Your Core Muscles 10-20-25
- Dayna Culwell
- Feb 13
- 4 min read
Yoga by Dayna Come visit us... if you dare How did Moses hold up his arms for so long? I heard a great story this morning about Moses having the power to hold out his arms for hours and hours in order to save his people during battle. Being the anatomy nerd that I proudly am, I started thinking about what it took to keep his arms raised for an extended period of time. If he were to drop his arms, his people would have perished! He actually had to solicit two men to help prop up his arms because he grew so weary. It got me thinking about our ability to hold a position without any movement. This non movement has a name! It's called Isometric movement. While to the eye nothing is happening, within the muscles, every muscle is recruited to help out! This means his shoulder, back, and torso muscles all had to pitch in to help stabilize his arm muscles. And would you believe, the biggest helper to Moses would have been his tummy muscles! Not the ones you can see, mind you.
We are talking about the very deep layer of intrinsic abdominals. The muscles we cannot see at the surface are the muscles we depend on to hold us upright. If our deep ab muscles are weak or underused, our other less powerful muscles get overworked and over injured. Do you ever hear the cue, Belly to Spine? Well, that is a good start. Moses may not have sported Six-pack abs, but surely his core was working hard to support the lifting up of his arm. The story from the Book of Exodus is a powerful example of faith, support, and perseverance. But it's also a great anatomy lesson. One other instance comes to mind. It's from the movie Parasite.
Maybe you remember the scene when the entire very poor family is partying at the home of their employer. The former employee threatens to tell on them and forces them to stand in one space and keep their arms raised overhead. Go back and see it sometime. Great movie! Either way, we should praise our deep abs for basically holding us upright. If you're not consistently working your deep abs through yoga or pilates, you might think twice. No tricks here at Yoga by Dayna. I'll make sure your abs get plenty of attention. |
The Foundation of Strength: Your Intrinsic Core Muscles Perhaps you already know that a strong core is about much more than flat abs or performing challenging poses. Your deep, intrinsic muscles are the heros that support your entire body system, improve posture, and prevent injury. In my sessions, we may not do upside down poses, but we do work hard on the muscles that count! |
Why Your Intrinsic Muscles Matter Unlike the "six-pack" muscles we can see, your intrinsic core muscles work behind the scenes. These include the transversus abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor muscles, and diaphragm. When strong, they create a natural corset that stabilizes your spine, improve posture, enhance breathing, and prevent back pain. |
These muscles activate before you even move a limb, creating a foundation for all movement. Weak intrinsic muscles can lead to poor posture, back pain, and reduced performance in both daily activities and physical practice. |
Ways to Strengthen Your Intrinsic Core |
Incorporate Pilates fundamentals like the Hundred, Single Leg Stretch, and Plank variations which specifically target deep core stabilizers.
Focus on proper alignment and engage your core in every yoga pose, especially in transitions between poses where core stability is crucial. Abdominals are mostly associated with flexion of the spine. However, as you see below, I'm getting a nice stretch from my tree in the front of the house. While my primary action is Extension of the Spine, my Instrinsic abs must support me. They hold my vital organs in--like a hammock or a basket weave.
When we don't have enough tummy strength to support our spines, the hips lead the body and our insides are not supported. So, when you extend your spine (like in a Backbend or in an Extended Mountain Pose), zip up your belly to spine in order to really shine. |
This Week's Core-Focused Classes at Yoga by Dayna Join us this week for specialized classes designed to strengthen your intrinsic core muscles. Our Basic Mat Pilates on Tuesdays at 10:15 am emphasizes proper core engagement through targeted exercises. This week all lessons will take place virtually Tuesday-Thursday. Monday and Friday's lessons this week will be at the Studio (or virtually if you prefer). Note: Delicious Deep Stretch and Basic Mat Pilates are priced at $20. |
Monday AM: Judy & Andy-CoreFirst (V), 10:30 AM Christine-CoreFirst (V) Noon: Delicious Deep Stretch (S and V), and 1:30 PM Angela & Jim (S) Tuesday 9 AM: Christina (V), 10:15: Basic Mat Pilates-Focus on Core, 11:30 Michael (V) Wednesday 12:15 PM: Andy & Judy (V) Yoga Thursday 9AM: Christina (V)-CoreFirst, 10:15 AM Andy & Judy (V) CoreFirst Friday 9 AM Carol & Chris (D) 1:30 PM: Susan (S) Therapeutic Yoga OPENINGS AVAILABLE THIS FRIDAY AT THE STUDIO OR VIRTUAL: 10:30 AM, 12 PM NOON, AND 3 PM. |
Your core is your power center—physically, energetically, and emotionally. By strengthening these hidden muscles, you're investing in better movement, better posture, and better overall wellness for years to come. I look forward to helping you connect with your center in our next class. With strength and grace, Dayna |
Yoga by Dayna Find your center. Find your strength. |
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