I swapped my usual ab workout for this yoga routine and it targeted my lower body too

I like to add short abs workouts to the end of my gym sessions to help improve my core strength, but I quickly get bored of sit-ups, crunches, and planks.

That's why I was excited to see one of my favorite yoga instructors—Adriene Mishler, better known as Yoga With Adriene—recently shared a fun yoga routine designed to engage the abdominal muscles.

A lot of yoga routines engage the core muscles, as the moves require balance and stability from your mid-body muscles. But Mishler's most recent yoga practice incorporates specific exercises that engage the abs more, so I knew it would be a good one to try. 

How to do Yoga With Adriene's yoga for abs

This is a 30-minute yoga practice, which involves some stretching and breathwork, as well as specific poses that engage the abs. Follow along with Mishler's video where she walks you through the routine.

My experience

This routine included familiar movements like crunches, which I'm used to doing during regular abs workouts. It also incorporated moves like bird dog, warrior three, and plank variations that recruit some of the deeper core muscles in the hips and obliques. 

I found this routine switched on muscles in my lower body, as my glutes felt like they also got a workout. By the end of the thirty minutes, I'd targeted muscles in my core and legs, and I had mobilized my joints so my body didn’t feel as stiff. 

One of the many benefits of yoga is that it can help you relax your mind and body as it’s a form of mindful movement, so I came away from the practice feeling less anxious.

My verdict

My usual core workouts involve movements like sit-ups and crunches, which are great for isolating the abdominal muscles. But this yoga routine provided a more well-rounded routine, which challenged a range of core and lower-body muscles and incorporated stretches too.

I will opt for this yoga routine as an alternative to my usual core workouts in the future, and I'd recommend it to anyone who also wants to switch up their usual routines.

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