Half BoatSave PDF
Please use the Save PDF
option on the page ✌️
Ardha Navasana
ard-ha NAH-VAH-sah-nah
Strengthens core, spine and hip flexors
Stimulates digestive organs, kidneys and thyroid gland
Relieves stress and lethargy
How to perform Half Boat
- Sit with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Bring your knees and feet to touch.
- Hold on to the backs of your knees. Lean back with an exhale so that your toes lift from the floor. Balance on your sitting bones.
- Release your hands and bring your arms and shins parallel to the floor.
- Balance in the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Lower your feet with an exhale.
Alignment cues
- Lengthen spine and keep back flat
- Reach strongly through fingers
- Balance on sit bones
- Keep lower front belly soft
Modification: Hold backs of thighs for support.
Avoid this pose if you have low blood pressure, heart problems, or a low back injury.
More yoga poses to discover
Half Boat (Ardha Navasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the core and seated categories. This asana targets abs, glutes & hip flexors and spine, and also involves hamstrings and quadriceps muscles. Half boat stimulates digestive organs, kidneys and thyroid gland; strengthens core, spine and hip flexors and also relieves stress and lethargy. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
Exercise illustration licensing: Our exercise and yoga pose illustrations (static and animated) are selectively available for licensing for commercial and non-commercial projects. Visit our exercise illustrations licensing page for detailed information and to submit in inquiry.
©
Our exercise illustrations represent original artwork registered with and protected by the U.S. Copyright Office. Unauthorized use violators will be prosecuted. More details.