Find Balance in Boat Pose – How to make it easier and more effective!
Have you ever found the boat pose, also known as Navasana, challenging in your yoga practice? If so, you're not alone. When I mention it in a yoga class, this pose often elicits a mix of reactions, from enthusiastic 'Yessss' to hesitant 'Noooo’. Let's delve into this pose and discover its benefits together.
You might be surprised that it is not my favourite pose, either. It is more of a necessity for good housekeeping. Hence, I have made friends with it over the years but still see it as challenging.
Which muscles are involved in the boat pose?
The Sanskrit word for boat pose is Navasana; nava means boat, ship or vessel, and asana is the pose.
Imagine your body taking the shape of a boat. To enter this pose, you sit straight with your legs stretched out (Dandasana), lean back with your upper body, lift your legs, and stretch your arms out in front of you. Voila, you're in the boat pose!
Your legs are long and heavy, though. The muscles connecting the legs with the torso, specifically your spine, are called the hip flexors. They bring the legs and torso closer together, flexing the hip joints, and need to work super hard to lift your legs against gravity while keeping them straight at the same time. This is the maximum effort for those muscles.
Keeping your torso long and upright is the job of your abdominal and back muscles.
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Health Benefits of Navasana – boat pose
Let's look at the relevant muscles first, this pose strengthens the hip flexors, back, and abdominal muscles. As the quad muscles at the front of your thighs are part of the hip flexors, the boat pose strengthens the legs, too.
So, in short: strong legs, hips, back and tummy.
Internally, looking at the organs, Navasana supports the guts. According to BKS Iyengar, the full pose, Paripurna Navasana affects the intestines, and the low boat pose, ardha Navasana, affects the liver, gallbladder, and spleen due to their slightly different leg positions.
He mentions as well in his book Light on Yoga:
As long as the back is strong and needs no support, one feels young though advanced in age. The two asanas bring life and vigour to the back and enable us to grow old gracefully and comfortably.
Iyengar suggests practising the boat pose and a twist to strengthen the back muscles faster.
In his book Yoga Mala, Pattabhi Jois mentions the benefits of Navasana.
Navasana cures gastric trouble resulting from food not digesting completely and provoking Vata due to a lack of digestive fire. The waist additionally gains strength.
Navasana not only strengthens your physical body but also builds mental fortitude. The practice of this pose requires determination and stamina, both physical and mental. It's a testament to your inner strength and resilience.
There are plenty of good reasons to integrate Navasana into your regular practice.
How do you practise boat pose?
As mentioned above, it is pretty straightforward. Here are the step-by-step instructions for the boat pose.
Sit in Dandasana with your legs straight in front of you. Place your hands just behind your hips, fingers facing forward, then press the floor away to activate your arms and upper back muscles.
Lift through your chest and lean back slightly. Make sure your back stays tall. Balance your weight on your sit bones.
Exhale and bend your knees and bring them to your chest.
Inhale, slowly straighten your knees.
Keep your heart open and your spine long, draw your shoulders back and lift your arms forward and up parallel to the floor, with your palms facing in.
Point your toes.
Hold the pose for 5 slow, deep breaths.
Keep lengthening through the crown of your head.
How can you make Navasana easier?
Is Navasana a bit too challenging? Don't worry; there are several ways to make the pose more accessible. These modifications are designed to meet you where you are in your yoga journey, encouraging you to practise with confidence and ease.
A low boat or half-boat pose is a good starting point for strengthening the abdominal muscles.
You can access a super-supported version by lying on your back with your legs lifted as high as needed, your head and chest lifted, and your arms stretched out in front of you, parallel to the floor. Ensure that the back of your waist is on the floor. You can also focus on your navel, drawing down to the floor, which offers maximum support for your back and strengthens the relevant muscle groups.
As mentioned above, the legs are long and heavy. Shortening the leaver by bending the knees is a good start. If bent knees and lower legs parallel to the floor feel too strenuous, you can start by lifting one lower leg at a time parallel to the floor.
Keep your hands on the floor behind your hips. This supports the back and helps with keeping the chest lifted and open.
Tie a Yoga strap around your torso and thighs to take the weight off your legs and help you focus on balancing and supporting yourself while sitting tall.
