Yoga Poses Yoga Poses for Abs Library By Ann Pizer Ann Pizer LinkedIn Twitter Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 03, 2021 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Sara Clark Reviewed by Sara Clark Facebook Sara Clark is an EYT 500-hour certified Vinyasa yoga and mindfulness teacher, lululemon Global Yoga Ambassador, model, and writer. Learn about our Review Board Print Plank. © Barry Stone Yoga is a great way to strengthen your deep core and abdominal muscles. Yoga asana is a whole-body practice, which builds an integrated core. All of yoga's balancing poses, whether standing, inversions, or arm balances, require a stable midsection. Many poses can become dynamic if you particularly want to work your abs. In other words, crunches ahead! Beginners' Poses Cat - Cow StretchThough cat-cow is usually thought of as a back stretch, the abs have an important part to play as the support system for the spine. Keep your navel drawn in as you move, even when the belly drops into cow position. Hands and Knees BalanceLifting opposite limbs, as you do in this balance, is wonderful for core integration. If you want more of a challenge, try drawing your raised knee and elbow together under your belly and then re-extending them. Go through this motion five times on each side. Pelvic TiltsThe motion of a pelvic tilt is essentially the same as a cat - cow (described above). Keep the navel drawing toward the spine as you move through them. Plank PosePlank is the most basic arm balance. It's a good place to build strength for more advanced postures. Try holding plank for ten unhurried breaths. Intermediate Boat Pose - NavasanaJust holding boat pose is a pretty good abdominal workout on its own, but you can take it even further by incorporating a crunch. To do this, lower your torso and legs toward the floor simultaneously. Hover a few inches above the floor and then sit back up into the pose. Repeat five times. Crow Pose - BakasanaBalancing your body on your arms takes a lot of core strength, so you're working just by getting into this pose. If you are having trouble, squeeze you knees in strongly and keep your gaze on the floor in front of you, not on your feet. Half Moon Pose - Ardha ChandrasanaHalf moon is a balancing pose in which the limbs are shooting out in all directions, so you are relying on your core to keep you upright. Make sure to keep the core engaged by drawing your navel in. Headstand - Salamba SirsasanaHeadstand offers numerous opportunities to improve strength. Once you feel comfortable doing the pose in the middle of the room (a great accomplishment on its own), you can start to work on lifting both legs up simultaneously. You can even to a inverted crunch, lowering your legs almost to the floor and then lifting them back up to vertical. Warrior III - Virabhadrasana IIIA simple standing balance, right? Wrong. The challenge here is to maintain the torso and lifted leg perpendicular to the floor while keeping your two hips perfectly level. All while standing on one leg. Side Plank Pose - VasisthasanaThis is a one-armed version of plank. If you want more of a challenge, lift your top leg and hold it about five inches above the bottom leg. Advanced Firefly Pose - TittibhasanaYes, flexibility and arm strength are important to this pose, but you are not going to get lift-off without some power from your core. Forearm Stand - Pincha MayurasanaInversions are all about the core. This is exponentially true once you remove your big, stable head from the floor. Sometimes called a headless headstand, forearm stand is a good way to work on inversions if you have neck problems. Handstand - Adho Mukha VrksasanaHandstand away from the wall is one of yoga's most challenging physical postures. Scale Pose - TolasanaIf you're wondering how to get the strength to lift both legs off the floor, the answer is in your core. To get an idea of what that feels like, try doing the pose with a block under each hand. Side Crow Pose - Parsva BakasanaThere are two ways to do side crow: balancing on two arms or on one arm. Needless to say, one arm is harder. Since a twist is involved, this pose also requires strong obliques. Want More? Check out our 10-pose series designed for abs. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! If you've never tried it before, starting a yoga practice can feel overwhelming. Our email series can get you ready to roll out the mat. Sign up and get started today! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit