Core Strength

A strong core is the key to the health of the lower back. If the lower core muscles are weak, the pelvis will not be held in a strong neutral position during our daily activities. This may result in soreness or injury, even from simple activities such as lifting a bag of groceries from the trunk of the car, or unloading the dishwasher. This week we will focus on strengthening the lower abdominal and lower back muscles and continue our awareness of the front and back of the body in relationship to one another. 

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Merudanda Mudra
Staff Gesture

Make a fist and extend thumb up, keeping gentle pressure of fingernails against palm. Rest hands on thighs with thumbs pointing up
Benefits: Activates the prana in the center of the chest, warms the body
Practice Tips: Use when feeling low energy, or with sluggish digestion
Contraindications: High blood pressure

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Paschima Mudra
West Side of the Body Gesture

Right Hand: Touch tips of thumb, middle and pinkie fingers together, extend all others.
Left Hand: Touch tips of thumb and ring fingers together, extend all others. Rest with palms up.
Benefits: Directs breath into the spine and back body
Practice Tips: Use with all kinds of back pain
Contraindications: Headache

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Reclining Tadasana at the Wall
Supta Tadasana


Lay down on the back with the feet against the baseboard and legs straight. Press the thighs down into the floor and raise the arms overhead. Notice how the lower back arcs away from the floor when the legs are extended away from the torso and the shoulders are flexed away from the torso. 

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Reclining Thumb to Big Toe Pose I
Supta Padangusthasana I

Lie on the back with the legs straight and feet against the wall. Draw your right knee into your chest and lengthen the left leg onto the floor. Wrap a strap around the ball of your right foot and extend the leg into the air. Reach the hands up the strap until the elbows are straight but the shoulders are still grounded. Hold for 10-20 breaths.
Therapeutics: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, buttock; also releases tension in the lower back.

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Reclining Thumb to Big Toe Pose II
Supta Padangusthasana II

Lie on the back with the legs straight and feet against the wall. Place a block on the outside of the right hip. Wrap strap around the ball of the right foot, extend the leg and hold the strap in just the right hand. Externally rotate your leg and as you exhale , lower the leg directly out to the side so that the outer thigh rests on the block. Extend the foot into the strap and reach the left arm out to the side keeping the left hip on the floor. To release, use the inner thigh to draw the leg up to center. Hold for 10-20 breaths then release to center.
Therapeutics: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, inner thigh, outer hip and buttock; also releases tension in the lower back.

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Reclined Marching

Lay on back with knees bent and feet on floor. Keep the abdominal muscles contracted and the lower back imprinted into floor the entire time you are performing this exercise. 
Variation I:  Exhale and lift right foot a few inches from floor, inhale and release foot to floor, repeat 10 times with the breath. 
Variation II: Repeat while raising opposite arm over head, repeat 10 times per side with the breath. 
Benefits: Strengthens lower abdominal muscles

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Alternate Leg Lifts

Lay on back with knees bent and feet on floor. Keep the abdominal muscles contracted and the lower back imprinted into floor the entire time you are performing this exercise.  
Variation I:  Exhale and extend left leg straight and hold it a few inches above floor, inhale and release, repeat 10 times with the breath, alternating sides.
Variation II:  Repeat as you extend the opposite arm over head, inhale and release. Repeat 10 times with the breath, alternating sides.
Benefits: Strengthens lower abdominal muscles

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Alternate Leg Extensions

Lay on back with knees bent and feet lifted to the height of the knees. The knees should be right above hip joints and keep the abdominal muscles contracted and the lower back imprinted into floor the entire time you are performing this exercise.  
Variation I:  Exhale and drop the left toes towards the floor with the knee bent and extend the right arm overhead. Inhale and bring the left leg back up beside the right and the arm back to the side, repeat 10 times with the breath, alternating sides.
Variation II:  Exhale and extend the straight left leg almost all the way to the floor as you extend the right arm overhead. Inhale and bring the left leg back up beside the right and the arm back to the side, repeat 10 times with the breath, alternating sides.
Benefits: Strengthens lower abdominal muscles

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Bird Dog

Begin on all fours.
Variation I:  Take right leg back with toes turned under. Reach left arm forward with fingertips on floor. Hold for 5 breaths, then release and change sides. 
Variation II:  Inhale and extend right leg back and raise left arm forward keeping limbs parallel to floor. Engage belly and look at the floor. Exhale and release to all fours. Hold for 5 breaths, then release and change sides. 
Therapeutics: Builds postural strength diagonally across the back body.

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Downward Dog Flow
Adho Mukha Svanasana Vinyasa

Begin on Table Pose
Exhale back into Child's Pose
Inhale into Knee Plank or Cobra 
Exhale back into Child's Pose
Inhale into Table Pose
Exhale into Downward Facing Dog
Inhale into Table Pose
Repeat 3-5 times with the breath
Therapeutics: Strengthens the shoulders and builds awareness of spinal alignment.

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Supported Child's Pose
Salamba Balasana 

Kneel straddling a long bolster. Place a second bolster over first with end of bolster in front of your low abdomen. A third bolster can go under the far end of the second bolster or use a folded blanket or block to support under it. Extend front of body over second bolster and rest forehead on backs of hands. Rest up to 5 minutes. 
Therapeutics: Creates a calm, grounded space to get away from the demands of daily life

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