Join Hope for a quick ten minute yoga workout to bring more vital energy to the spine and open the hips. Enjoy!
 Place a block the long way between the palms fingers extended. Align the elbows the width of the shoulders/block spacing. Press evenly into the mat with your entire forearm, from elbow to pinky finger. If you have an extra block or a mini ball place that in between the the thighs and engage the thighs around the prop for more core activation and leg support. From your knees Inhale and draw the hips back and upward towards the ceiling, pressing out of the shoulders and allowing your hands to press into the block for more opening in the shoulders. Engage the entire belly feeling a drawing inward as you exhale. Take five breaths pressing the forearms into the floor and drawing the shoulders up away from the head. Some calls this Puppy Dog or Forearm Down Dog or Dolphin, no matter what the name work to keep the length of the spine. If needed bend the knees slightly to help reduce a rounded spine. After your last exhale, inhale and swim the body forward into forearm plank. Align the shoulders over the elbows and most importantly press evenly into the forearms to help take the pressure out of the lower back. Keep the pelvis in neutral (front ASIS, hip bones tipping slightly upward into the core). Engage the legs around the mini ball or block and do not sag the head. Hold here for five breaths. Keep the pelvic core strong at all times, not sucking in but co-contracting the entire core 360 degrees round. After your five breaths, sit back onto your heels in Devotional pose (aka Child's pose) for five breaths. Lets Swim! INHALE Move back into Puppy Dog --> EXHALE feel the contraction of the inner core and length in the spine-->INHALE swim forward into Forearm Plank --> EXHALE hold and contract on the ball between the legs and resist the core against gravity -->INHALE back into Puppy Dog. Repeat 5 - 10 times, using Devotional as needed. Tags: Arms, Core, Back, Plank, Yoga, Core work, Down Dog 
Plank is a great way to work your core, as long as you know what you are doing and what you should be feeling. Join Hope for the best 15 minutes spent in Plank you ever spent! Kick off your shoes and get ready to feel your deepest core muscles turn on and take off. A great video for novice yogis, fitness buffs or the green exerciser Join Hope Zvara for a great 15 minute yoga session incorporating the principles of functionality in combination with light hand weights and cues to help you get the most out of your core! A great workout can really happen in just 15 minutes! Namaste! Core work just got easier. Functional application requires us to throw away our old way of thinking and apply what actually makes sense! Join me for a great 7 minute upright core workout that will leave you feeling stretched and core empowered! Focus: Transversus Abdominus, Back Extensors, Obliques, Pelvic Floor and Rectus Abdominus  Almost every yoga class features at least one plank, yet very few can honestly say that they know completely what's going on in Plankasana. Most view it as a great core asana, yet few actually access their true core, and many are cheating themselves or hurting their backs by allowing their arms to do all the work. To help you take full advantage of Plankasana, here's an overview of this widely used, but often misunderstood asana. 1. Pick your variation. Will you be practicing on your hands or on your forearms? If you're going to be practicing on your palms, set up your hands shoulder distance apart and align the wrists under the shoulders. With your middle fingers pointing forward, press your entire hand into the floor, keeping a bit more weight in the knuckles. From the shoulder, rotate the folds of the elbows forward, without hyper-extending the joint (they look like they're bending in the wrong direction). This is important so that you're able to shift the load down into the core and prevent the shoulders from doing all the work. Without hunching, slide the shoulder blades down your back. If you prefer planking on your forearms, get out of the habit of clasping the hands together in a triangle shape. This puts an emphasis on the pectorals, rather than the core. By opening up the arms to a shoulder width, you again shift the load to where it belongs. Turn the palms inward or upward when practicing, rather than down into the floor. Shift the weight evenly throughout the entire forearm and you'll notice a significant increase in core power. Use a block between the palms for more core strength! To continue reading this blog post on Plank by Hope Zvara please visit MindBodyGreen where it was posted live on April 4th 2013 (CLICK) and don't forget to watch the video and share this with your friends! Got 10 minutes? When you exercise effectively the length of time becomes irrelevant. Join Hope for a quick ten minute workout in this great squat series using a weighted ball (don't have a weighted ball use a hand weight or even a soup can). Just ten minutes of breathing and body toning will leave you energized and feeling great about what you accomplished. Make a commitment to this series for a week and see the difference! Choose any one of my other videos to finish up with a great cool-down or yoga sequence. Namaste Core work made easy! Distinguish the difference between deep core muscles and large skeletal muscles, core work shouldn't have to feel like it's killing your nor like a crazy paced practice. Stability before mobility and from the inside out. Get detailed instruction for core work with the mini ball. Namaste Core work made simple on your yoga mat! Join Hope for a great 20 minute practice that will get you fired up for the day, most people use hip hurting moves that leave your hip flexors screaming and in pain. Core work really can be simple and effective. Follow up your heart pumping 'all body" core class with essential hip release asanas that anyone can follow for a great start or end to your day. Great supplement to any athlete or workout. Hip Release, Yoga, Core, Hip Stretches, Core Asana  Core strength isn’t just about looking thin; your core is your identity center and connects all your movements. For these reasons and more, having core strength will improve your mind, body, and soul. 1. Learn deep abdominal breathing (DAB). Most people in today’s society are chest breathers, and this kind of breathing leads to a slew of side effects like anxiety, asthma, sleep disturbances, stress, poor digestion, and constipation just to name a few. Distance yourself from chest breathing by practicing deep abdominal breathing before you get out of bed in the morning and when you lay down to go to sleep. DAB is a great technique to help bring more awareness to your core, the center of your being. Here’s how to practice it:
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AuthorHope Zvara- The Real Deal, is a Yoga Teacher, Trainer and Expert specializing in the true art of Yoga and Core Functional Fitness™ for students, teachers and Fitness Professionals interested in practicing authentic mind-body Yoga and other practices in need of true connection. ArchivesMay 2013 Visit some of the sites Hope Blogs for:
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