In Boat Pose, you use your spine and abdomen to support each other. Instead of shortening the front of the body to contract the abdomen, ...CloseMenuNavasana:3YogaVariationsforPracticingBoatPoseMarlaAptUpdated: January19,2020Original: December24,2019TweetWe’veallheardthatstrongabdominalmusclessupportahealthylowerbackandthatyogaposesbuild“core”strength.But,althoughNavasana(BoatPose)iscategorizedasanabdominalpose,likeallyogaasanas,onapurelyphysicallevel,Navasanadoesmorethanstrengthenasinglemusclegroup.BoatPosestrengthensthebackmusclesandlegs,andmostimportantly,trainsyouinaseriesofactionsthatareessentialinthepracticeofmanyasanasandpranayamatechniques. Inyoga,astrongcoreismorethanastrongabdomen,lowerback,pelvis,andtorso.B.K.S.Iyengarsaysthatyogapracticeshouldtakeyouonaninwardjourneyfromtheperipheryofyourbodytothecoreofyourbeing. Asabeginner,youworkwiththemostaccessibletools,theouterbody.Asyoustrengthenandincreasemobilityinyourlegsandarms,youcanbegintostrengthenyourspineandcoordinatetheworkofyourlimbswithyourtorso,intheprocess,learningaboutyourbreath,attentionspan,emotions,andthequalitiesofyournature. Eventually,youryogapracticepenetratesbeyondyourposturalmuscles,nerves,bones,andorganstoyourinnermostSelf,ultimatetruth.Theintegrationofallofyourbodypartsleavesyoufeelingstrongandsuppleaswellasmentallyandemotionallysteady,connectedtoyourstableinnercore.HowBoatPoseStrengthensEverything InBoatPose,youuseyourspineandabdomentosupporteachother.Insteadofshorteningthefrontofthebodytocontracttheabdomen,youwilllearntodowhatseemsimpossible,contractandextendtheabdomensimultaneously. Thisisnogymcrunch.Insteadofbringingyourpelvisandchestclosetoeachother,hereyoupullyourribsawayfromtheabdomentoliftthechest,allwhilebalancingonyourbuttocks.Astheymoveclosertoeachotherinthispose,yourbackandabdomenarestrengthenedandlengthened. ThedynamicsofNavasanawillhelpwiththepracticeofyourstandingposes,inversions,forwardbends,andbalancingposes.EvenwhenyouarestandinginTadasana(MountainPose),firmlegsandalong,