Subtle and intuitive movements that fire up the core, but are gentle on the body.
(Photo: Vlada Karpovich | Pexels)
Published August 7, 2025 06:43AM
You’ve probably heard a yoga teacher say, “Engage your core.” But this seemingly simple cue can lead to more questions than answers. Namely, “What exactly is the core? And are there core exercises that don’t involve Plank or Boat Pose?”
Consistently engaging your core strengthens it over time, which helps with posture, balance, stability, and helping your body move with relative ease. The core comprises the abdominals as well as a network of surrounding muscles, including the diaphragm, pelvic floor muscles, and hip flexors.
The good news is that there are ways to engage the core that don’t involve powering through demanding postures—there are subtler and more intuitive ways to target this muscle group.
7 Sneaky Ways to Strengthen Your Core
Whether you’re hoping to build strength in unexpected ways or seeking core exercises that don’t involve pushing or forcing, these movements will help with exactly that.
1. Exaggerated Pelvic Tilts
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Inhale and notice how your chest and belly naturally expand. On the next inhalation, exaggerate this expansion by arching your back slightly, which tilts your pelvis toward your feet. Then, as you exhale, squeeze your abdominal muscles and tilt your pelvis toward your chest, creating a “scooping” motion with your belly. Repeat 5-10 times.
2. Reclined Twist Flow
Lie on your back, lift your legs, and bend your knees so your calves are parallel to the mat. Open your arms in a T-shape and press them into the mat or tuck your hands underneath your hips to support your lower back.
As you exhale, slowly lower your bent knees to one side in a twist, pausing to hover your legs a few inches above the mat. Then inhale and slowly draw your legs back to center. Keep your shoulders firmly planted on the mat and move with control as you exhale and lower your knees to the opposite side. Repeat 4-12 times. For an added challenge, straighten your legs.
3. Single Leg Circles
Lie on your back with one leg on the mat (bent or straight). Lift the other leg toward the ceiling and point your toes. Initiating movement from your hip socket, draw small circles with your big toe in the air. Gradually increase the size of the circles, spiraling your leg increasingly wider. Avoid rocking your pelvis from side to side by engaging your abdominals and pressing your lower back into the mat. When you’re ready, reverse the direction of your circles, this time moving from wide circles to smaller ones. Repeat with the opposite leg.
4. Hands-Free Seated Twist
Sit cross-legged on the mat. Place your hands or fingertips on your shoulders with your elbows pointing out to the sides. Inhale and reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling, and as you exhale, twist toward one side initiating the movement from your abdominals. Allow the twist to move all the way up to your neck and head. Inhale and return to center. Then repeat, exhaling as you twist toward the opposite side. Repeat 4-12 times.
5. Warrior Twists
Come into Warrior 1 with your left foot forward. Hold a yoga block between your hands and extend your arms straight in front of you. Lift your chest, engage your abdominals, and squeeze the block in between your hands. Keep your arms as straight as possible and the block aligned with the center of your chest. Inhale and lift the block toward the ceiling, reaching diagonally toward the front right corner of the room. Exhale and, initiating the movement from your abdominals, twist to your left side and lower the block to your left hip. Your lower body stays strong and still. Repeat 5-10 times on each side.
6. Isometric Cross-Body Twist
Sit with your right leg extended straight in front of you and your left leg bent, your knee pointing toward the ceiling and your foot planted on the mat in front of your hip. Reach your arms out to the sides in a T-shape. As you exhale, twist toward your left side, initiating the movement from your abdominals. Press your right arm and left knee against each other. Keep your left arm reaching to the side or plant your hand on the mat behind your hips. Inhale as you return to center with your arms in a T-shape and open your left leg to the side with the sole of your foot against your inner right thigh. Exhale as you point your left knee to the ceiling and return to the twist. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.
7. Prone Hollow Body
Lie on your belly with your elbows bent and hands stacked beneath your forehead. Take a few deep breaths in and out through your nose. As you exhale, engage your abdominals. Imagine pulling your belly button toward your lower back and making a small bubble of air around it in the center of your abdomen. Keep your legs, glutes, and shoulders relaxed. Inhale and release your belly. Repeat 3-10 times.
