For Beginners: Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana)

This posture teaches us important life skills—such as how to embrace difficulty—as it strengthens our abs.

By Claudia Cummins

Anchors Aweigh
In boat pose, the aim is to keep your weight settled firmly on the base of the pelvis, maintaining a steady and supportive position of the spine. This action will grow more important as you move further into the pose, so be clear about it here, where the stakes aren't quite so high. Remember, there's no room for laziness or timidity in Paripurna Navasana—so take a moment to dig out your boldness and enthusiasm now.

Without losing the feeling of spaciousness in your heart, and still holding onto the backs of the thighs, tilt backward with your upper body until your arms are nearly straight. As you do this, encourage the vertebrae of your lower back to rise inward and upward, and the heart to feel light and expansive. Drop the shoulder blades away from the ears and bring the head in line with the shoulders, avoiding the tendency to jut the chin forward and shorten the back of the neck.

Now comes the fun part. Without collapsing the spine or rolling back onto your sacrum, lift your feet a few inches off the ground. Balance steadily and evenly on the sitting bones, rise upward through your chest, and remain energized through the belly. Breathe steadily, letting the inhalations and exhalations be full and rhythmic.

This is a good time to consider whether it is possible for you to face the challenge of Boat Pose without letting your spirit wither. Can you embrace difficulty without shrinking, without withdrawing back into the safety of your shell? Extend brightly in all directions. Enjoy the heat of the moment as well as the sense of invigoration it brings.

After a few breaths, settle the feet back onto the ground, soften the body, and give yourself a few moments to rest and recover. Notice which parts of your body were the most challenged in the exploration you've just done. Where did you feel heat building within you? Which muscles are the most fatigued? It's likely that you drew on the reserves of strength in your deep belly, lower back, and front thighs—all important sources of stamina and vigor within. Repeat this variation of Boat Pose a few times, enjoying the opportunity to practice the fine art of balancing without creating strain.

Chart Your Course
If the previous exploration of Boat Pose has left you in stormy waters, you might like to try a gentler introduction to the pose to relieve pressure on the belly and back and to build strength. Consistent practice of this variation will help you cultivate the skills required to master more advanced versions of the pose somewhere down the road.

Whichever variation you choose—hands on the backs of the thighs or on the floor—when you're ready to heat things up, lift the feet farther off the floor and extend them away from you until the shins are parallel to the ground, knees bent. Send energy outward through the heels; at the same time, lengthen from the belly upward toward the crown of the head. Resist the tendency to let the demands of the pose sink your spirit. Remember, this pose is helping you develop stamina and strength—enjoy it!

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