Holding a block between the thighs or lower legs can be very helpful in activating and strengthening the legs.
You might not believe it, but there is also a restorative version of Navasana that lets you enjoy the pose without effort. This is an excellent way to lighten the legs and stay upright in the torso after a busy day. However, it doesn't have the strengthening effects of the active version.
What to watch out for?
To keep the lower back healthy, it is essential to choose a version that is appropriate for your body and doesn't strain it.
In pregnancy, avoiding the pose or practising the restorative version is best.
Navasana through the Seasons
Spring is clearly an excellent season for regular boat pose practice. The strengthening qualities also increase your body's warmth. If you hold the pause for longer or repeat it 3-5 times, you will surely break a sweat, too, which is perfect for balancing spring's cold and slow Kapha qualities.
During autumn and winter, you will also benefit from the warming qualities and effect on digestion, focus, and stamina, which are excellent for calming Vata.
In the summer, go easy on the pose. Hold it for a shorter period to avoid exertion.
Find your Balance
You literally need to balance to stay afloat. Two Yoga concepts support your way.
Sthira – Sukha, effort and ease
Patanjali's explanation of a Yoga pose is that it requires equal effort and ease. Both must be present for a pose to be a Yoga pose, compared to gymnastics or holding a shape.
In this case, the physical body must exert effort to lift the legs and keep them lifted through the holding pose and the ongoing lengthening of the torso.
Equally important, though, is the lightness that will come into the body through regular practice. On a mental level, it is essential to stay relaxed and practise what is appropriate for your energy level and body on the day.
Abhyasa and Vairagya – regular practice without expectations
This is another concept that Yoga philosophy recommends for mental calm.
We often look for progress and like to notice it fast; these are our expectations. If they aren't met, we usually give up, think it's not worth it, believe we aren't good enough, etc.
The concept of abhyasa, which is a regular practice no matter what, paired with vairagya without expectation, helps us succeed. You go onto your mat every day and practise, in this case, boat poses, just for the sake of it. Whether you feel progress or not doesn't matter; it is only about the practice and the trust in this practice, called shraddha.
Let's Recap
Navasana, or boat pose, often elicits mixed reactions in yoga classes. While not universally beloved, it's essential to a balanced yoga practice. This pose, which mimics the shape of a boat, is deceptively simple yet profoundly challenging. It requires sitting with legs extended, leaning back slightly, and lifting the legs while the arms stretch forward.
The primary muscles engaged in Navasana are the hip flexors, which connect the legs to the torso, and the abdominal muscles, which help maintain an upright torso. These muscles work intensively to counteract gravity, making this pose a powerhouse for strengthening the core, back, hips, and legs.
The health benefits of Navasana extend beyond muscle strengthening. According to renowned yogis like BKS Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois, the boat pose promotes digestive health, increases back strength, and enhances mental fortitude. Practising this pose can improve digestion, a strong and supportive back, and greater mental and physical stamina.
Modifications can make Navasana more accessible for those finding it challenging. Starting with simpler variations like the low boat or half boat pose can help build the necessary strength. Using props like yoga straps or blocks can also aid in maintaining balance and reducing strain.
To practice Navasana:
Begin in Dandasana, sitting with legs straight.
Lean back slightly, balancing on your sit bones.
Lift your legs, bend your knees, then slowly extend them while keeping your spine long and arms parallel to the floor.
Hold the pose for several deep breaths, focusing on maintaining a long spine and steady breathing.
Incorporating Navasana into your regular yoga practice builds physical strength. It cultivates the perseverance and discipline needed to tackle challenges on and off the mat. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced yogi, there's a version of boat pose that can benefit your practice, making it a worthwhile endeavour for all.
Resources
Iyengar, BKS, HarperCollins, India, 1999, Light on Yoga
Jois, P, North Point Press, New York, 2010, Yoga Mala
Reumann, F, Riva Verlag, Muenchen, 2022, Yoga fuer die Organe
What are your thoughts about Navasana? Do you like practising it? Do you like the idea of strength, focus and lightness? Can you imagine the concepts helping you with practising the pose differently? Let me know what you think. You can leave a message on Instagram, Facebook, or even an old email OR leave a comment below :)
I love hearing from you!
Katja x
P.S. Your Yoga practice benefits from healthy eating habits.
