Table of Contents
Praise
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Part One - A Gut Feeling
The Western Belly
The Eastern Belly
Blending West and East
How to Use This Book
Part Two - The Abdominals: A Woven Set of Muscles
Part Three - Moving from Your Core
Experiencing the Abdominals as Stabilizers
The Bad News About Sit-Ups
Strong Abs
Asana as Strengtheners
The Abdominals on Their Own
Freedom in Backbending: Opening from the Belly
The Belly and Breathing
Part Four - Putting It Together
Level 1 Starting to Strengthen/Postpartum
Level 2 Making It a Little Harder
Level 3 Challenging Yourself
Part Five - Everyday Abs
Part Six - Resources
Yoga with Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T.
Books
Props Photographed in Yoga Abs
Other Recommended Resources
Where to Find a Yoga Teacher Online
About the Model
About the Author
From the Publisher
Index
Copyright Page
Praise for Yoga Abs
In Yoga Abs, Judith Hanson Lasater provides a much-needed and fresh look at the
abdominal muscles. Bypassing the usual curls and crunches, she examines their
lesser-known—but more important—function as spine and torso stabilizers.
The exercises integrate abdominal awareness into yoga poses, and range from
very gentle, which are appropriate for postpartum mothers, to challenging
enough for advanced yoga practitioners. She even includes a section about how
to use the abdominals in daily activities. Yoga Abs will appeal to a wide audience.
—Julie Gudmestad, P.T., director, Gudmestad Yoga Studio, Portland, Oregon; author of Yoga Journal’s “Anatomy of a Yogi”
column
Well beyond cosmetic concerns, the lack of strength and flexibility in the abdominal muscles contributes to everything from
back pain to falls in the elderly. In Yoga Abs, Judith Hanson Lasater shows how to tell if these muscles are weak and provides a
step-by-step plan to remedy the situation. If you still think that stomach crunches are the best way to firm up your belly, do
yourself a favor and buy this book.
—Timothy McCall, M.D., medical editor of Yoga Journal; author of Yoga as Medicine
Judith Hanson Lasater’s expert yoga guidance will introduce you to muscles that you never knew you had and to new ways of
using them! Both practical and compassionate, Yoga Abs is a vote for intuition and self-reliance.
—Julie Lawrence, director, Julie Lawrence Yoga Center, Portland, Oregon
Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times (1995)
Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life (2000)
30 Essential Yoga Poses: For Beginning Students and Their Teachers (2003)
Yoga for Pregnancy: What Every Mom-to-Be Needs to Know (2004)
Yoga Abs: Moving from Your Core (2005)
Also by Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T. and published by Rodmell Press
To Ike Kampmann Lasater, whose clarity and love enrich my life every day
Acknowledgments
My sincere thanks to all who made this book a reality.
My family is a constant support and inspiration: Ike, Miles, Kam, and Elizabeth.
My deep namaste to B. K. S. Iyengar, for his willingness to share his knowledge of yoga with me.
I am grateful to Julie Gudmestad, P.T., Julie Lawrence, and Timothy McCall, M.D., not only for their
endorsements, but also for their friendship.
My enthusiastic appreciation goes to the photography crew: photographer David Martinez, model
Diane Sherman, hair and makeup artist France Dushane, studio manager Aneata Hagy, photographer’s
assistant Hudson Cuneo, and caterer Jeff Mason, who contributed to the visual presentation of this
book. I enjoyed so much the spirit of teamwork that prevailed.
I appreciate Hugger-Mugger Yoga Products, who generously provided their props for the photographs.
I extend my gratitude to the editorial and design team at Rodmell Press for their expertise and vision:
editor and photo producer Linda Cogozzo, copy editor Kathryn L. Kaiser, indexer Ty Koontz, and
designers Gopa and Veetam, at Gopa & Ted2, Inc.
I especially thank my publishers, Donald Moyer and Linda Cogozzo, for their immeasurable help and
encouragement in shaping this book.
Finally, I acknowledge my yoga students, for their commitment to yoga practice and their enthusiasm
for learning new things.
Part One
A Gut Feeling
ALTHOUGH THE ABDOMEN, or belly, is at the center of the body, you probably seldom notice it
unless you experience pain or dysfunction there. In asana practice, you are likely to pay more attention
to the alignment of the vertebral column (spine), and to the actions of the arms and legs. But it is this
center that holds the focus of the body, so to speak. The trunk not only houses the bulk of the organs,
but also provides a muscular fulcrum around which movement occurs. Simply put, the belly is our
core.
