Six minutes and this four-move yoga routine to relax and target deep core muscles

When we think of working our core and abs, exercises like sit-ups may instantly come to mind. But have you ever considered yoga? This six minute workout targets your deep core muscles, is easy to fit into your busy schedule, plus it’s very relaxing too. You don’t need any equipment just something soft beneath you, like an exercise mat or yoga mat.

Yoga is often thought of as just a way to relax the mind through various poses (which it can be), but it’s also a fantastic way to strengthen your entire body, especially your core. According to UpTownYoga: “Yoga is fantastic for strengthening your core because the poses work multiple muscle groups in these areas”. Yoga requires you to flow from one movement to another and as you do this builds strength, balance and stability in your core. 

This flow routine is actually from one of Chris Hemsworth’s Centr app trainers, Tahl Rinsky. There’s four exercises to get through in total and you’ll do between 10 and 5 reps for each (we’ve popped the exact numbers below). It may be a quick workout, but take your time with each movement to really experience that mind-muscle connection and we promise you, you’ll feel your core working very hard. Here’s your workout:

• One-legged bridge pose and lift – 10 reps each side
• Bird dog – 7 reps each side
• Bird dog taps – 6 reps each side
• Diagonal bird dog - 5 reps each side

We hope that yoga workout was more enjoyable than doing loads of crunches and holding the plank. If you fancy giving another a go, then why not try this full-body yoga workout from a top PT? Or, if you're in need of a bit of a mood booster, this six-pose yoga sequence will do just the trick, as it's perfect for bringing a little peace and calm to your day.