Health Benefits of Naukasana

In this yoga pose, you balance your entire body weight only on your sitting bones. You raise your legs and your upper body off the floor. This forms a “V” shape that looks similar to a boat, hence the name.

The name “Naukasana” is a Sanskrit word derived from two words – Nauka, or a boat, and Asana, or a pose. Therefore, it is commonly known as the Boat Pose.

This is a moderately difficult yoga asana which requires some strength, flexibility, and practice. Here are the Naukasana steps:

Sit on the yoga mat with your legs outstretched in front of you

Keep your feet together and arms in a relaxed position

Bend your knees and lift your feet a few inches off the ground

Extend your arms forward and keep them parallel to the ground

Take a deep breath

As you exhale, straighten your legs at an angle of around 45 degrees to the ground

You will have to engage your core and thigh muscles

Next, breathe in, push your chest upwards, and extend your arms so that they are parallel to your legs

Try to keep your spine straight and avoid a curved back

Balance your weight on your sitting bones

Hold this position and breathe evenly

Exhale as you bring your body back to the normal position

There are two types of Naukasana:

1. Ardha Naukasana (Half Boat Pose)

This variation is for beginners who find it difficult to get into the full Boat Pose.

In this variation, you begin with lying on the floor and only raising your legs a few inches off the ground. Slowly, you can stretch your arms parallel to the legs and try to raise your upper body a few inches off the ground.

Another variant is raising your legs and upper body off the ground but keeping your knees bent. This is relatively easier than the full pose.

2. Paripurna Naukasana (Full Boat Pose)

This is the way the asana is supposed to be done with your legs outstretched at 45 degrees to the ground, torso at a similar angle, straight back, and arms parallel to the legs to form the shape of a boat.

The Boat Pose benefits various parts of the body and improves our physical and mental well-being. While consulting an expert is recommended to derive the most out of any yoga practice, here are some common health benefits of Naukasana:

Avoid Naukasana if you have one or more of the following ailments or conditions:

Pregnant

Menstruating

Heart Problems

High Blood Pressure

Epilepsy

Migraine

Vertigo

Severe injury to the neck or the back

Also, if you are facing difficulty in doing the full pose, then you can start with the Half Boat Pose and slowly build your strength and flexibility to master it.

While this is a relatively simple pose, there are some things you need to keep in mind to ensure your safety:

Avoid practising it if you have any of the conditions listed above

If your legs start shaking or you start experiencing back pain, then release the pose immediately

You should never do yoga on a full stomach. Wait for at least 4-5 hours after a meal

Remember, yoga is about rhythm and being in sync with your body. Avoid over-exerting yourself

As you can see, Naukasana offers a wide range of health benefits. In today’s fast-paced times, we need to create a schedule that allows us to focus on our physical and mental health.

Yoga is an excellent way to pay attention to our bodies. While you create a schedule to stay healthy, also ensure that you buy a comprehensive health insurance plan that offers financial protection during medical emergencies.

Health emergencies can strike us at any time. With increasing costs of healthcare and hospitalisation, medical insurance can help manage the expenses without having to dip into your savings.

Tata AIG offers different types of health insurance plans and riders so that you can leverage the benefits of health insurance at minimal cost.

Q1. Can beginners practise Naukasana?

While Naukasan requires a certain level of flexibility and core strength, it is a simple yoga pose. Hence, even if you are a beginner but have the required strength and flexibility, then practising Naukasana should be easy.

If you are facing difficulties, then you can start with Ardha Naukasana or other simpler variants and then build your strength up.

Q2. How long should one hold Naukasana?

This depends on your fitness levels and comfort. Remember, yoga is not about pushing your physical limits to extreme levels. It is about gradually building up strength and resilience.

You can start with around 10-15 seconds or even less and gradually increase the time. Release the pose as soon as you experience any strain or discomfort.

Q3. Can Naukasana help in reducing belly fat?

When you practise Naukasana, you will need to engage your core muscles intensely. This has a direct impact on the abdominal region.

While Naukasana does not specifically target belly fat, it engages muscles in the area and can help with your weight loss regime.