To understand the relationship of your core to the practice of asana (yoga poses), a few definitions
are in order. For the purposes of this book, the stomach is an organ that is lodged below the front of
the lower left ribs, and is the secondary site of digestion after the mouth. The abdomen is a specific
anatomical area bounded posteriorly by the lumbar spine and sacrum, laterally by the ilia of the pelvis
and ribs, and anteriorly by the sternum and pubis. The abdomen is the soft body of organs and muscles
that begins below the respiratory diaphragm, and ends at the pelvic floor. The abdomen houses the
organs of digestion, assimilation, elimination, and procreation. The heart and lungs are the only
organs located above it.
Finally, I use the word abdomen to refer to the anatomical aspects of this area, and the word belly to
describe the metaphysical or philosophical aspects of the abdomen.
The Western Belly
I remember clearly my first conscious experience of what we commonly call a “gut” feeling. I was
seven years old, and we were watching Richard Nixon on television. I experienced a strange sensation
in my belly, and told my father, in my childish language, that Nixon was a “bad man.” I was chastised
for being disrespectful to the vice president of the United States, but years later the Water-gate
scandal would bear out my gut feeling that Nixon was less than honest.
Every day, we are aware of things around us that we do not always consciously understand. And we
even have the language to describe it. We say such things as, My guts are in a knot; I knew it in my
gut; The experience was gut-wrenching; and No guts, no glory. We use language to ascribe a variety of
emotions to the belly.
It turns out that science agrees. In The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of
Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine, author Michael Gershon, M.D., offers proof of this
amazing concept. He explains that scattered throughout the abdomen and chest are neurological sites
that respond to neurotransmitters in the same way that the brain does. It seems that when you feel that
you know something in your gut, you do. Gershon designates these sites the “second brain.” This
second brain has a primitive knowing that has kept the human race alive throughout millennia by
alerting us to danger from predators, both human and animal. I call these functioning structures the
belly brain.
This knowing is often ignored or discounted in our postmodern world. In fact, there seems to be a
sharp contrast between the philosophical view of the abdomen and belly in the West and in the East.
Western culture generally has a simpler view, a physiological view, of this area. Although we do
recognize the intrinsic subtle power of the abdomen or belly to some extent, we are not as concerned
with the energy. Instead, we care about how it looks.
We are aware that the abdominal center contains the solar plexus. Physiologically, the solar plexus
is located behind the stomach and is the site of two large ganglia, or masses of nerve tissue. We
understand that a well-placed punch in the solar plexus affects us adversely. We may even have a
vague sense that this area holds some sort of power.
But we are bombarded with messages about steel-like abs. We put on tight jeans, cinch belts over
the belly, and try to keep the belly flat. We are told to “suck it in,” and generally exhorted to control
the abdomen as a sign of firmness of character. What thoughts arise in us when we see a man walking
down the street with what we judge to be a beer belly? I suggest that we see this shape as reflecting
weakness of character, or a lack of self-discipline, or both.
Health and exercise programs focus on movements such as sit-ups to tighten or harden the belly,
with little awareness directed to what feeling is alive there. We see the belly as a part of ourselves that
needs to be strictly controlled. Interestingly, watching television for even a short period reveals
advertisements for nausea, indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea: all symptoms of problems with the
belly. Perhaps these maladies are a general expression of the stress levels of modern day life. I suggest
that part of the problem stems from being out of touch with the belly brain.
The Eastern Belly
The belly has a different context in non-Western cultures. In traditional Eastern spiritual teachings,
the belly is considered a place of power. According to yoga science and philosophy, the third chakra
(an energetic center) is called manipura, and is located at the level of the navel. It is believed to be a
fiery site and the center of power. This is where the agni (fire of digestion) resides.
Additionally, the lower belly is said to be the home of apana (female energy), which is increased by
exhalation and has a tendency to move downward in the body. Apana is part of the whole system of
prana (life force) that pervades the body. It is concentrated in the seven chakras; and it controls the
actions and functions of the body. In particular, apana controls the functioning of the kidneys, bladder,
genitals, colon, and rectum.
In yoga, there is a network of bandha (locks), one of which is called uddiyana (to fly up like a great
bird) that can be applied when practicing pranayama (breath control). Uddiyana bandha engages the
abdominal muscles, and, as such, is powerful for the abdomen. In practice, the student exhales
strongly; the diaphragm ascends and the abdominals are strongly contracted toward the spine. The
exhalation is held and the ribs are lifted up and out. Thus the abdomen appears hollow, and the
pressure on the abdominal organs is greatly increased. The effect of this bandha is to strongly
encourage the prana (energy) to enter into the sushumna (energy channel at the center of the spine), to
create higher states of consciousness as the chakras are stimulated.
