Core Abdominal Power Yoga Exercises – Free Book of Kundalini Yoga Poses & Kriyas – Ch 3
Yoga Exercises for Core Abdominal Power
Free Yoga Poses for Navel Strength & Power
Kundalini Yoga Set #3
Video of Core Power Kundalini Yoga Set
(From Free Yoga Videos, yoga video #2, Yoga Workout for Ripped Abs)
Purpose of Core Abdominal Power Yoga Exercises:
The following set of Kundalini Yoga exercises builds the navel center and works on the 3rd Chakra (energy vortex) of the Kundalini Energy System. The 3rd Chakra is called the Manipura or Nabhi Chakra. The navel center is not only important for core energy and necessary physical fuel, but also the Manipura chakra, which governs this region, is associated with the attributes of willpower and strength of character. Thus, it is recommended that early in one’s yoga practice one builds and balances this chakra. Doing so helps one to remain committed to their yoga and meditation practice, thus reaping the full rewards that such practice brings. Of course developing washboard like abs in the process does not harm either :-).
Description of Core Abdominal Power Yoga Exercises:
1. Single Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise: (Chkra Padasana)
a. Guided Instructions for Single Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise:
- Lie flat on your back.
- Raise your right leg up to about 45 degrees.
- Point your feet and toes away from you.
- Begin the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise and keeping your leg straight rotate it in a big circle clockwise. Make the circle as big as you can without touching the floor.
- Do 10 rotations in 1 direction and then without resting rotate the same leg in the other direction (counter-clockwise).
- Repeat with the left leg.
b. Duration for Single Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise: Takes about 1 minute / leg, but use the count provided above.
c. Benefits of Single Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise:
- Builds your Navel Center and strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles.
- Activates and balances the Manipura Chakra (naval center)
- Builds willpower and strength of character.
- Loosens and opens up the hips.
d. Practice Tips for Single Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise: To modify the exercise bend you knees or do fewer rotations at a stretch. You can also take rest as needed.
(Take a short break to let your hip flexors and abdominals recover).
2. Double Leg Rotation Kundalini Yoga Exercise:
a. Guided Instructions for Double Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise:
- Continue to lie flat on your back.
- Now raise both legs up to about 45 degrees.
- Point your feet and toes away from you.
- Begin the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise and keeping your legs straight rotate them in a big circle clockwise. Make the circle as big as you can without touching the floor.
- Do 10 rotations in 1 direction and then without resting rotate your legs in the other direction (counter-clockwise).
b. Duration for Double Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise: Takes about 1 minute, but use the count provided above.
c. Benefits of Double Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise:
- Builds your Navel Center and strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles.
- Activates and balances the Manipura Chakra.
- Builds willpower and strength of character.
- Loosens and opens up the hips.
d. Practice Tips for Double Leg Rotations Kundalini Yoga Exercise: To modify the exercise bend you knees or do fewer rotations at a stretch. You can also take rest in between as needed. To support your lower back you may want to put your hand underneath your buttocks with your palms facing down.
3. Relax in Yoga Corpse Pose: (also called Shav Asana)
a. Guided Instruction for Yoga Corpse Pose:
- Lie on your back and have your arms out to your sides about six to twelve inches away from your body.
- Turn your palms slightly upward.
- Relax your body and breath.
b. Duration for Yoga Corpse Pose: 1-2 minutes.
c. Benefits of Yoga Corpse Pose:
- Allows the body to consolidate the gains from the previous exercises.
- Helps the body heal and rejuvenate itself.
- Promotes relaxation and peace.
d. Practice Tips for Yoga Corpse Pose: Try to consciously relax your entire body. Release all your tensions and worries and stay in the present moment as best you can.
4. Kundalini Yoga Abdominal Pop Corn Exercise:
a. Guided Instructions for Kundalini Yoga Abdominal Pop Corn Exercise:
- Lie on your back, bend your legs and bring you knees in towards your chest.
- Hold on to each knee. Right hand grasps right knee, and left hand grasps left knee.
- Now try to explode off the ground like you are a pop corn popping. So you are trying to launch your whole body towards the ceiling (you will probably not leave the ground, but its the effort that counts here :-)
- If you are doing this right, pretty soon your abdominal muscles will let you know.
b. Duration for Kundalini Yoga Abdominal Pop Corn Exercise: 1-5 mins
c. Benefits of Kundalini Yoga Abdominal Pop Corn Exercise:
- Very good for building your core power and abdominal strength.
