Boat Pose or Naukasana is one of the best ways to strengthen your core. You can go beyond the basic stance and try a few variations of the boat stance.
Your core isn’t just your abs. This is the core of your body, which includes your hips, pelvis, and lower back, in addition to your stomach. Strengthening these parts is important as they can help you perform various activities with ease. Strong core muscles can make it easier to pick something up off the floor or grab things from the top shelf of a kitchen cabinet. Exercises like crunches and planks can strengthen your core. You should also try yoga, specifically Boat Pose or Naukasana. Interestingly, there are more than one or two ways to perform this yoga asana. Do these boat pose variations to strengthen your core.
Yoga for a Strong Core: Does It Help?
“Core muscles help with everyday activities,” says fitness trainer Dr Mickey Mehta. Your core, or trunk, is made up of the following muscles:
- Rectus abdominis muscle
- Square waist
- Oblique abdominal muscles
- Gluteal muscles
- Pelvic floor
- Vertebral column
- Diaphragm
According to Harvard Health Publishing, a strong core can improve balance and stability, preventing falls and injuries. “It also improves posture, reduces back pain and creates a solid foundation for yoga poses and physical activity,” says the expert.
Doing yoga regularly can improve your core strength, according to research published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine in 2014. But don’t just do any yoga pose or asana. Boat Pose or Naukasana is one of the best ways to engage your core. In a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Yoga, researchers found that core muscles, such as the rectus abdominis, were activated during Naukasana. “Strengthening the core with boat pose can improve functional fitness, reduce injury risk and improve athletic performance,” says the expert.
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Boat Attitude Variations: Know the Basics
This is a seated yoga pose that resembles the shape of a boat. It involves balancing the body while sitting on the mat with the legs outstretched and the body in a V shape. “This pose primarily targets the core muscles, including the abdominal muscles. The arms are usually extended forward, parallel to the ground, while the trunk remains elevated and engaged,” explains Dr. Mehta.
How to perform the boat pose?
A step-by-step guide to the boat or squat pose:
1. Sit on a yoga mat and stretch your legs out in a straight line in front of you.
2, Lean back slightly, keeping your spine straight and your chest lifted.
3. Bend your legs at the knees and lift yourself off the floor so that your lower legs are parallel to the ground.
4. Balance your sit bones, making sure your core is engaged to support your weight.
5. Extend your arms forward, keeping them parallel to the ground, palms facing each other.
6. When you feel strong and firm, extend your legs so that your torso and legs form a “V”.
7. Maintain a posture with your eyes straight ahead or slightly up.
8. Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths and increase as you build your core.
9. To come out of the pose, slowly lower your legs and return to a sitting position.
“You should practice basic naukasana paying particular attention to proper alignment so that you have a good foundation to approach boat pose variations safely and effectively,” suggests the expert.
Try these boat pose variations to strengthen your core
1. Posture of a half-boat
- Begin in boat pose.
- Lower your back halfway to the floor, keeping your legs straight.
- Hold the position with your lower back off the ground.
2. Low posture of the boat
- Begin this asana in the boat pose.
- Lower your legs and upper body to the floor, keeping them raised a few inches off the ground. While performing this variation, your arms should remain parallel to the floor.
3. Advanced posture of the boat
- From Naukasana, extend your arms above your head, creating a longer line from your fingertips to your toes.
- Keep the V shape of your torso and legs.
4. Posture of a spinning boat
- Sitting in a boat pose, clasp your hands together and turn your torso to the right.
- Twist to the left, engaging the oblique muscles of the abdomen.
5. Boat pose with toes tapping
- From boat pose, lower your right foot to hit the floor, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat with the left leg.
6. Boat pose with legs up
- Start in Last.
- Lower your feet to the floor without touching them and lift them back up.
7. Posture of a boat with an extended leg
- To perform this variation, begin with the basic asana.
- Bend one knee and plant your foot on the ground while keeping the other leg extended.
- Switch sides after a few breaths.
8. Boat pose with bent knees
- Start with a basic posture.
- Bend your knees, lower legs parallel to the floor.
9. Transitions from boat pose to low boat pose
Alternate boat pose and low boat pose in a controlled manner to increase core strength and stability.
10. Posture of a boat with a block
- Hold a yoga block between your hands in boat pose.
- Raise it above your head or swing it from side to side for an extra challenge.
11. Posture of a boat on the forearms
- Lift your legs in the air.
- Support your upper body on your forearms.
12. Turning boat with straight legs
- Start with Junior.
- Keep your torso upright and rotate your body to the right side.
- Hold your toes with your left hand and hold your right hand straight slightly above the ground.
13. Separate position of the boat
- One variation of the boat pose is the split boat, which requires you to first get into the basic asana.
- Keep your legs apart in a split.
14. Posture of a boat with a compass
- Start in a boat stance with one leg at a 30-degree angle.
- Hold the other hand at a 90-degree angle, and hold the leg at a 90-degree angle with the opposite hand.
- Twist your spine.
15. Position of the boat on its side
- Lie on your side to perform this variation of the boat pose.
- Raise your arms and legs up.
Boat Pose Variations: Mistakes to Avoid
- Rounding the back: Keep your spine straight and your chest up to avoid straining your lower back.
- Holding his breath: Maintain steady deep breaths during boat pose variations to ensure adequate oxygen flow to the muscles.
- Straining the neck: Keep your neck in line with your spine, avoiding tension or strain.
- Incorrect positioning of the legs: Make sure your legs are straight and together unless otherwise indicated in the different variations of Boat Pose.
These boat stance variations can be easily performed by beginners. “But if you already have lower back pain, don’t do them because they can make your lower back problems worse,” says the expert. Even pregnant women should avoid variations of the boat pose, as they can put strain on the abdomen.
Practice boat pose variations for a strong core, but do them carefully and avoid mistakes like rounding your back.
