Paripurna Navasana — Boat Pose
nah-VAHS-uh-nuh
Strengthen your core while dreaming of all the places you want to go in Navasana. This core pose is accessible to most since there are variations. You start by keeping your hands and feet (toes) on the earth and slowly build the strength to lift off and set sail. Overtime, and with practice, you can lift into a beautiful boat with ease and grace.
Benefits:
Strengthens the abdomen, hip flexors, and spine
Stimulates the kidneys, thyroid and prostate glands, and intestines
Helps relieve stress
Improves digestion
-Benefits from Yoga Journal
Directions:
Come to a seat, bending your knees to your chest.
Place your hands on the floor right underneath your shoulders, fingertips facing forward, and gently rock back and forth on your sit bones.
As you draw your belly back to your spin start to lean back until you feel your core is engaged and you can maintain the “V” sit with your heart lifting to the sky.
Start to lift one leg and then the other- alternating leg lifts.
To go deeper, lift both legs at the same time, knees parallel with the ankles and find your breath as you keep your legs lifted.
Stay here for a few inhales and exhales and then gently release back to a seat.
Modifications:
Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose)- Recline back, bringing your hands and toes closer to the floor as you continue to draw your belly in and up while you build core strength
Variations
As you lift your legs off the ground straighten them out in front as you take your arms up over head.
Then make this a flow by extending arms and legs at the same time and then hugging the knees to the chest. Repeat 5-7 times.
Add a twist by drawing the right elbow to the right (your elbow does not need to touch the ground) as the knees draw close to the chest and then repeat to the left after you extend arms overhead and legs extend straight out.
Practice boat with us at the Storm(s) online, in studio or outdoors (starting April 3rd in Hatboro!)
