Awakening Solar Plexus Strength

Awakening Solar Plexus Strength

third chakra

AWAKENING SOLAR PLEXUS STRENGTH

Awakening solar plexus strength invites us into the centre of transformation. Matt reminds us that this third chakra, Manipura, is our fire, our willpower, and our ability to take action. It reflects how we see ourselves and how we choose to show up. Many of us avoid this space. We may hold back and underestimate our power or push too hard without reflection. Both are imbalances of the same fire. It is important for us to remember that this work is not only physical. The core becomes a doorway into discipline, self awareness, and change. When we work through both strength and softness, we begin to understand that power is not rigid. It is responsive. The practice asks us to rise to challenge while staying adaptable, allowing us to refine how we act, not just what we do.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

CHAKRA VINYASA

PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY MODERATE VINYASA

  • 10 Chromatic Yoga practices with founder Matt Giordano
  • Inspirational and Practical Philosophy
  • Chakra Based Practices
  • ‘Physically Invigorating Yet Accessible
  • Breath Work for Energetic Realignment
  • Meditation for Clarity, Focus, and Grounding
  • Physically Well Rounded: All Postural Categories Will be Addressed
  • Designed as “Your Daily Yoga” 60 Minute Classes
  • Non-dogmatic, Anatomy informed Alignment
  • The Perfect Blend of Knowledge and Practice
  • Chromatic Slow Flow Style: Moderate Vinyasa Pacing Infused with Technique and Non-dogmatic Alignment
  • 10 Continuing Education hours with Yoga Alliance and American Yoga Council
  • 10 Accredited Practice Hours with the Chromatic School of Yoga
  • Step-by-Step instruction for increased accessibility
  • Sweat, Breath, Strengthen, Stretch and Feel Amazing!

SOLAR PLEXUS IN PLANK

Plank becomes a direct expression of awakening solar plexus strength when we stop avoiding the work. Matt says many of us lift the hips to make the posture easier, but instead we lower the pelvis slightly, tuck the tail, and draw the ribs back. The spine rounds gently, similar to cat pose, activating the deep core rather than relying on the hip flexors. As we lean forward and grip the ground, the upper back broadens and the body becomes more integrated. To balance this effort, we move into Bird Dog, by lifting opposite arm and leg. This creates an opposing pattern where extension meets control. It is not just about holding Plank. It is about understanding how the core stabilizes movement in multiple directions. Strength builds when we explore both contraction and expansion with intention.

WATCH THE VIDEO

AWAKENING SOLAR PLEXUS STRENGTH: FINDING TWO SIDES OF THE CORE

PLANK DRILL

Matt progresses this work through forearm plank variations. We begin on the knees, pulling the ribs back and keeping the hips low without lifting the pelvis. Once that connection is clear, we straighten the legs while maintaining the same shape. The tailbone stays tucked, the glutes engage, and the core draws inward. The elbows press down as the shoulder blades move apart. Each repetition reinforces awakening solar plexus strength by teaching us how to hold integrity under load. After each effort, we soften and release the abdomen, allowing the opposite action to restore balance. It is important for us to remember that strength is not built through constant tension alone. It develops through the ability to engage fully and then release with awareness.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

BOAT POSE WITH FLEXED SPINE 

In boat pose, Matt shifts the familiar shape. Instead of lifting the chest high, we move into a flexed spine, drawing the knees tightly toward the chest. The arms wrap in to support the legs, or we hold the shape without assistance, extending the legs only as far as we can maintain connection. This creates a compact, rounded position where the core works deeply. The image becomes one of drawing inward rather than reaching outward. This contraction is what builds awakening solar plexus strength from within. To balance the intensity, we move into Reverse Tabletop, opening the front body and softening the abdomen. These opposing shapes remind us that strength and openness belong together. The body learns not only how to contract with purpose, but also how to release without losing control.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

BALANCING FIRE WITH AWARENESS

Balancing fire with awareness is what ultimately defines awakening solar plexus strength. Matt reminds us that this chakra represents our right to act, but also our responsibility to reflect on how we use that power. When we practice these core drills, we are not just building strength. We are learning how to navigate between effort and ease, between humility and assertion. The bowing forward of the body reflects humility, while lifting and engaging reflects strength. Together, they create a balanced centre. The solar plexus is not about dominating or shrinking. It is about responding appropriately to what is needed. As we refine these actions in our practice, we begin to carry that clarity into our lives, stepping into our power with intention, steadiness, and awareness.                      

