Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise that you can do to strengthen your core, today we take a look at our top 6 best beginner core yoga poses and then we have put them into a quick 10-minute yoga workout for core strength.
A lot of yoga poses rely heavily on core strength. Take boat pose for example, a great beginner core yoga pose, where you are holding your feet off the ground really engaging your core muscles.
Having good core strength is essential for good posture, reducing back pain, and a healthy spine.
Your core is not just simply your abdominals, it’s your lower back muscles the erector spinae, your internal and external obliques plus the huge underlying muscle called the transverse abdominis. It’s role is to compress everything in your mid-section keeping your spine and organs protected.
This where yoga is great for strengthening your core. It works all of the muscles deep within that stabilize your body for strong foundations.
Have you tried doing a headstand yet?
This yoga pose and variations of the headstand are great for core strength and similarly require a huge amount of core strength to master plus they look really cool!
Can yoga strengthen your core?
Absolutely yes, yoga has many poses and moves that will work and strengthen your core.
Yoga has core-specific holds such as the boat pose that we mentioned earlier, and the dolphin plank pose that works the entire front and back of your core.
Then you have stability and balance poses such as Warrior 3 and one-handed Tiger which are great beginner yoga poses. Anything that causes the need to balance or stabilize will be working the finer muscle of your core, therefore making it stronger.
Is yoga a good core workout?
Sequenced properly yoga is great as a core workout. Yoga has many great core strengthening exercises and when put together properly, as we have here today, can leave you feeling like you’ve worked your abs and core.
Just take a look at the yoga workout at the end of this post.
Our top 6 beginner core yoga poses
Let’s get into it and go through the 6 amazing beginner core yoga poses. Holding each pose for 30 seconds, resting as needed, for two rounds for a quick 10-minute core strengthening workout.
You can download the 10-minute yoga workout as a PDF at the end for your convenience.
Boat pose
Boat pose is a great yoga pose for your core. As you do boat pose your entire core is working hard t hold you in position whilst not letting you fall backward.
To do boat pose take a seat on your yoga mat. Place your hands just behind your hips and straighten your legs.
Lean back very slightly so that you feel the tension in your abs. Keeping your chest up high, try to lift your legs off the floor. You can start with bent legs and then try to straighten them. Once you are strong in position take your hands off the floor and bring your arms out straight beside your knees. Hold in position for 30 seconds.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t do full boat pose, to begin with, bend your legs slightly or keep your hands resting on the floor for support. Over time try to straighten your legs and lift your hands off the floor. It’s all a journey.
Bird dog crunch and Balancing table pose
Bird dog crunch isn’t your typical yoga pose, it’s a dynamic move that uses your core and is one of our favorite core yoga poses.
It basically combines a plank and a crunch whilst working on your balance and positioning.
To do bird dog pose come to all fours on your mat, hands should be directly under your shoulders with your arms straight and your knees under your hips.
Once in position take your left arm out in front of you and your right leg back. You want to have a straight line from your left hand through your body all the way down to your outstretched right leg.
You are now in balancing tale pose. Keep note.
To start bird dog pose you exhale and bring your left arm and elbow in towards your belly button, as your do so at the same time bring your right knee in towards your left elbow and meet in the middle. As they meet slightly flex your torso and squeeze your abs.
As you inhale take your left arm back out above your head and your right leg back away from your body into balancing tabletop. You will repeat this motion for 30 seconds before switching sides.
Balancing table pose
Once you have finished with bird dog pose you will do the balancing table pose which is the static holding version.
In position, this core yoga pose will help strengthen your abs and lower ack whilst helping you to be aware of your body in position. Try to keep your hips square to the ground and create a strong line from your outstretched hand to your outstretched leg.
You have already done balancing tabletop pose. After you have completed 30 seconds on each side of bird dog pose reset to balancing table pose and hold in position for 30 seconds per side.
Plank pose
No core workout can be complete without a plank. The plank pose or high plank is an all-round core strengthening yoga pose.
Once in position, you hold yourself still, focusing on your breathing, with your gaze between your fingertips. Try to engage your core throughout.
A simple and effective pose, to do plank pose return to tabletop, that’s on all fours, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Take your left leg and then your right leg back and push onto your toes. You should now be in plank pose.
Maintain a strong position with your hands under your shoulders with straight arms. Keep your gaze down between your fingertips.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Side plank pose
Side plank pose is a great yoga pose that will work the muscles down the side of your torso, your obliques.
To do side plank pose, start in plank pose and then shift your weight onto the outside edge of your right foot, placing your left foot on top of your right. Next, take your left arm off the floor and lift it up onto your hip or into the air for better balance.
You are now inside plank pose. Complete 30 seconds in position per side.
Once in position hold yourself still. To increase the intensity, you could drop and lift your hips up and down slowly. To make it easier you can leg your knees drop to the floor.
Supported shoulder stand
Anybody that has done this pose before will know that it does indeed stimulate our core, as a beginner you will feel it even more. It’s a fantastic yoga pose for your lower abs and lower back. Its also ideal for strengthening your overall core, balance, and stability.
To do supported shoulder pose start by laying on your mat on your back. Next, bring your knees into your chest and keep both your arms down by your side.
Pushing your hands and arms into the floor, straighten your legs and lift your hips up off the floor taking your feet over your head.
Keeping your upper arm on the floor for support take your hands and place them on your back to hold your torso vertical. Currently, you should be laying down with your feet over your head, hips in the air, and arms supporting your back holding you in position.
One leg at a time, lift your legs up towards the sky and hold yourself here. You are now in supported shoulder stand position.
Hold here for 30 seconds.
You have now completed one round of the 10-minute beginner yoga for core strength. Take 30-60 seconds rest and then start again for a total of two rounds.
If you need the yoga workout again here it is below and you can also download it as a handy PDF to take with you.
beginner core yoga poses – 10-minute beginner yoga for core strength workout
Perform 30 seconds of each yoga pose. After one round rest for 30-60 seconds and then perform a second round to finish.
Here is the yoga workout in order of exercises, followed by your yoga workout PDF.
- Boat
- Bird dog crunch left arm
- Bird dog crunch right arm
- Balancing table pose left arm
- Balancing table pose right arm
- Plank pose
- Side plank pose left side
- Side plank pose right side
- Supported shoulder stand
We hope you enjoyed these beginner core yoga poses. Try to do the workout three days a week for the best results.
10-Minute Beginners Core Yoga Workout PDF
Do these 6 beginner core yoga poses in our quick 10 minute workout, download the PDF by clicking the button below.
More yoga posts
Unwind with Yoga for Stress Relief – Find Serenity
8 Beginner Yoga Poses For Plus-Sized Women
10 Major Benefits Of Yoga For Men
Welcome! I’m Luke, a certified personal trainer with over 14 years of experience. With a BSc (Hons) in Sports Science, I specialize in tailored fitness programs for diverse clients who want to improve their lifestyle through exercise and healthy eating.