Cassey Ho Wants You to Test Your Core Strength with This Karate-Meets-Pilates Challenge
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Blogilates founder Cassey Ho is never afraid to take on a workout challenge, whether she's tackling 100 sit-ups in five minutes or crushing the viral "Cupid Shuffle" plank challenge years before it became a TikTok sensation. But her latest challenge tests the limits of balance from head to toe — literally. Inspired by the Netflix show Cobra Kai (which is a modern spinoff series of the '80s movie The Karate Kid), Ho created what she calls the "Miyagi-Do Challenge."
Named after the fictional martial arts form created by The Karate Kid's Mr. Miyagi, Ho's Miyagi-Do Challenge entails balancing a cup of water on your head as you transition from a seated position to standing upright, followed by a crane pose (a one-legged karate-inspired stance), then king dancer pose, from which point you pick up the water and take a sip — all without spilling a drop.
Ho managed to make the challenge look easy in an Instagram video, but make no mistake — it's a serious test of your core strength and balance. (Related: Why Core Strength Is So Important-and Has Nothing to Do with a Six-Pack)
Transitioning from sitting to standing while balancing a cup of water on your head (disclaimer: Ho said she recommends plastic over glass cups for safety) is impressive on its own, but adding a movement such as king dancer pose into the mix definitely amps up the challenge. The yoga pose requires not just core balance and strength, but also flexibility, patience, time, and steady breath. (Here's a step-by-step breakdown on mastering the pose.)
In her post, Ho invited followers to try the Miyagi-Do Challenge for themselves and tag her in their videos — and boy, did they deliver. Take a look:
If you're craving more karate-meets-Pilates moves, Ho also recently shared a "Miyagi-lates" video, in which she blends her signature Pilates practice with the karate-inspired Miyagi-Do for a full 26-minute workout. Follow along below for a mindful, yet challenging at-home sweat session:
