Paripurna Navasana or the boat pose as it’s called. Is another posture I really like, probably as I find it quite easy. But then again, I have been practicing it more or less daily, for the first few years. It looks easy but it is hard work for your legs, abdomen and back muscles. In the beginning my legs started shaking like mad and still do if I stay long in it. The trick is to find your point of gravity, and do the same as in all other postures. Pull up at the kneecaps and really work your legs, keep extending the legs away from you at the same time you tuck the tailbone in, navel towards the spine and lift the chest up towards the ceiling. Instead I think most people bring their chest in and narrow it and that makes the spine convex (rounded), instead of keeping extending the chest and front spine, while just trying to hang in there and keep the legs up. They also tend to forget to really work the legs (as we all do) but the legs are so important. When working the legs, they actually make the postures easier, ok you feel it very intensely in the legs, that burning aching feeling! The more you work the legs, the stronger the legs gets and when you start working those legs other things fall into place.
How to do it, sit on the floor with your legs bent. Hands slightly behind the hips and lean back so you sit at the back of the sitting bones. Keep your hands on the floor and lift and extend the legs up and straighten them, pulling up at the kneecaps. Then when you find your point of balance, bring your arms up in front of you at shoulder height. Keep extending the back of the legs at the same time you pull up at the kneecaps, and lift the chest towards the ceiling. Pubic bone towards the navel and navel towards the spine. Make sure you don’t round your back. As I wrote this I kept lifting my spine towards the ceiling and bringing the navel towards the spine 😉 which made me laugh. You can also start by bringing the arms up first and then the legs, some people find this easier. You do the same as above except bringing arms out first and then the legs. You shouldn’t do this pose when your on your menstrual cycle, also note that these instructions are not in full detail.
If the above is to hard and it’s impossible to straighten the legs, you can place the feet on the wall at a height that lets you straighten the legs and practice like this until you get stronger. You can also use a chair, you place your calf on the chair and hold on to the legs with your hands, keeping your arms straight. This will teach you the right alignment of the pose and it will strengthen your muscles too. When you find this too easy go back practicing without the props. In no time you will be able to do it, that said, doesn’t mean that it will be easy, but at least it will be easier. See my drawings below.
When my teenage daughter took the photo of me doing paripurna navasana, below. We were going on a girlie shopping trip to Gothenburg. I was showing her what I was doing and wanted her to take a photo (lucky I did). I thought it would be fun to do the pose near the water in the city or at a nice place. As we live in Ireland I thought she wouldn’t mind as she wouldn’t know anyone. She wasn’t to enthusiastic about the idea, but who can blame her, she’s at the age where parents are utterly embarrassing. Anyway when we got there and been shopping and walking around for hours, I found a good spot, but she said “no way will I take a photo, it would look way to weird.” I said, “but no one knows you here”, her reply was,” but think of someone I know would be here.” After a bit of begging, it’s usually the other way around, I left it and was grateful she took a photo at all. 🙂 I do remember when I was her age how embarrassing parents could be.
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