This is a physically powerful exercise and should be practiced only under the guidance of an
experienced yoga teacher. Some teachers believe that it has too strong an effect on the uterus and thus
should not be practiced by women.
The belly is considered a seat of power across cultures and spiritual traditions. For example, hara is
the Japanese word for this center of power, which is used in martial arts. Its meaning even implies that
the seat of the soul is located there. Examples of seppuku, a ritualized form of suicide that includes
stabbing oneself in the hara, can be found in literature and film about Japan, such as in novelist James
Clavell’s Shogun and film director Hiroshi Inagaki’s 47 Ronin.
Numerous statues and paintings of the Buddha depict him with a full, even fat, belly. This signifies
that all his desires have been met, that he is free of them, and thus has no entanglements to keep him
from entering samadhi (the enlightened state).
In non-Western cultures, where life seems somewhat simpler, a person’s abdomen is often soft and
slightly rounded, not flat, even in those with slim arms and legs. There is no attempt to hold the belly
in, the way that many of us were taught to do when growing up. Their bellies are freer, which may
contribute to the better functioning of the eliminative and reproductive organs.
Blending West and East
Whatever point of view you hold about the abdomen and belly, it cannot be denied that it is an
important area of the body, physically, emotionally, and energetically. Drawing both from the Eastern
view of the belly as a place of power and the Western view of the abdomen as a place of strength, I
present a twofold thesis. The first is that the belly is the site of an intuitive awareness or sense that can
be used to enhance your life. The second is that the abdomen can be gently rounded and yet strong: it
does not need to be flat and hard to work well. Strong and tight are not the same thing.
How to Use This Book
I have organized Yoga Abs to support your development of an understanding of your belly and
abdomen: your core. I begin with a discussion of important abdominal muscles, followed by a series
of movements to create an awareness of their importance. They include both exercises and asana. Each
lists the props, or supports, that you need for practice, instruction on how to practice, and benefits and
cautions. Then I show you how to put the exercises and asana together into practice sequences. No less
important is bringing core awareness to movement in everyday life. So I extend my thesis to how to
perform simple tasks, such as rolling over in bed, going upstairs and downstairs, sweeping the floor,
and more. As you work with the ideas presented in Yoga Abs, it is my wish that you expand your
capacity to balance release and strength, and inquiry and joy.
Part Two
The Abdominals: A Woven Set of Muscles
IF YOU ARE TO WORK with clarity and purpose when practicing asana as well as when moving
through daily life, then you must know the basic anatomy of the abdominal muscles. Four abdominal
muscles hold the contents of the abdomen in place.
Rectus abdominis. The most superficial muscle that runs from the pubic bone to the breastbone
and to the rib cartilages of ribs 5, 6, and 7 is called the rectus abdominis (Figure 1). On thin people,
this abdominal muscle can be seen, creating a washboard effect. Fitness buffs call this “a six pack.”
The functions of this abdominal muscle are to stabilize the pelvis and rib cage with respect to each
other; to flex the vertebral column, especially the lumbar spine; to tense the anterior abdominal wall;
and to assist in compressing the abdominal contents when necessary.
External and internal obliques. These muscles are best understood as a pair. The external oblique
abdominal muscles (Figure 2) run downward from the outer eight ribs toward the midline, attaching at
the linea alba. (The linea alba is a line of connective tissue that extends from the breastbone to the
pubis and serves as the insertion of the abdominal muscles.)
The internal oblique abdominal muscles (Figure 2) are deep to the external ones. The internal
obliques originate on the lateral half of the inguinal ligament, which runs from the hipbone to the
pubic bone, the iliac crest, and the fascia of the thoraco-lumbar area. The internus runs at 90 degrees
to the externus, so that these two muscles create a basket weave effect to the abdomen. They work
together to create twisting movements. When you twist to the left, the right externus and the left
internus are acting to bring the right shoulder toward the left hipbone. When the twist is to the right,
the opposite occurs.