- Good for building overall fitness and stamina.
d. Practice Tips for Kundalini Yoga Abdominal Pop Corn Exercise: Another yoga exercise that you should not be quickly fooled by. If doing it correctly it is a great way to burn fat and develop strong abdominal muscles without putting any strain on the joints and lower back. Make sure you are using a soft surface when doing this exercise.
5. Yoga Boat Pose (Maha Shakti Kriya or Naukasana)
a. Guided Instructions for Yoga Boat Pose:
- Lie flat on your back.
- Have your arms straight out to the sides with your palms facing in. Keep your legs together and straight out as well with your toes pointing forward.
- Now bring your legs and torso up such that you are balancing on your sacrum. Keep your eyes focused on your toes, this will help you keep your balance. You are forming a V shape, with your legs and torso.
- Begin the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise.
b. Duration for Yoga Boat Pose: 1-3 minutes
c. Benefits of Yoga Boat Pose:
- Builds your Navel Center and strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles.
- Activates and balances the Manipura Chakra.
- Builds willpower and strength of character.
- Awakens all the systems in the body (digestive, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, etc.).
- Develops focus and balance.
d. Practice Tips for Yoga Boat Pose: To modify the exercise hold on to your knees or thighs. Keeping a steady gaze upon your toes will go a long way in helping you keep your balance. If you need to, you can take a break and then come into the pose again once you are ready. This is a very powerful kundalini yoga pose and is sometimes practiced on its own as a complete set (kriya). You can build up the time for Maha Shakti Kriya to 11 minutes.
6. Relax in Yoga Corpse Pose (#3 above) for 2-5 minutes:
This concludes the Core Abdominal Power Yoga Exercises.
Hi Anthony,
You are probably feeling it in your hip flexors, which is ok and quite common. They will get stronger. Just take a few more breaks initially. If you are feeling it elsewhere in the legs please give me more info and I will guide.
Best,
Anmol
anmol, if you feel a burning the the legs does that mean you are doing it wrong?
Hey Dennis,
Means you are doing it right :-D… specially popcorn. Once you get comfortable with Breath of Fire, you should find it helpful as concentrating on it can help distract you from the pain the exercise is putting you though :-D. It can though make some exercises tougher to do.
Thanks for your feedback.
Cheers,
Anmol
the boat and popcorn is killer, but i can see how it’s a really good workout. I find the breath of fire makes everything that much more difficult.
Hi Steph,
You are not the first to ask about popcorn :-P. Yes the head is up like in tuck pose. I prefer that to having the head down. Here is a recent reply to another yogi regarding how to do popcorn….
“Popcorn is a bit tricky to explain, hope to have video on that up soon, but till then here is another way to understand it.
Once you take the position of holding your knees (you can have your head up as well), then make a sharp effort to lift yourself off the floor. So essentially you are trying to “pop” off the floor towards the ceiling. Your back may not leave the ground but the effort of trying to “pop” off the floor in this way will work your abdominal muscles quite a bit. Use as much effort as you are comfortable with in your attempt to launch yourself repeatedly towards the ceiling.”
2. For Yoga Boat Pose, the arms are out to the sides and straight (parallel to the ground).
Hope this helps.
Best,
Anmol
Hello again,
I have a couple of questions regarding these kriyas.
1. In the popcorn posture should we have our head lifted like in the yoga tuck pose?
2. In the boat posture should our arms be out to our sides after we’ve made the “v” or should we be reaching up next to our ears?
Thank you,
Steph
Hi Sandhya,
Agreed these 2 pranayamas are terrific. Kapalbhati is one of my favorite pranayamas. For the 3rd most powerful though I am leaning towards the advanced version of Nadi Shuddhi (aka Nadi Shodhana or Anuloma Viloma) pranayama.
Thanks much for your input.
Best,
Anmol
Read 3 pranayama.What about KAPALBHATI and BHAMARI pranayama
Hey Nick,
Thanks for your comments. Pretty impressive story there of swimming the length of the Mississippi River (not bad with the 10,000 mile bike ride either :-)
Cheers,
Anmol
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