When advancing your yoga asana practice, it’s important to develop strength and balance all over the body, but it’s essential to focus on a strong core!  The centre of the body is a major source of strength for all asanas. Try doing a chaturanga using mostly your arms, then do one while holding your entire core tight – it makes a huge difference! 

Core strength is more than six-pack abs.  Actually, the strongest parts of your core are hidden deep in the body, and only specific exercises will strengthen those. 

Here are a few work-out moves to focus on those deep core and abdominal muscles:

-Planks:  all types of planks - regular plants, forearm planks, side planks.  Hold for as long as your can.

-Crunches and other abdominal exercises that engage your oblique muscles, and the entire length of your abdomen.

-Stability ball exercises:  crunches and other abdominal exercises done on a stability ball are greatly intensified. 

A strong core makes a strong yoga practice! 

**If you’re pregnant, please contact Vanda for more information about which core exercises are safe and which should be avoided in different stages of pregnancy. 

Next year, in 2015, Singapore turns 50!  In celebration of this 50th anniversary, all Singaporean babies born next year are set to receive a special gift, to commemorate the past and encourage a bright future! 

These gifts will be called Jubilee Baby Gifts.  Although it hasn’t been decided exactly what they will be, there are plenty of ideas floating around!  The organizing committee wants the gifts to be significant and meaningful to Singaporeans all over the world.   

The committee is currently taking suggestions on what the gifts should be so if you have any ideas, head over to this website to put in your suggestion from now until 15 May! 

http://www.heybaby.sg/jubilee/

Send in your suggestions for gifts to all 2015 Singaporean babies – to represent the hope and future of Singapore!