Boat Pose

Instructions

1. 1Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, hands resting on the floor beside your hips.
2. 2Lean back slightly until you feel the sitting bones connect firmly with the mat and the lower back begins to engage.
3. 3Lift both feet off the floor, bringing the shins parallel to the ground and the knees at roughly a 90-degree angle.
4. 4Extend your arms forward, parallel to the floor, palms facing each other, and draw the shoulders back and down.
5. 5If accessible, straighten the legs to form a V-shape with the body, keeping the spine long — never collapse the chest.
6. 6Engage the core and breathe steadily for 5 breaths, then lower the feet on an exhale.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Lower back pain or lumbar instability — the sustained hip flexion and posterior pelvic tilt can aggravate the lumbar spine; keep the knees bent and hold for fewer breaths.
• ⚠Neck injury — if you strain to keep the head lifted, the cervical spine takes excessive load; keep a neutral neck and avoid jutting the chin forward.
• ⚠Pregnancy (second trimester onward) — intense abdominal compression is contraindicated; replace with supported leg lifts or consult a prenatal specialist.