FIGURE 1
RECTUS ABDOMINIS AND TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS
FIGURE 2
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL OBLIQUE ABDOMINALS
Transversus abdominis. The other main abdominal muscle is the deepest and is named the
transversus abdominis (Figure 2). It runs from the inguinal ligament to the iliac crest (hipbone), and to
the cartilage of the lower six ribs, and the thoraco-lumbar fascia; and it finishes in the linea alba and
the crest of the pubic bone.
Muscle function. The abdominal muscles perform three main functions. The first is to hold in the
abdominal organs by creating a strong anterior wall while maintaining intra-abdominal pressure. This
is an obvious function, but is sometimes forgotten.
Next, the muscles assist in forced exhalation when this is needed. To experience this, sit with your
back slightly rounded. Inhale, and then quickly contract your abdominal muscles by suddenly bringing
your navel back to your spine. This will cause you to forcefully exhale. The abdominal muscles are
not needed to function in this way in the quiet breathing that we typically use throughout the day. The
natural movement of the diaphragm is sufficient to exhale the breath most of the time. A strong
contraction of the abdominals is needed, however, to cough, vomit, defecate, urinate, or give birth, as
well as at those times when there is a need for a quicker exhalation, for example, when running.
The diaphragm and the abdominal muscles act in opposition. When the diaphragm contracts and
descends during inhalation, the abdominals must relax to allow the room necessary for the expanding
diaphragm muscles. When the diaphragm relaxes and ascends, the abdominal muscles often contract
to increase this force. Usually, however, during the normal quiet breathing, the sheer return of the
abdominal muscles to their resting state is sufficient to aid in exhalation.
Finally, the abdominal muscles perform a critically important function throughout the day:
stabilization. They stabilize the trunk, specifically the spine, during virtually all movements. The skill
of stabilization is learned at a very early age. A baby’s motor (movement) skills begin with the baby
holding up her head. This is followed by rolling over, which is sometimes followed by creeping. This
is followed by sitting. Then she learns to crawl; finally, she learns to walk. In order for the baby to roll
over and eventually to sit with trunk control, she must have strong and integrated abdominal muscles.
The developmental sequence can be seen as a gradual process of learning head control and then
primarily trunk control.
As we age, we sometimes ignore the need for strong and intelligent movements of the abdominal
muscles. But it is vital to use the abdominal muscles well in order to keep the back free of pain, and to
keep the belly released and the abdomen strong.
Part Three
Moving from Your Core
Experiencing the Abdominals as Stabilizers
Understanding how to use your abdominal muscles as stabilizers will enhance your ability to practice
asana while protecting your spine, especially your lower back. It will also help you to feel more ease
in your movements and help you to take some of the possible strain off your shoulders in asana that
require arm strength, such as Up-Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana, Figure 14A). In this section, we
explore some simple exercises.
EXERCISE
Lifting the Head
TO EXPERIENCE THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES AS STABILIZERS
CAUTIONS: Do not practice the second part of this exercise after eating, or if you have osteoporosis
or other rib problems.
PROP: 1 nonskid mat
Part 1. Lie on your back on your mat. Place your arms comfortably along your sides and your feet
about 1 foot apart. Take a couple of breaths to relax and center. Then bring your legs together, so that
your kneecaps face the ceiling. Place one hand over your navel.
With an exhalation, lift your head off the floor (Figure 3), and notice what you feel under your
hand. You will, no doubt, feel the abdominal muscles contracting. Put your head down and try again.
This contraction is a perfect example of the abdominal muscles acting as stabilizers. The muscles
that actually create the movement of lifting your head are the neck flexors, located in the anterior, or
front part, of the neck. But the abdominal muscles are needed to allow this movement, because the
abdominals hold the rib cage still, so that the neck flexors can do their work, which is to lift the head.
What the abdominals do is to shape the movement by keeping the rib cage still and letting the action
of the neck flexors do just that: flex the neck against gravity.
It will be difficult—perhaps impossible—but try to lift your head off the floor without contracting
your abdominals. Place your hand over your navel and, while keeping your abdominal muscles
relaxed, lift your head. If you have a healthy and well-functioning neuromuscular system, this simply
will not be possible.
This difficulty makes clear what happens to someone who is paralyzed from the chest downward
and therefore who is unable to lift his head off the pillow. He still has neurologically normal and
functioning neck flexor muscles, but because his abdominal muscles are not able to contract from a
lack of nerve function, thus stabilizing the rib cage, he experiences extreme difficulty when he tries to
lift his head. The importance of the abdominal muscles working as a group to stabilize the trunk
cannot be overemphasized, and will be discussed in more detail as we go along.
