Build Core Strength and Stability with Mindful Yoga
A stable center helps everything from your posture to your daily energy levels. Let's work on your core and strength with sequences that focus on steady, sustainable progress.
This is the starting position for my 5-minute core blast, beginning on all fours. A strong core is the foundation for a healthy back and better posture, and this quick routine is perfect for firing up your abs.
Lying on your back, we move into leg lifts and lowers. This exercise targets the lower abdominals. Remember to press your lower back into the mat to protect your spine and keep the movement controlled.
From a tabletop position, we move to the forearms to continue our core work. This variation changes the angle and challenges different parts of your abdominal muscles.
Let's get into a lower body blast. This sequence starts with simple standing movements to warm up the glutes and legs before we add more intensity.
Adding some balance work with high knees. This move not only strengthens the standing leg and hip flexors but also engages your core for stability. We hold for 30 seconds on each side.
This exercise targets the glutes and hamstrings. Keeping the base knee bent in a squat-like position, we extend the other leg back and to the side. It's a real burner for your lower body.
Arm balances like this one are a fun way to play with strength and balance. They look intimidating, but they are built on the foundational core and upper body strength we develop in every class.
About Core & Strength Workouts
In my group classes, we often wrap up with a short, 5-minute core blast. This is intense but safe because we focus on active engagement rather than just holding a position, which is the real secret to building the strength needed for advanced poses without straining your lower back.
When I teach core work, it is never about aesthetics or getting specific results. It is about 'sthira'—the stability that keeps you upright and pain-free. My approach combines the steady alignment of Hatha with the dynamic movement of Vinyasa to build functional strength that translates to real life. Whether you are working on your first crow pose or just trying to fix that slouch from sitting at a desk, we break down the movements so you understand what to engage and what to relax.
We use simple modifications, like keeping your knees bent during leg lifts to protect your spine, so you can safely build your capacity. You do not need a fancy studio or weights. Most of what we do uses your body weight, focusing on the 'squeeze-and-soak' action of engaging your abdominal muscles during twists and folds. I keep the group batches small, capped at 15 people, specifically so I can see you on the screen and provide real-time verbal corrections. If you feel like your motivation is dragging, that is fine. We have all been there. Just showing up for a 20-minute flow makes a difference. My goal is to help you build a relationship with your body where you feel capable, steady, and strong, whether we are focusing on a spicy core sequence or working through holding balance.
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