Boat Pose Defined

What Is Boat Pose?

Navasana comes from nava, meaning boat or ship. In the full expression, the body forms a V-shape—spine and legs extending at an angle from the hips, balancing on the sitting bones. Arms reach forward parallel to the floor, as if holding invisible oars.

This pose is a primary core strengthener in yoga, but it's not just about abdominal muscles. Navasana demands hip flexor strength, spinal stability, and the capacity to maintain focus through discomfort. It builds what the tradition calls tapas—the fire of discipline that transforms.

Boat Pose often appears in vinyasa sequences and is central to Ashtanga's primary series. While it looks simple, holding it with proper form reveals its challenge. The pose asks: can you stay present and steady when things get uncomfortable?

How to Practice

1. Start seated — Sit with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Place hands beside your hips.
2. Find your balance point — Lean back slightly, lifting feet off the floor. Balance on your sit bones (ischial tuberosities), not your tailbone.
3. Lift the legs — Raise shins parallel to the floor (half boat) or straighten legs to a 45-degree angle (full boat).
4. Extend the arms — Reach arms forward, parallel to the floor, palms facing each other or down.
5. Lengthen the spine — Lift through the crown of your head. Keep chest lifted and open—don't collapse.
6. Engage the core — Draw navel toward spine, but keep breathing. The work is steady, not gripping.
7. Hold and breathe — Stay for 5-10 breaths (or longer). Keep the breath flowing.
8. Release — On an exhale, lower feet to the floor. Rest and repeat if desired.

Variations

Half Boat (Ardha Navasana)

Keep knees bent with shins parallel to the floor. This is the accessible starting point and an excellent way to build the strength needed for full expression. You can also hold behind your thighs for additional support.

Full Boat

Straighten both legs while maintaining a long spine. Legs and torso form a V-shape. This requires significant hip flexor strength and hamstring flexibility.

Low Boat

From full boat, lower your legs and torso toward the floor without touching, hovering a few inches above the mat. Hold briefly, then lift back up. This variation intensifies the abdominal work.

Supported Boat

Loop a strap around the soles of your feet, holding the ends. This helps maintain lift while building strength and provides the hamstring flexibility to work toward the full pose.

Benefits

• Core strength — Builds deep abdominal muscles and spinal stabilizers
• Hip flexor strength — Strengthens psoas and hip flexors
• Balance and stability — Develops coordination and proprioception
• Focus — Demands present-moment awareness to maintain the pose
• Builds tapas — Cultivates the capacity to stay steady through challenge

Common Misalignments

Rounding the Back

The most common error. When the back rounds, the work shifts from core muscles to hip flexors and the pose becomes less effective and potentially straining. Keep lifting through the chest and lengthening the spine.

Holding the Breath

Challenging poses often trigger breath-holding. Keep breathing steadily—the exhale especially helps engage the core. If you can't breathe, you've gone too far; back off until breath flows.

Collapsing the Chest

Keep the sternum lifting forward and up. Imagine someone pulling you up from the center of your chest. This prevents rounding and keeps the pose energetically open.