Feet on the floor, knees bent. Place your hands behind your legs and lift your chest as you inhale.
Draw your lower abdomen in and engage your inner thighs.
Lift your toes to approximately knee height by tucking your toes behind your back.
Bring your arms parallel to the floor
Straighten your legs to go further.
Continue to breathe for ten breaths after 2-5 breaths.
On an exhalation, bring your feet to the floor and sit up straight with your spine. Hold on to your legs while you take a few breaths.
Beginners’ Tips
Imagine zipping up tight jeans and closing the button to draw your lower abdomen in.
Keep your hands behind your knees rather than bringing your arms in parallel.
Place a block in between your legs to activate the inner thighs.
To achieve the full Boat Pose, you can begin by wrapping a strap around your soles to straighten your legs. This support allows you to hold the position for longer.
Benefits
Strengthens hip flexors, spine, and core
Improves digestion
Watch out for
Both your lower abdomen and back muscles should be engaged.
Keep your chest open to avoid rounding in the shoulders and upper back.
Breathe through the challenge.
Variations
Test your balance. Once you are in the pose, start rocking your boat by waving your legs and arms from side to side. Smile!
You can try some variations by holding the block with your block between your legs or holding a piece of wood between your hands and raising your arms to add an extra challenge.
