Try The Full Boat Pose

Yoga can help tone and strengthen all parts of the body, including internal organs. The Full Boat Pose is an abdominal and deep hip flexor and strengthener, requiring you to balance on the tripod formed by your sitting bones and tailbone.

The benefits of the Full Boat Pose may include:

• Strengthened abdomen, hip flexors, and spine
• Stimulation of the kidneys, intestines and thyroid and prostate glands
• Stress relief
• Improved digestion

There are variations, including one you can perform while sitting at your desk! Learn more about this pose, including what it looks like, how to properly execute it, and who this pose may not be right for.

Full Boat Pose

“Both the Full Boat Pose and Half Boat Pose are wonderful choices to incorporate into your daily yoga practice. Do them carefully and with concentration; you’ll be rewarded with a stronger, more muscular core.” – Andrew Weil, M.D.

Description & History
The yoga pose Paripurna Navasana, commonly referred to as Full Boat Pose in English, comes from the Sanskrit words paripurna meaning full or entire, nava meaning boat, and asana meaning posture. The Full Boat Pose is a popular pose used to engage the core muscles by strengthening the abdominals and muscles of the pelvis and lower back. While the Full Boat Pose is a difficult yoga pose to perform for many, the benefits of the pose are long lasting.

How to Perform the Full Boat Pose

• Sit on the floor with straight legs in front of you. Inhale and bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Place your hands on the side of your thighs just below your hips, keeping your fingers pointed toward your toes.
• Exhale and slowly lean back at your hips lifting your legs, with bent knees, a few inches off the floor. Make sure your back is straight as you draw your shoulder blades together to lift and open your chest.
• Slowly straighten out your legs. If you cannot straighten your legs, go as far as your can or follow the modified pose in the section below.
• Your thighs should be angled about 45 degrees from the floor as should your torso. From the side your body should look like a “V” with your arms still touching your thighs.
• Begin to slowly move your arms alongside your legs with palms facing down until they are parallel to the floor.
• Hold the pose for 10-20 seconds to begin, gradually increasing the time you hold the pose to one minute. Release the pose by dropping the legs and returning to the sitting position.

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