Yoga has been around for a long time and chances are you know the benefits. But many people still think they have to do a lot of other exercises in order to work their body completely. Well, guess what? You don't have to worry about your core! Many of the poses engage your core muscles and as you move through different flows those core muscles are engaged from all angles. Here are a few poses you may recognize that really hit your midsection.

Downward Facing Dog

For the purpose of this article, let's use the common name rather than the technical name of each pose. Downward facing dog, downward dog or down dog are all used to describe the same movement — and this requires your core to be working. In down dog, your hands are shoulder-width apart and your feet are hip-width apart. Hands and feet remain on the ground while you bring your hips up towards the ceiling. Basically, you are making a triangle with the floor. While the focus is on pushing through your hands and down through your heels, your core is engaged to keep you steady.

Plank

Yogi or not, you've probably done a plank. Basically, it's a static movement holding the up position of a full push-up. You can feel muscles throughout your body engaged, but hold it long enough and your core really starts to shake. For a more rhythmic core workout, try moving back and forth from down dog to plank. Exhale into down dog feeling that stretch, and inhale out to plank. Keep your breathing slow and controlled and match the movement to your breath.

Boat Pose

Boat pose is another that is great for your waistline. Start in a seated position, sitting up tall, shoulders down, and knees bent with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your knees, lean slightly back and lift one leg off the floor at a time. You can hold here, or straighten your legs if you are able to. You can even bring your hands further up your legs if you have that flexibility. Hold here, but keep breathing.

Cat and Cow Pose

Not only does moving from cat to cow and back again feel like a great stretch, but you are also engaging those core muscles. As you exhale and arch up into the cat position, think of drawing your belly button up and in towards your spine. Exhale all your air out, before slowly inhaling and dropping the stomach down to the cow position. Flow gently between the two poses focusing on matching the movement speed to your breathing.

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