We all know what our common core muscles are…those stomach muscles we all strive to keep firm and tight. When we hear, “engage your core”, we do just that. We engage our stomach muscles to help deepen into a pose, add stability within the pose and to modify our posture. But, what if we have more than one “core?”
As stated in the book, Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence by Dr. Eric Goodman and Peter Park, “Your abs are secondary to the back of your body.” Their training methodology believes that, “Rather than taxing muscles that are not meant to work so hard, you will learn to move in a way that allows for the posterior chain to do its job with integrated, powerful movement.”
The Posterior Chain is a group of muscles that run all the way down the back of your body. If we strengthen these muscles and add a second CORE to our bodies, think of the stability we would have. If we were supported not only from the front of our bodies, but from the back of our bodies as well, it would be as if we had a natural brace supporting ourselves.
Yoga Trapeze focuses many poses on strengthening the posterior chain. Squats, whether they be static or dynamic, are a fabulous way to increase poster chain strength. 90’s squats, Pistol squats and Bicep Hops are examples of poses focusing on posterior strength gain.
Until next time, keep practicing your passion!
YogaCult 