I don’t have the six packs. Mind you, I exercise every day. So why are my abs still flabby and not ripped? I have recently endeavored to get my abs toned and my core zipped.

I actually realized that I was training my abs the wrong way for years. Instead of working the linear muscles, I was bulking up. I was cranking crunches and using weight to tone my belly. This never got me into the deep core muscles. Then I tried resistance training and Pilates. It helped a bit, but the muscles got so sore that they soon began to cramp.

Isometric yoga was the solution. I worked against gravity creating a diverse core menu to tone the sides of the waist, the central corset and the back muscles. I held poses while getting into the full range of the isometric contraction. Working on the breath while lifting the level and increasing the amplitude was essential. I soon started to breathe effortlessly while finding bound core poses that allowed me to be cradled in the muscles, and not muscle into the pose.

The deep work made the prominent central abdominal muscle long, flat and tight. This increased the range of flexion in my spinal column, narrowing the space between the pelvis and the ribs. My lower back pain vanished and my side-bending motions got wider and longer – helping to stabilize my trunk.

This way the external oblique muscles also got longer – allowing for great flexion, rotation, and compression of the abdomen.  The side-bending contracted motion trained my internal obliques together with the transverse abdominals – the deepest layer of abdominal muscles that wraps around the torso from front to back, and from the ribs to the pelvis.

Suddenly my breathing improved, and my lung capacity increased. Because of the compression of the internal organs, I could release the excess toxins effortlessly. The core-corset that I had designed not only brought the definition I was longing for, but also toned my hip flexors – front and back of the spine. I could perform any leg raise at ease and did not have to use outer force.

Basically, this isometric yoga routine made me harness the energy in the vital centers around the core, which resulted in proper posture, a huge confidence boost and an elegant gait. I was no longer using outer force, but tapping the inner power that comes from engaging the internal muscles and energy pathways.

Approaching the core corset internally, somehow unleashed endorphins and happy chemicals in the brain that elevated my overall mood. A strong core means a centered body, and an open mind – always ready to explore new ways of tapping its creative resources.

The strong flat and tight belly took all the strain from the lower back, and added an inch of height, at an age when spinal growth was considered over.  It ain’t over, till it’s really over. And that is up to YOU. Jump on the mat and tone the core now!

Core-toning Yoga: Core Corset (open level)

This brisk yoga core routine tones the entire internal abdominal musculature, including the central abdominal, oblique, transverse abdominal muscles, as well as the hip flexors and back gluteus – wrapping you in a corset that is flexible and stable.