No matter where you are in your yoga journey, there is always modification for each asana and yoga prop to help you to get into a pose.
It feels in the past when I had severe bad back pains. The pose which I am sharing with you today – Boat Pose – it was simply impossible to do. As you could see on the picture on the main feature picture – still far to go ( without the prop ) but, it is a progress and, that’s what I love about yoga.
Boat Pose – Paripurna Navasana with Align Yoga Strap
Whether you are beginner or more advanced, yoga strap in is always great to use. It will support your balance, less tension onto your lower back – try to engage your core and, strap also helps to keep your legs straight.
Start in sitting position. Place your strap around your uppers back and the other end of the strap around your feet. You would need to bend your legs to do that. Then, straighten the legs in front of you. Place your palms of your hands on the mat and adjust yourself so you are sitting between your sitting bones and tailbone. Lengthen the spine, make sure you don’t round your lower back, open the chest and just slightly lean back your sternum. Inhale, engage your abdominals and as you exhale bend your knees and lift them from the floor so chins are parallel to the floor. Extend your arm forward in front of you and at the same start extending your legs till straight. You should feel as your shoulders blades spread across your back. If it is too much to lift your arms, keep them closer to your hips. And, the same with legs. If it’s too intense for your legs straight, just bend them slightly, don’t loose the belt and breathe normally with ease. Start with your 3-5breaths and increase as you get stronger in the pose.
Before you perform Paripurna Navasana, try a little prep with three yoga poses to be better ready.
Prep poses:
- Downward facing dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Standing forward bend – Uttanasana
- Navasana with one leg extended with strap ( as on the picture above )
Follow-up poses:
- Downward facing dog
- Plow pose – Halasana
- Chair Pose – Utkatasana
Boat Pose focuses on strengthening hip flexors, abdomen and spine. Stimulates abdominals including kidneys, thyroid, prostate and intestine.
Try the pose, start where you are and, if you find any challenges and need more personal support, book yourself One 2 One session with me.
For those with lower back issues, keep eye on future posts, there will be one relevant to ‘lower back’ still this month.
Enjoy the Prop of the month!
See you for the next one in September.
Love and light,
Julia