Naukasana Yoga or Boat Pose, also known as Navasana, requires both strength and flexibility to complete its full set of benefits. The boat pose (naukasana) isn’t only one of the most challenging balancing poses, but it also has many physical and mental health benefits.
It’s important to know what Naukasana is before you start your practice to ensure that you are performing it correctly to achieve the maximum benefits and avoid injury while practicing this pose. Here’s all the information you need to know about this challenging yoga pose.
What is Naukasana Yoga or Boat Pose?
The Naukasana yoga pose is translated as a boat pose in English. This yoga posture gives stability, strengthens your back muscles, and improves your digestion system. Many people suffering from chronic pain in their lower back will find comfort in performing Naukasana yoga asanas.
As they strengthen their core abdominal muscles, they experience relief from pain and tension created by lower back muscle imbalance. In Sanskrit, Nauka means boat or ship, giving a name to boat pose because it resembles a boat floating on water.
If you sit straight with your legs stretched out in front of you, it resembles a small wooden boat floating on the water, thus giving it the name of Nauka or boat pose.
The other terms used by many people for the naukasana yoga pose are Noukasana and Navasana Yoga.
History of Naukasana Yoga
There was a treatise named Sritattvanidhi written in Karnataka in the 19th century. The naukasana yoga pose was also mentioned in this treatise in the 19th century.
Health Benefits of Naukasana Yoga
- The boat pose is the best way to strengthen your core, build upper body muscle, relieve back pain, decrease cholesterol levels, and improve digestion.
- Furthermore, it helps to regulate your blood pressure and stimulate proper kidney function.
- It also alleviates symptoms of pregnancy-related backaches by strengthening lower abdominal muscles.
How To Do Naukasana Steps
The boat pose or navasana has several health benefits, including burning abdominal fat, improving digestion, and stimulating abdominal organs. For maximum benefits, it’s crucial to perform navasana with proper form. Here are instructions on how to do naukasana in four steps:
- Lie down on your back with your arms at your sides. Bend both of your knees to keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Lift both legs up from hip level to perpendicular to create a 90-degree angle between both legs and your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Now raise both arms above your head as you exhale, then bring your hands near to your knees or try to touch your feet.
- Balance your leg and back and hold for five breaths before lowering them again.
Naukasana Precautions and Contraindications
- Naukasana (boat pose) can be practiced only when one is physically fit.
- If you are suffering from any of these diseases, do not practice naukasana: cardiac problems, high blood pressure, respiratory disease, severe backache, or frequent headaches.
- Naukasana should also be avoided by people who have undergone surgery in their abdomen or neck region.
- Do not practice navasana yoga on a full stomach as it may cause nausea and vomiting.
- Avoid practicing naukasana if you are menstruating or pregnant.
Naukasana Images
How To Know You Did It Right?
You can check out naukasana images and compare whether you are in the same position as shown in the naukasana images.
Check whether you can control your legs and back to maintain balance and stability during the naukasana yoga pose.
If you can hold the boat pose for more than 10 seconds, then there are chances that you did it right. For further confirmation, try to perform the boat pose steps before a yoga expert.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q.1. What is the use of Naukasana?
Ans. One of a few different variations of naukasana, boat pose, also called navasana yoga, comes with various health benefits. Though it does not require any special props or equipment to practice, it may help beginners to sit on a block or pillow to raise their legs higher and maintain proper balance. The use of naukasana strengthens the core muscles and gives relief from stress.
Q.2. What does Naukasana mean?
Ans. The Sanskrit word Nauka means boat or ship, which serves as a metaphor for creating stability in our lives. Doing naukasana creates an inner stillness that allows us to maintain balance in all areas of our lives, especially when it comes to work and family. The English translation of the boat pose makes it seem more relaxing than challenging, but you’ll soon discover that doing naukasana properly is more complicated than you may think.
Q.3. How do you do Naukasana?
Ans. 1. Lie on a yoga mat or at any wide cloth on your back.
2. Keep both hands beside your body and bring the feet together.
3. Keep your toes, fingers, and eyes all in a straight line.
4. Once your abdominal muscles start to contract, you will experience tension in the navel area.
5. Start deep breathing while maintaining this pose.
6. Try to hold this position for 8 to 10 seconds.
7. Start exhaling to come back to the relaxed position.
8. Try to perform 2 repetitions every day during the initial days.
