Core Strength Power Hour: Week 2

By Sadie Nardini

I know that having too much desire is supposed to be a huge spiritual no-no, and I so do my best to work hard while releasing the fruits of my labor. I can let go (reluctantly) of the Mr. Right who didn’t live up to his name, and I’ll release my death grip from around that job I really wanted, and came this close to landing, but the timing was off. However, some things are still non-negotiable with me.

When it comes to my yoga, I’m sorry -- I want it all!

I mean, I’ve been coming to my mat for 15 years now, and I’ll be honest: It doesn’t always feel like undulating golden waves of bliss set to sitar music. My yoga is more like the Argentinean Tango: sweaty, passionate, all trembling muscles and moments of grace mostly created unknowingly while frowning in concentration on my elusive handstand.

And that’s actually good. Without challenges, there’s nothing to meet, to grow from, or to get stronger in the process of overcoming.

If I’m going to work this hard to feel (and look) good inside and out, then I want to get more bang for my yogic buck and see more results in less time. It’s not that I want to hurry through my practice; as a teacher and longtime student of the stuff, I know that every waking minute is my yoga in action, so hurrying doesn’t get me anywhere but into a different type of yoga practice.

It’s just that during the physical asanas, which I count as the exercise portion of my daily yoga, I want to get what I came for, and not mess around. Optimizing my efforts to bring me more strength, more balance, more healing, and yes, even a taste of that elusive bliss, while not wasting time doing anything less is what I really, really want.

So if you’re going to be there anyway, why not take it to all the next levels at once? I’ve created a few signature moves and sequences that, if you add them into your regular routine of Sun Salutations and poses, will get you more of everything you’re looking for from yoga, and then some!

I will even slip you some of my most effective teacher training secrets for great energy flow and alignment that I bet will surprise you—even in your most commonly done asanas—and even if you’ve done yoga forever.

When you work from the core, which is the true brain of each pose, everything about you becomes more dynamically powerful, yet somehow more free. This truth counts for your relationships, your sense of self, and even the way you deal with the annoyances of life as well as the intensity of happiness. And you might even find that elusive last can in your six-pack; who knows?

Why do less…when you can do Core?

Specifically, you’ll learn:
Down Dog Splits to Core Plank Strengthener
Plank pose
Chaturanga
Cobra into Up Dog
Down Dog
Core Transitions
Lunge with Fists of Fire
Waterfall Warrior One
Knee-Down Hip Stretch
Malasana
Malasana Twist
Malasana Fold


See You on the Mat!
Sadie

Start here with the slideshow: Part Two of Core Power Hour
Watch the video

Next Week: Core Standing Flow: A Whole-Body Transformation!

Back to Part 1

---