Ashley Josephine Wellness Yoga Challenge
Need some extra motivation to practice yoga in your daily life? Try a yoga challenge! Every once in a while, I offer yoga challenges to empower you to try new postures, challenge your body, mind, and soul, and join a community of like-minded yogis and yoginis all practicing the same postures. Most of my challenges are offered through Instagram (follow me @yoginiashleyjosephine), but if you don’t use that platform, you can always follow along here.
Welcome to the December 2016 Yoga Core Challenge!
If you’re on Instagram, make sure to follow along December 12-18, 2016.
Day 1: Plank
Welcome to Day 1 of the #COREchallenge! I think Plank is my all-time favorite core posture. You can customize it by dropping your knees, taking it to your forearms @Denellejarro’s fave version, using fists for your wrists, or going one-handed on your side. Plank is a great transition pose, it’s crazy hard when you have to hold it for long periods of time, and I’m pretty sure it’s the reason my arms are as toned as they are! You’re holding yourself up, resisting gravity, and showing the world who’s boss.
For today, hold plank for 30 seconds and don’t forget to breathe!
Day 2: Bridge
It might not be obvious that Bridge is a core posture. If that’s the case for you it’s time to expand your awareness of the “core.” Your core is not just about the front of your body. You can’t forget about what’s behind you – it’s still a part of YOU! Besides Bridge being a great release for the front of the body, this one is great for your legs, hips, glutes, and back. Make it a flow by inhaling as you lift your hips and exhaling roll down one vertebra at a time. Repeat 6 times. Bonus: add your arms (inhale lift arms overhead as you lift your hips, exhale release arms by your side as you lower your hips).
Bridges need to be strong to hold the weight of what passes over them. They also connect one thing to another. How can you be a Bridge in your community?
Day 3: Boat
Float your boat! Navasana is a hard one. If your hamstrings are tight you’ll have a hard time straightening your legs — good news: that’s okay! Most importantly keep your chest high and your spine long. If you’re just starting out, hold behind your legs. What can make this postures super hard is the need to have a strong enough core to overcome the psoas (hip flexor) that wants to take over. If this posture hurts your thighs when you’re done, you’ll know that you were relying more on your legs and your hip flexor then your core. Keep practicing this one. See if you can hold today for 10 breaths 😃
How cool is it that boats float in water? It’s the same kind of cool as airplanes being able to fly through the sky. How can you stay light during the holidays no matter how much heaviness is weighing you down?
Day 4: Core-assisted Triangle
Okay, I have a confession to make. I spent such a long time agonizing over the picture for the promo of this challenge for Core-Assisted Triangle. This posture helps you tap into your obliques. The picture, in my mind, looks funny because I have a really hard time with Triangle due to my scoliosis. It’s harder for me to do postures on my left side, which is how I happened to be set up to take the pictures for the promo so I couldn’t really bend over all that far to make it look like I’m in Triangle but I assure you I was working so hard to keep myself lifted and avoid collapsing!
To get into this one, assume Triangle first, engage your core, then lift your bottom hand up towards your top hand. Remember to breathe and see if you can stay here for 5 breaths on each side.
Do you have one side that was easier than the other? It’s totally normal. Notice it, embrace it, and keep loving your core and body just the way it is! Spend more time getting excited about the possibilities available to you when you’re strong then fretting or stressing about the weaknesses that you feel hold you back.
Day 5: Crescent Lunge Variation
Today’s #CoreChallenge posture is a crescent lunge variation. It asks us to use our core to support our spine. Try to hover your torso just an inch or so away from your thighs and lift the back of your chest up toward the ceiling as you lengthen your spine forward and reach out through your fingertips.
This posture makes me feel like I can spring forward into anything. Be ready for the heat that may start building up in your thighs.
Heat is a central component of the third chakra, located in our solar plexus (or core). We need heat to help us digest our food and our experiences. Too much heat though and we might burn out!
Keep breathing in this one and hold for 5 breaths on each side. To modify, lift your torso further away from your thighs.
Day 6: Revolved Crescent Twist
You’re almost there! Today’s Crescent Twist isn’t so much about strengthening the core as it is about wringing it out and tapping into the energy of the third chakra, your center of power. Twisting stimulates the circulation of energy, which is helpful for stoking your metabolic fire and jumpstarting digestion. Hold for 5 breaths each side.
I want you to feel strong in your core not just physically but connected energetically to the core of your true being. This is where real power comes from — within 😃
Day 7: Plank on Blocks
Congratulations! You made it to Day 7 of the #CoreChallenge. Today’s posture is a doozy. We’re going back to the beginning to Plank it out one more time, but this time I want you to see if you can do your Plank on blocks.
Elevating your plank doesn’t seem like it would make it that much harder, but when you add in balance to the mix it becomes strangely exhausting real fast. Just be careful not to slip off your blocks! Take extra time and precautions to set this one up.
See if you can hold for 30 seconds!
Bonus: Once you’ve held your Plank on blocks for 30 seconds, see if you can go back to a plank on the ground for a full minute!
You’re so strong — inside and out!
Thanks for participating in the #CoreChallenge!
