PHOTOS: JUAN STEPHENS/XPOSURE PHOTO; MODEL: ANN HYDEBuild abdominal strength to
support your body and practice.
with Ana Forrest
AB-SOLUTELY
CENTERED
post-practice
Your body heats up with
abdominal work, so your
practice can progress as
you choose. If you’re ready
to wind it down, close your
practice by hanging in Utta-
nasana (Standing Forward
Bend) before taking Sava-
sana (Corpse Pose).purpose
There’s more to the core
than just flat abs. In addition
to toning the abs, the follow-
ing poses can also alleviate
back pain, aid digestion
and elimination, and stimu-
late circulation to internal
or gans, says Ana Forrest,
who created this sequence
as a core-kindling quickie.preparation
Sit in Baddha Konasana (Bound
Angle Pose) and place your
hands behind you on the floor.
Lift your chest, relax your chin
down, and slide your shoulder
blades down your back. Inhale,
and hold the breath for 10–15
seconds. Exhale, and hold for
5–10 seconds as you pull your
abdominal muscles back and up.
Do a few rounds of this exercise.50 YOGAJOURNAL.COM YOUR 6-WEEK YOGA GUIDE TO BUILD STRENGTH