A strong core is the cornerstone of so many workouts and motions, as every athlete knows. However, if your ab day consists only of crunches and planks, you may be yearning for a change.
Boat position, also known as navasana, is a yoga asana that might be difficult if you’re just beginning to develop your abdomen. However, you will undoubtedly feel the effects over time.
Boat Pose also works to develop your hip flexors, adductors (groin), and lower back muscles, which help to stabilize your spine. It also includes a mental test. To lengthen, expand, and open your body in Navasana, you must dig deep while pushing through heat and pain. However, it is a stance with enough variety to enable you to get to a fully stretched pose. Try hanging on to your legs behind your knees if you’re working on developing the core strength to maintain the position with your arms and legs extended. Boat Pose will become second nature to you in no time.
Step-by-step Guide To Performing The Navasana
- Seated on the floor, straighten your legs in front of you. Place your hands a bit behind your hips on the floor.
- Lift through into the top of the sternum and gently lean back, being careful not to curve your back. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your sitting bones as well as your tailbone.
- Inhale and bend your knees, then raise your thighs to a 45-degree angle above the floor, keeping your knees bent.
- Straighten your knees gradually, bringing the tips of your toes just beyond the level of your eyes if feasible. If this is not feasible, maintain a bent knee and parallel shins.
- Maintaining an open chest and along with the spine, bring your shoulders back and stretch both arms forward parallel to the floor, palms facing in. Maintain a flat and firm lower tummy, but not one that is rigid and thick.
- Point your toes and also flex your heels, and take a deep inhale. Maintain the stance for 10 to 20 seconds at a time, gradually extending the length to a minute.
Things To Consider While Performing The Boat Pose
If the pose’s full extension is too much for your lower back, you may totally stay with your shins parallel to the floor and/or your hands on the floor.
Always direct your energy upward, maintaining a straight posture and active legs, to prevent putting strain on your lower spine and sacrum. If you want help straightening your legs, wrap a yoga strap over your feet and grasp the other end. If you do decide to use a strap, take care not to round your spine.
Maintain a comfortable posture with your shoulder blades back and down, your face and jaw relaxed, and don’t forget to breathe.
The Benefits of Navasana
Not only is a strong core helpful for yoga or another physical exercise, but this posture also develops the hip flexors as well as spinal vertebrae, and also the thighs plus lower back muscles. If you suffer from low back pain, a strong core might really help alleviate some of the discomforts.
And if you’re into chakras, this posture is especially excellent for the solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, which is located in the pit of the stomach and regulates self-esteem, willpower, emotion, and even digestion.
Indeed, research has connected having a strong core to improved digestion, as well as increased stability and endurance.
Therefore, whether you’re seeking another posture to integrate into your core flow or if you’re wanting to tune up your sacral plexus chakra, boat pose is an excellent choice. Developing a strong core is about much more than developing a six-pack, and by continuously practicing this position, you may reap all of the advantages.
The Variations of The Boat Pose
Once in the stance, begin rocking your boat from side to side, swinging your arms and legs Also, consider experimenting with a block, such as holding it between your thighs or holding a slab between your palms and then lifting your arms for more difficulty.
FAQs About Navasana
The Benefits of the Full Boat Pose include the following:
– Strengthens and tones your abdominal muscles.
– Balances the body and aids digestion.
– This exercise stretches your hamstrings.
– Enhances the strength of your spine and hip flexors.
– Stimulates the kidneys, thyroid, and prostate glands, as well as the gastrointestinal tract.
– Assists in stress reduction.
– Confidence is increased.
One reason we may feel as if we need to work really hard in this position is that the iliopsoas is also a hip external rotator. Thus, we must engage the iliopsoas to flex the hips, but we must also oppose outward rotation by inwardly rotating the hips with purpose.
You might begin by holding the stance for 30 seconds and gradually increase to one minute. When you are ready to return to Dandasana, exhale and put your feet on the floor.
Although the boat posture is a fantastic yoga pose for strengthening the core and developing complete body strength and coordination, the primary error individuals make is rounding their backs — both upper and lower. This reduces core activity and may be detrimental to your back if performed excessively.
Boat posture, or paripurna navasana, is a tried-and-true pose for strengthening your core. It targets your hip flexors, abdominal muscles, and adductor muscles all at the same time.
Conclusion
Are you looking to strengthen your core? Well, the boat pose is truly the perfect way to go. Not only is this pose fairly easy to execute, but it also has a lot of benefits. However, if you’re not able to perform it correctly, or are looking for other yoga poses, keep reading Seema.
