We’ve come to understand ‘core training’ from the worlds of the gym and Pilates. In the gym world, people have learned to practice ‘crunches’ and sit ups, the more the better, until six or even eight packs firmly form. Unfortunately there’s often collateral damage along the way, for instance, hip flexors wound tight as metal piano strings.
Pilates works better as it is a more subtle training that doesn’t just rely on toughening up one set of abdominals. In the hands of a good instructor, students learn to perform increasingly complex movements in an integrative way, while maintaining the smooth rhythm of the breath.
Poses like paripurna and ardha navasana (boat pose) tone the abdominal area to create healthy digestive organs. With regular practice, one’s waistline might become slimmer, but looking good isn’t the main aim.
B.K.S. Iyengar says in ‘Light on Yoga’ one of the main ways we’ll benefit from doing these two poses is that our backs strengthen. This is especially important with the advance of age in simple functions like sitting, getting up, and walking. When you see an older person needing to support themselves with their hands in doing these movements, it’s indicative of a weak back.
If you feel like the the boat poses are beyond your capability at the moment, start by doing leg raises for awhile. Lying on your back, raise and lower one leg for ten times and then the other. Keep your back floating ribs on the floor throughout, stay relaxed, and breathe to match your movements.
Build up the number of repetitions over a few days and weeks and practice regularly to see positive results.