FIGURE 3 LIFTING THE HEAD
Part 2. For a deeper understanding of how the abdominals act as stabilizers, ask a friend to kneel
beside your waist, facing your head. As you exhale, your helper should press firmly down on your
lower ribs, so that they drop about 2 inches into your body. Her fingers should point outward and
downward, following the natural curve of your ribs. A word of caution here: This pressure should feel
firm but not uncomfortable.
After she has pressed down and is holding your ribs still, attempt to lift your head. It should feel
really easy, because the pressure from the hands is increasing the necessary stabilization to the rib
cage, so that the neck flexors can do their job of lifting the head. This exercise shows not only the
power of stabilization, but also how the abdominal muscles can help shape actions that happen in
other parts of your body.
EXERCISE
Lifting One Leg
TO CREATE AWARENESS OF ABDOMINAL STABILIZATION
CAUTION: Do not practice this exercise during the last two trimesters of pregnancy.
PROP: 1 nonskid mat
Part 1. Lie on your back on your mat, close your eyes, and imagine that you are lifting your right leg
off the floor. First, just think about lifting the leg, but do not move it at all: just notice what happens.
You will probably feel a variety of muscles contract, chief among them the abdominals.
Now, lift your right leg off the floor. Notice that as you do this ( Figure 4A), the contraction of the
abdominals increases tremendously. Put your leg back down on the floor, and try the same thing with
the other leg. First, think about lifting the leg. Then, lift the leg. You may experience that when you
try to lift one leg, it is much easier to hold your pelvis still than when you try to lift the other leg. If
so, the opposite sides of your abdominal muscles are not equal in strength.
FIGURE 4A LIFTING ONE LEG
Part 2. To make this exercise even more challenging, lift one leg about 5 inches off the floor, and
then move it outward about 10 inches (Figure 4B). If you notice that your leg externally rotates a bit
as you do this, no problem: this is natural and is related to the structure of your hip joint. If your
abdominal muscles are stabilizing your trunk perfectly, there will be literally no rocking of your
pelvis, in fact, no lifting of the opposite-side pelvis at all.
Bring your leg down next to the other leg, and try this exercise on the opposite side. This time,
place the tips of your thumbs on the lower ribs and your middle fingers on the respective iliac crests
(hipbones), located in the front of your body. Now as you lift your leg and move it to the side, you will
be able to feel more dramatically with your hands the amount of movement you are allowing in your
pelvis. The greater the movement you experience, the greater the lack of stabilization you are creating
from your abdominals. Even experienced yoga students are often surprised to find out how little they
use their abdominals during simple movements. Not only is this exercise a good way to become aware
of your habit of not stabilizing your abdominals when you move your legs, it can also be a
strengthening exercise that you can incorporate into your regular asana practice.
FIGURE 4B LIFTING ONE LEG, OUT TO THE SIDE
EXERCISE
Pelvis on a Bolster, One Leg Extended
TO CHALLENGE AWARENESS
CAUTIONS: Work with bent knees to protect your lower back and focus on your abdominals. If your
back doesn’t bother you and you choose to keep your legs straight, you may feel some tightness in
your belly that can interfere with your ability to sense the action of your abdominals. Do not practice
this exercise if you are menstruating or pregnant, or if you have a hiatal hernia or any pressure in your
eyes.
PROPS: 1 bolster • 1 nonskid mat
Once you have mastered the previous exercise, you can challenge yourself even more. Place a bolster
on your mat. Lie on your back over the bolster so that your pelvis is well supported by the bolster;
your shoulders gently touch the floor; your arms are at your sides; and your knees are bent, with the
feet parallel and soles on the floor.
FIGURE 5 PELVIS ON A BOLSTER, ONE LEG EXTENDED
Now, with an exhalation, lift one leg and straighten it so that your knees are on the same level.
Without moving your pelvis, slowly move your leg out to the side about 10 inches, just as you did
when you were lying on the floor (Figure 5). Once again, your leg may externally rotate: that is fine.
Keep your breath easy. After doing this four or five times while keeping the pelvis stable, slowly
lower your leg; repeat on the other side. Notice how much more difficult it is to stabilize your pelvis
when your abdominal muscles are slightly stretched by the backbend. Remember that the abdominals
work best when you are in slight flexion, because one of their main jobs is to bring the rib cage and
pelvis closer together.
EXERCISE
Moving from the Floor to Sitting
TO STRENGTHEN YOUR ABDOMINALS AND PROTECT YOUR LOWER BACK