Ready to optimize your core work? Get real about the engineering of your body and work from neutral so that you can build strength to support the natural curves of your spine. For your spine to be neutral and your core to be stable, you must have equal space between your ribs and hips on both your right and left sides.

But how do you know you’re working from neutral? The body easily forgets where center is, so use this quick check in from HIT RESET to find the right position and get more out of every minute on the mat.

WORK FROM NEUTRAL

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.

2. Do a few cat/cows into the floor — arch and round your low back while keeping your butt on the floor to feel the range of movement available to you.

3. Eventually stop in the middle, the even point between the two extremes of arching and rounding your spine — keep your spine there.

4. Now put your hands onto your waist and feel the equal amount of space between your ribs and hips on both your right and left sides — make sure your spine isn’t side bending. Lift up your head and look if you need more feedback about where your body is in space.

Neutral is the position to work from to maximize your core work. When you need to check in quickly during a exercise just do a couple cat/cows to find your way back.

We love seeing athletes using the new core videos — Lead by example with #athletesforyoga!