Hey Yogi, looking to master boat pose in yoga quickly, you are at the right place. In this article, I will guide you on how to perform boat pose, its benefits, and contradictions along with a video guide.
What is Boat pose?
Boat pose is a seated position in ancient yoga, focused on balancing your arms and legs using core body strength. Sit bones play an important role in achieving this pose. ‘V’ shape is formed by the body after coming into this seated pose.
The boat pose is also known as ‘Navasana’ originally. Navasana is a Sanskrit word formed by the combination of two words, ‘Nava’ meaning boat or ship and ‘asana’ meaning posture. It derives its name as navasana as it resembles ancient times boat.
| Name of the pose | Boat pose | Navasana (nah-vah-sana) |
| Preparatory pose | none or Thunderbolt pose |
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
A Step-by-step guide to boat pose
- Sit on a yoga mat with your legs stretched in front of you.
- Now bend your knees, ensure your soles have a firm grip on the mat, and lean your torso back. You can see an inverted ‘V’ shape/triangle formed with the ground by your knees bent.
- Now Exhale, and lift your legs from the ground and stretch them in front of you in the air making 45 degrees angle to the ground. If you are not comfortable at the start, support them with your hands.
- Slowly remove your hand support and stretch both arms in front of you. Adjust them to ensure they are parallel to stretched legs or to the ground as per your convenience. Now all of your body weight is transferred to sit bones and abdominal area.
- Gaze at your toes or nose and hold this position for 10-20 seconds. As you get used to it you can hold it for a long time.
- While inhaling, come out of position by resting your legs on mat in front of you.
- Repeat this pose for 5 sets.
Video Guide
Benefits of Boat pose
- Brings strength to the lower back, quadriceps, and pelvic.
- Helps reduce fat around the belly.
- Improves digestion by stretching abdominal organs.
- Helps in relieving symptoms of hernia and insomnia.
Precautions
If you are suffering from high blood pressure, you should avoid performing this pose. Pregenant women, elderly people should also avoid practicing this pose as this includes stretching of all body muscles with high intensity.
If you have undergone from neck, hip, back, or hernia surgery recently avoid this pose. Always consult your physician if you have doubt regarding poses you can perform.
Conclusion
Now that you are aware of all benefits, steps and contradictions of performing boat pose, please give it a try.! Let me know of your experiences in comment section. Keep reading imaginesouls.com
“ Strength is matter of a made up mind ” – Jhon Beecher
FAQs
Who should not do boat pose?
Preganat women, elderly people should consult physician before trying out boat pose. High blood pressure and asthma patients should avoid this pose in any case. Also If you have recently undergone surgery related to back, neck, knee, and ribs avoid this pose. Women during their menstrual cycle should refrain from navasana.
Why do I shake during boat pose?
While performing boat pose, all body muscles are engaged and core weight is transferred on abdomenial area and sit bones. When legs are raised above ground making 45 degrees angle, abdominal muscles are stretched most and handles core weight. Shaking is due to engagement of muscles. In start it is normal to shake as you keep practicing shaking will get away with time and increase in stenghth of these muscles.