Take the opportunity to step deeper into the awareness and totality of your practice by registering for Matt’s current online immersion Chakra Vinyasa.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Chakra Vinyasa Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

  • Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
  • Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
  • Appropriate for both teachers and students
  • Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
  • Demystify yoga poses and transitions
  • Release aches and pains
  • Learn how to avoid common injuries
  • Caters to all levels with modifications and props
  • 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
  • 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
  • Lifetime access

Continue Learning

Build Better Joint Support

Build Better Joint Support

Build Better Joint Supportankle & kneeBUILD BETTER JOINT SUPPORT Sometimes we focus so heavily on flexibility that we forget our joints also need intelligent strength surrounding them. Matt reminds us that stability is not rigidity. It is the body’s ability to...

read more
Hamstring Strength Options

Hamstring Strength Options

Hamstring Strength Optionship extensorsHAMSTRING STRENGTH OPTIONS When we think about hamstrings in yoga, most of us immediately think about stretching. Matt reminds us that this powerful muscle group is rarely celebrated for what it is also designed to do: create...

read more
Weightless Inversions

Weightless Inversions

Weightless InversionssirsasanaWEIGHTLESS INVERSIONS Weightless inversions are not about removing effort. They are about redistributing it with awareness. Matt reminds us that when we refine how we place weight through the hands, shoulders, and core, the body begins to...

read more
Opening The Heart Chakra

Opening The Heart Chakra

Opening The Heart ChakrabackbendOPENING THE HEART CHAKRA Opening the heart chakra is not simply about reaching deeper into a backbend. Matt reminds us that this space is rooted in love, balance, and connection, both with ourselves and with others. It reflects how we...

read more
5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga Teachers

5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga Teachers

5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga TeachersYoga TeachersVisual Demonstration This is often confused with “teaching from the mat.” Teaching at the front of the room can be useful at the right time and place, but that is not what we are referring to here. In...

read more
Awakening Solar Plexus Strength

Awakening Solar Plexus Strength

Awakening Solar Plexus Strengththird chakraAWAKENING SOLAR PLEXUS STRENGTH Awakening solar plexus strength invites us into the centre of transformation. Matt reminds us that this third chakra, Manipura, is our fire, our willpower, and our ability to take action. It...

read more

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Boat Pose

Boat Pose

NAVASANA

BOAT POSE

Our bodies are intelligent and adaptive, often finding ways to compensate when certain muscles are underused. Over time, these patterns can create imbalances, leaving some muscles overdeveloped and others neglected. In yoga, one area often overlooked are the hip flexors. Without targeted activation, we may rely too heavily on surrounding muscle groups, throwing off balance and stability in poses like Boat Pose. Matt reminds us that intentional engagement not only builds strength but also primes the nervous system to recruit these muscles more effectively. By focusing on the hip flexors, we create healthier support around the hip joint and cultivate a more balanced practice overall. In this class, Matt layers simple yet powerful drills designed to awaken this vital muscle group.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

CHROMATIC LEVEL 1 TRAINING

CHROMATIC LEVEL 1 REGISTRATION

  • 30 hours in person with Matt
  • Short Online pre-training to maximize in person time together
  • Become a Certified Chromatic Yoga Teacher
  • Revolutionize your teaching skills
  • Gain the strength of the global collective
  • All Yoga Teachers get continued ed hours with Yoga Alliance
  • Certified Chromatic Teacher’s attending this event will get continued Ed hours toward their next level within Chromatic Yoga
  • Chromatic Yoga does not adhere to dogmatic alignment principals, instead you will learn to make deliberate alignment based on intention.
  • Residential training – you will book your stay at the Hotel and Spa, close to multiple international Airports
  • Location: Our Farm in Connecticut

HIP FLEXOR & ADDUCTOR ACTIVATION

Matt begins with a drill designed to fire up the hip flexors and adductors. With the left leg lifted, the right hand presses into the opposite knee, while the knee resists toward the opposite shoulder. This constant pressure ensures activation of the targeted muscles. Meanwhile, the right leg bends and straightens or stays fully extended if accessible for added intensity. After five to seven rounds, fatigue may set in, confirming that the hip flexors are truly at work. This activation builds the foundation for Boat Pose by reinforcing the muscles responsible for keeping the legs lifted and the torso steady.

WATCH THE VIDEO

BOAT POSE: HONE IN ON HIP FLEXOR STRENGTH

HALF BOAT & EXTENSIONS

From here, Matt layers Half Boat Pose with leg extensions. We scoop the tailbone under, connecting the sacrum with the floor while avoiding collapse in the mid-back. He describes shaping the torso like a “bowl” holding water, engaging the abdominals and psoas for stability. The goal is to maintain a rounded spine and lifted torso while extending the legs low, then returning to shins parallel with the floor. Once this foundation is set, Matt adds alternating leg lifts: extending one leg upward toward the face while keeping the other bent, then switching sides. Feet remain flexed, the breath steady, and the spine rounded. These progressions refine the coordination between hip flexors and core, showing us that strength and precision, not momentum are what ultimately carry Boat Pose.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

COMPACT BOAT VARIATION

Finally, Matt introduces a compact Boat Pose, challenging us to rely fully on hip flexor strength. With knees drawn tightly into the chest, we lean back and release the feet, noticing that the legs “stick” to the torso through muscular engagement rather than hand support. Minimal use of the hands for balance prevents overreliance on the arms. From here, shins can extend slightly upward to shoulder height or ankles closer to face height. This compact variation, practiced repeatedly, builds endurance and deepens our awareness of how the hip flexors sustain the posture.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

INTENTIONAL LAYERS

The evolution of Boat Pose isn’t about pushing to extremes, it’s about layering actions with awareness and intention. As always in the Chromatic approach to yoga, each drill Matt offers builds upon the last, creating a system where we can progressively awaken and refine the hip flexors. Over time, this focus leads to greater balance and resilience across the body, lessening reliance on compensation from overused muscles. When we approach Boat Pose with patience and precision, we’re not just strengthening a posture while we’re re-patterning how our bodies move. By honing in on the hip flexors and layering technique step by step, we cultivate strength, integration, and a practice that supports us far beyond the mat.

Learn how to layer drills and techniques with precision in Matt’s upcoming in person Chromatic Global Level 1 –  30 Hour Training .

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Hip Mobility Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

  • Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
  • Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
  • Appropriate for both teachers and students
  • Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
  • Demystify yoga poses and transitions
  • Release aches and pains
  • Learn how to avoid common injuries
  • Caters to all levels with modifications and props
  • 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
  • 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
  • Lifetime access

Continue Learning

Build Better Joint Support

Build Better Joint Support

Build Better Joint Supportankle & kneeBUILD BETTER JOINT SUPPORT Sometimes we focus so heavily on flexibility that we forget our joints also need intelligent strength surrounding them. Matt reminds us that stability is not rigidity. It is the body’s ability to...

read more
Hamstring Strength Options

Hamstring Strength Options

Hamstring Strength Optionship extensorsHAMSTRING STRENGTH OPTIONS When we think about hamstrings in yoga, most of us immediately think about stretching. Matt reminds us that this powerful muscle group is rarely celebrated for what it is also designed to do: create...

read more
Weightless Inversions

Weightless Inversions

Weightless InversionssirsasanaWEIGHTLESS INVERSIONS Weightless inversions are not about removing effort. They are about redistributing it with awareness. Matt reminds us that when we refine how we place weight through the hands, shoulders, and core, the body begins to...

read more
Opening The Heart Chakra

Opening The Heart Chakra

Opening The Heart ChakrabackbendOPENING THE HEART CHAKRA Opening the heart chakra is not simply about reaching deeper into a backbend. Matt reminds us that this space is rooted in love, balance, and connection, both with ourselves and with others. It reflects how we...

read more
5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga Teachers

5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga Teachers

5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga TeachersYoga TeachersVisual Demonstration This is often confused with “teaching from the mat.” Teaching at the front of the room can be useful at the right time and place, but that is not what we are referring to here. In...

read more
Awakening Solar Plexus Strength

Awakening Solar Plexus Strength

Awakening Solar Plexus Strengththird chakraAWAKENING SOLAR PLEXUS STRENGTH Awakening solar plexus strength invites us into the centre of transformation. Matt reminds us that this third chakra, Manipura, is our fire, our willpower, and our ability to take action. It...

read more

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Pin It on Pinterest