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Pure Yoga instructor Loren Bassett is so core-focused that in her signature offering, Bassett’s Bootcamp, plank is the resting pose. 'Nuff said.

She brings that ethos into all of her vinyasa classes (where loud dance music towards the end of class indicates the start of a grueling abs sequence), because, she says, the core is the epicenter of the body, and learning to engage and strengthen those muscles will give you a leg up in your yoga practice and overall fitness level.

“Ideally, you want to practice the belly lock (Uddiyana Bandha) throughout your whole practice, pulling the belly in and up,” she says. “You should be able to bounce a quarter off of your belly in these postures.”

Not quite there? Join us for a very-special class with Bassett in July!

And try her three yoga moves for core strength to improve your practice (and bikini confidence) now... 

 

1. Forearm Plank

Stay in forearm plank with your body in a straight line (no butt raising or body dipping!) for 45 seconds to a minute. Keep your shoulders back and relaxed, and activate your core like crazy. "When you pull the belly in and up, you feel like you’re vacuuming all the air out of a balloon," Bassett says. She also compares it to "stapling the belly to the spine." And just because you're sucking it in, don't stop breathing.

 

 

2. Side Plank (Vasisthasana)

Engage your obliques and don't let your hips and upper body sag. Stay in the pose on each side for about 45 seconds if you can—it should be almost to the point of muscle exhaustion.

 

3. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

"Imagine you have a string attached to your heart center, lifting it up," says Bassett. Keep your shoulders back and down, and make a long spine—not straight legs—the priority. "If you need to hold on to your thighs or bend your knees, you should. Stick with the modification until you develop the strength to extend your legs," she says. Hold the pose for 30–45 seconds.

Bonus power house move: Lower your shoulders and legs until they're hovering above the mat. Then, scissor your legs up and down for 10 counts.

 

Join us—and Loren Bassett—for a very special beauty and yoga event at Pure Yoga in July. Click here to reserve your spot now!


 



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