Not everyone has the opportunity to regularly attend a yoga studio for practice, so sometimes there is not enough basic knowledge in order to build any pose. This article is recommended for those who do not know how to master the boat's pose in yoga: where to start, how to make the situation more accessible or, conversely, more difficult, to more deeply feel the work of the internal muscles of the core.
Boat pose
Paripurna Navasana, or the pose of the boat, as practitioners call it, is designed to teach the yogi to fold his body in the air in two, using only the buttocks as the fulcrum and the core muscles as the leading force.
For most beginners, this pose is a powerful challenge not only to the body, but also to the mind, especially if long-term fixation is required to study the underlying processes. “Paripurna” in Sanskrit means “complete, finished, completed”, and “Nava” means “boat”, asana is a pose, body position.
Execution technique
In order to correctly make Paripurna Navasana, it is necessary to sit with a straight spine and bend the legs in the knee joints by about 90 degrees. Further, leaning back approximately 45 degrees and not losing balance, straighten your legs forward and upward, forming a corner close to the right angle with your body. Hands extended forward, parallel to the floor, palms looking at each other. Stretch the axis of the spine with the crown, following the straight line of the spine and try to pull the abdominal wall of the abdomen inward, pulling up the light uddiyana bandha.
Breathing should be free, through the nose, but it is important to keep the chest flattened, facilitating the work of the lungs, because the pressure of the press on the diaphragm is felt very well. A well-opened chest in this position indicates that the iliopsoas muscle has been included in the work, which is an indication that the asana is correct. In the process of mastering the posture, try to keep your feet in the line of the eyes, slightly stretching the socks and activating the front line of the legs well.
Ardha Navasana in Yoga
Where to start mastering the pose, if the full version is not yet available? Experts recommend a simpler option: the poses of half a boat or half-boat, as it is also called "ardha" - this is "half" in Sanskrit. Its main difference from the full version is that the support falls on the lumbar region, which makes the position more stable, although more exhausting for the longitudinal muscle of the press. Hands can come in three positions:
- Entry level: arms extended forward parallel to the floor.
- Medium: the hands are attached at the back of the head so that the elbows form a single line.
- In an advanced level, the arms extend upward, located exactly above the crown, while the fingers of both hands touch.
At the same time, it is extremely important that not only the sacral (as some yoga instructors claim), but also the lumbar region is firmly pressed to the floor.
The most common mistakes
One of the most common mistakes in Paripurna Navasana is rounding the back in the lumbar region. In this case, the entire burden falls on the spine and nearby muscles, which means the essence of the asana is lost. The second mistake is an attempt to straighten the legs without the necessary stretching of the back surfaces of the legs, which can provoke rounding of the back. It is also necessary to make sure that in the pose of the boat that the nape line continues the line of the body, and does not extend forward and down, creating pressure on the cervical vertebrae. A competent yoga trainer should correct these errors, otherwise a practicing student risks overloading the lumbar muscles and spinal column.
Possible posture modifications
For those who find it difficult to make the full version of Paripurn Navasana, several simplified versions are recommended:
- At the initial stage, it is important to learn how to keep the spine straight, so the legs can compensate for the lack of flexibility - they need to be bent at the knees, while keeping the hips at right angles to the body, and the legs parallel to the floor.
- If this option is not possible, then you can try to rest your feet against a wall or chair, using them as an additional support, which will stabilize the position of the body. Over time, you should learn to straighten your legs, abutting against the wall, and when the necessary muscle strength develops, try to pose the boat without auxiliary equipment.
- Weak and unprepared people can use their hands as another support: for this you need to rest your hands on the floor just behind the line of the pelvis, while not allowing rounding of the back. In this case, over time, you need to try to reduce the pressure of the hands on the floor, so that the muscles of the corset learn to maintain position due to reliance on the pelvic bones.
In conclusion, we want to recall that it is extremely undesirable to begin acquaintance with yoga with complex asanas, which include Paripurna Navasana. The effect on the muscles and joints should be gradual and harmonious, without craving to jump above the head or push yourself into poses that the body is not yet ready for, otherwise you will harm your health.