Core Awakening

This weekend, I attended my first yoga workshop, a nearly three-hour class advertised as a "total abdominal awakening." As if that wasn't intimidating enough, the course was taught by Jill Miller (pictured left), an acclaimed yoga teacher who has spent much of her career studying the core. I've never attended such a packed yoga class, with nearly 50 students crammed mat-to-mat in the small studio.

Miller began by having each of us lie on a small, folded towel placed at various points along the belly, from above the navel to below. The uncomfortable pressure the towel created gave my abs "a massage," but Miller also used the exercise to explain how the abdominal muscles work and where they are located in relation to the organs. (Placing the towel on the bowel, located just below the belly button, sent many students scampering to the bathroom.)

Then we learned to take "yogic complete breaths," what Miller described as the most relaxing form of breathing. A complete breath involves inhaling through the nose, focusing on swelling the belly and then the lungs, and then exhaling (also through the nose) as completely as possible, so the diaphragm is empty of air—a practice that felt challenging and awkward at first, but got easier with practice.

And then, we began a series of exercises designed to work every muscle in the core, from the obliques to the psoas, which connect the core to the legs. The exercises, influenced by yoga as well as dance and Pilates, were some of the most difficult core moves I've ever done. Some made my muscles shake almost instantly. Through Miller's instruction, I also discovered the drastic ways my breathing could increase the difficulty of a move.

Then Miller demonstrated something I've never seen before: she made her stomach muscles move like a wave on the ocean, rolling from side to side and up and down. To do this move, called the Nauli, Miller had to engage each of her abdominal muscles independently—which is incredibly difficult for most of us to do. It was fascinating to watch, and something I couldn't even begin to attempt.

After the class, I felt relaxed and stimulated. I was tired, but in an exhilarated way. Not only did my core get a great workout, but I learned an enormous amount about how my muscles and breath work together, which is vital for any athlete.

For a list of Miller's upcoming workshops, visit jillmilleryoga.com.

—Kristin Harrison

Comments

[m. bovary]

her workshops are great! the uddiyana bandha is a great skill to learn.