Boat Pose

Hi everyone, welcome to Yoga & You. I am Sanjana Prasad. In today's video, we are going to be practicing a few movements that will help to strengthen your abdominals, your hip flexors, and work on the core. So get your mat and let's get started.

We are going to start with a half Navasana. We are going to try and run through this entire sequence without a break, but at any given point you are tired, you want to take a break, you are uncomfortable, feel free to take a pause.

So let's start by bending the knees. You are going to place your feet hip width apart on the mat. Now extend both your hands forward at shoulder level, you are just going to slightly lean back — don't go towards your lower back, you are still on your sit bones. Lift both your legs up, knees are bent. The intention is to keep your thighs close to the chest. Lift up, and we are just going to stay here — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

Now you are just going to twist completely to the right side. Let's stay as they are and open out your arms and hold it here — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Come back to center, let's switch — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Slowly come back.

Now your hands can be towards the chest. They are going to stretch both your legs out, go into a low Navasana. Exhale, come back to Navasana — one, low Navasana, up, two, low Navasana, up, three, low Navasana, up, four. Entire lower back is going down to the floor, there is no arch in the back, so as you extend the legs forward, your back is on the mat, brace the core and lift up — five. Three more: low Navasana, up. Last two: low Navasana, up. Strong legs, last one: low Navasana and up. Extend the hands forward.

Now little by little roll your spine down, lie down on your back. From here you are going to hug only the right knee into the chest, your left leg is going to stay off the mat — take a break if you need to, but as much as possible let's go with the floor. As you exhale, bring your forehead up towards the knee. We'll practice leg switches — switch and switch, one, switch and switch, two, switch and switch, three, switch and switch, four.

Again, when I'm doing this I'm not arching my back and I'm not moving my entire body, my upper body stays still and engaged, it's just my legs are moving. Switch and switch, switch and switch, switch and switch, last two, switch and switch, one more, switch and switch. Legs continue to stay off the mat.

From there, open your arms out to shoulder level, extend both your legs up to 90 degrees. At this point if you feel like your back is arching, I would recommend you bend your knees and try to really press the lower back into the floor, draw the belly in. We're going to work single leg, double leg, and then also wide leg position — as much as you can keep the knee straight, but again listen to your body, choose the modification if you need to.

Inhale, right down, exhale up, inhale, left down, exhale up. Next, inhale both the legs down, exhale up. Inhale, open the legs wide, exhale and together. Let's go again: inhale, right, exhale up, inhale, left, exhale up, inhale both together, exhale up, inhale, wide, exhale back together. Third one: inhale, right, exhale up, inhale, left, exhale up, inhale both, exhale up, inhale, wide, exhale back together. Fourth: inhale, right, exhale up, inhale, left, exhale up, inhale together, exhale up, inhale, open, exhale back together. This is your last one: inhale, right, exhale up, inhale, left, exhale up, inhale together, exhale up, inhale, open, exhale together.

Hug the knees into the chest, bring your forehead up towards the knee, extend your hands forward, hold — one, two, three, keep crunching, four, five, six, seven, eight. Slowly come back down, bring your feet down to the mat.

If you were able to do all of that continuously, you definitely feel a burn around your belly — even if you broke it up, you would still feel that burn. Just as a counter to balance things out, you're going to place your feet on the mat, hip width apart, press your palms down on either side of your hips, parallel to your feet. Inhale and lift the hips up, exhale down. Inhale and lift your hips up, exhale and down. Inhale and lift the hips up, exhale down. Inhale hips up, exhale down. Inhale up, exhale, last one, inhale, lift the hips up. Interlock the fingers underneath the back, slide your elbows towards each other, hips higher, stay there and breathe — one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Release, slowly come back down.

This time extend the left leg forward, hug your right knee into the chest, take your right knee towards the left side, open your right arm, shoulder level, turn and look at your fingertips — one, two, make sure the shoulders stay on the floor, three, four, five. Come back to center, stretch the right leg out, bend your left knee, hug close, extend the left arm, shoulder level, and twist — one, two, three, four, five. Slowly come back to center, release the legs and relax in your shavasana.

If you have a steady practice going but you're looking for a short session that can add to it, then this one will definitely suit you. You can also modify the posture by taking the support of your palms for Navasana, or bending your knees in the leg raises, to suit your level and comfort in the practice.

I hope you find this useful. Thank you.