floor away and keep space between the shoulders and the ears.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: move only the arms in dead bug; do bird dog with the arm or the leg alone; keep the knees down in plank taps and side plank; hold the thighs in boat taps.
- Harder: straighten the legs in side plank and dead bug; add a three breath hold at the top of each bird dog; lift the foot higher in bridge marches; do two or three rounds of the whole set.
How is this different from a yoga core sequence?
The yoga core sequence for strength moves through seven poses with breath counted holds, as a flowing class would. These core exercises take several of the same shapes and add reps and movement, closer to a home workout. Alternate the two across the week.
Where do core exercises fit?
Warm up first with a few rounds of Cat-Cow and the warm up exercises before a workout. Afterwards, the back stretches for everyday stiffness let the trunk soften again. If plank shoulder taps feel easy, the ten plank variations from incline to reverse plank add more options.
Questions
How many times a week should you do core exercises?
Two or three times a week suits most people, with a rest day in between. The trunk muscles work all day to hold you upright, so short, careful sessions tend to be more useful than one long, exhausting one.
Do core exercises flatten the stomach?
Not on their own. Core work builds strength in the trunk, but it does not burn fat from one spot. How the stomach looks depends far more on overall activity, food, sleep and genetics.
Is it normal for the lower back to ache during core work?
A dull sense of effort in the back muscles is common in moves like locust and bird dog. A sharp, pinching or spreading pain is not. Reduce the range, choose the knee down version, or stop and see a doctor or physio if it continues.
Can you do core exercises every day?
Gentle versions such as dead bug and bird dog are mild enough for many people to do most days. Harder holds like long planks need rest between sessions, the same as any other muscle group.
Do you need equipment for core exercises?
No. Every exercise in this set uses only your bodyweight and the floor. A yoga mat makes kneeling and lying more comfortable, and a folded towel under the knees helps in bird dog and plank work, but nothing else is needed.
Are sit-ups a good core exercise?
Sit-ups mainly work the muscles at the front of the stomach. Many teachers prefer exercises like dead bug, bird dog and plank variations, which train the whole trunk to keep the spine steady while the arms and legs move. If you do sit-ups, move slowly and avoid pulling on your neck with your hands.