Make like a boat for stronger abs

Good posture, strong abs and an uplifted spine go hand-in-hand-in-hand to form the trifecta of a balanced body. A strong spine and toned abdominals will help you maintain good solid posture which does much to release tension and prevent pain from hunching. Today, yoga teacher Lauren Golen will be showing you the Boat Pose. It’s a great abdominal wall strengthener and body straightener. I hope you’ll give it a go…

Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet on the floor, arms behind you for balance.

You will lean back so your upper body is supported by your hands. Once you feel stable, raise your knees so your feet come up off the floor. Bring your feet and your knees together.

From here, you want to engage your abdominal wall. To do this, pull your navel in toward your spine. This will stabilize your upper and lower body for the full posture.

Next, move your arms in front, hands holding the backs of the knees. This position is an intermediary between being supported with the arms and having no extra support in the final Boat Pose.

Drop your shoulders down so you can maintain a straight spine and upper body lift. You should now be fully balancing on your sits bones.

Step 1

Boat Pose is difficult to do and maintain, so if this is as far as you can go it is not a bad starting place. You can hold this positon for 30 seconds to a minute, relax, and then repeat three times.

Step 2

If you can do the previous pose with little effort, let’s move on. The next step is to release your hands form your legs and extend the arms straight out in front of you. Keep your arms extended, fingers together and knees bent.

This position is the mid-way point and can be held for 30 seconds to a minute, and repeated.

Step 3

For those who are a bit more fit and want the full challenge, it’s time to assume the full Boat Pose.

To do this, maintain your posture as you fully extend your legs into a straight position. Your body now is in the shape of a V with a cross line, or the sails of a boat.

Hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute and then relax.

The goal is not to collapse the body, but to hold it erect and straight.

Finishing

When you have completed your sets at whichever step of the process, relax into a cross legged position and lean forward. This will help you relax the body and spine.

Good luck!