Are you longing for a core challenge? Try these strengthening yoga poses.

It has become a universal joke that core strengthening exercises are about the worst. Send shivers down your spine when the yoga teacher says, “We’re going to focus on core strength today!” Part of the humor lies in the idea that core work is challenging in a way that leaves the muscles shaking, the sweat dripping, and the seconds counting down until it’s over.

But perhaps another reason why core work is so feared is because so many of us practice the same movements over and over again – Plank, Bird Dog, Side Plank, Boat Pose – and as a result those movements become quite boring.

Wondering how to break this vicious cycle? There are creative ways to incorporate building core strength into a yoga sequence that don’t involve “doing a bunch of crunches in a row,” according to longtime yoga teachers Bradshaw Wish and Giana Gambino of Yoga Teachers Bradshaw Wish and Giana Gambino of Yoga Teachers. CAYA Yoga School. “Sometimes core work is strongest when students don’t realize they are doing it.”

4 creative core strength exercises to do in yoga

Wish and Gambino recommend adding the following dynamic exercises to your core-strengthening routine. Practice them consistently and over time you will experience better posture, balance and coordination both on and off the mat.

1. Reverse Tabletop Curl with Block Pinch

This exercise quickly builds heat in the core and helps build pelvic stability. Bonus: Squeezing a block between the legs also strengthens the inner thigh muscles.

How:

2. Lie on your back with your knees on your hips and your shins parallel to the mat in the inverted tabletop position.
3. Place a block between your thighs and squeeze gently.
4. Reach your arms toward the wall in front of you as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat. Pull your knees slightly towards your chest. Breathe here.

2. Low boat position floating

Boat pose is a typical pose that focuses on core strength. This variation adds an endurance challenge and helps improve muscle control.

How:

1. Lie on your back with your legs in the inverted table top.
2. Reach your arms toward the wall in front of you as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat. Straighten your legs and lift them a few inches off the mat. Hang here, keeping your low back rounded and drawing your navel toward your spine.

3. Dynamic boat position

Another way to mix up your core routine is this dynamic variation of Boat Pose, which strengthens your hip flexors and teaches you to control your movements through transitions.

How:

1. Get into boat pose. Draw your belly button toward your spine as you slowly lower your upper body halfway back and your legs toward the mat, keeping your shoulders and legs off the mat. Breathe in here.
2. Exhale as you return to Boat Pose. You can practice this repeatedly one or more times.

4. Chair pose with block squeeze

Using a block to tighten your inner thighs will not only build heat in your core, quads, and glutes, but will also help you maintain more secure alignment in your hips and knees.

How:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Place a block between your thighs and squeeze to hold it in place.
2. In chair pose, bend your knees and keep your weight on your heels. Extend your arms above your head while continuing to squeeze the block. Breathe here.