Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana): How To Do It, Step By Step
Boat pose (Paripurna Navasana): the short answer
Boat pose is a seated balance where you lean back, lift both legs and balance on your sitting bones, so your body makes a V like the hull of a boat. It works the deep belly and back muscles, the thighs and your balance all at once. In Iyengar yoga we keep the chest lifted and the back long, and a belt around the feet makes boat pose possible for beginners.
Here is the whole page in short form.
- Balance on the sitting bones, not the tailbone
- Chest lifts, the back stays long
- Legs straight, lifted to about 60 degrees
- Beginners: bend the knees, or use a belt round the feet
- Dr J. T. Shah, a medical doctor who was also an Iyengar yoga teacher, who worked closely with Mr BKS Iyengar for many years, links it to the heart, belly organs, muscles and balance
- Learn it in class, in Darwin or LIVE online
Boat pose: English and Sanskrit names
| English name | Boat Pose |
| Other English names | Full Boat Pose (Dr Shah’s name), Complete Boat Pose, V Sit |
| Sanskrit name | Paripurna Navasana (pa-ree-POOR-nah nah-VAHS-ana) |
| What the Sanskrit means | Paripurna means full or complete, and nava means boat |
| Related pose | Half Boat Pose (Ardha Navasana), with the hands behind the head and the legs lower |
| Pose type | Seated balance and core pose |
| Level | Beginner with a belt or bent knees. Dr Shah marks the full pose moderately difficult. |
Full boat pose on a Darwin beach
Chris Lalor in full boat pose: legs straight, arms level with the shoulders, chest lifted.
How do you do boat pose?
These are the boat pose steps, in plain order.
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front and your back upright. Put your palms on the floor beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Press your hands down and lift your chest.
- Breathe out, lean back a little and bend your knees, bringing your feet off the floor.
- Find the balance on your sitting bones, the two bones you sit on. Do not roll back onto the tailbone.
- Straighten your legs, lifting your feet to about 60 degrees from the floor, a little higher than your head.
- Stretch your arms forward, straight and level with your shoulders, palms facing each other.
- Look straight ahead. Breathe normally.
- Breathe out, lower the legs and sit up, or lie down and rest.
That is how to do boat pose. Hold for a few breaths and repeat, rather than one long struggle.
Boat pose with a belt, the beginner version
A belt round the soles takes some of the weight of the legs, so the back can stay long.
For boat pose for beginners, loop a belt round the soles of your feet and hold one end in each hand. Pull gently, lift the chest and walk the legs up. Or keep the knees bent, shins level with the floor, hands holding the backs of the thighs.
What props help in boat pose?
- A belt or strap round the soles of the feet.
- A folded blanket under the buttocks, to cushion the sitting bones.
- A wall behind the back, or the feet on a wall, for support while you learn.
- A chair, with the hands holding the seat behind you.
Our beginner prop pack and blanket and block pack cover these. See also how to use a yoga strap and yoga blanket.
What mistakes should you avoid in boat pose?
- Rounding the back. Lift the chest first. Bend the knees rather than slump.
- Rolling onto the tailbone. Balance on the sitting bones.
- Straining the neck. Keep the head in line with the spine and look ahead.
- Holding the breath. Breathe normally, as Dr Shah’s steps say.
- Gripping the belly hard. Draw it in and up, but keep the chest soft enough to breathe.
- Forcing straight legs. Straight legs with a collapsed chest is not the pose. Use the belt.
Boat pose with a belt on the rocks at sunset
Same pose, different light: boat pose with a belt on the rocks above the sea, Darwin.
Who should take care in boat pose?
- Heart problems. Dr Shah lists boat pose for angina and early heart problems only when done with support to the legs and back (Dr J. T. Shah, Therapeutic Yoga, p. 31). Tell your teacher and use the supported version.
- Serious bone, joint, heart or lung problems. Dr Shah says to modify the poses with an experienced teacher (Therapeutic Yoga, p. xiii).
- A sore lower back. Keep the knees bent or use the belt, and know your limits. Do not force yourself into any pose (Therapeutic Yoga, p. xiii).
What are the benefits of boat pose?
Benefits, as Dr Shah shows them
Dr J. T. Shah was a medical doctor who worked with Mr BKS Iyengar. His book Therapeutic Yoga carries a foreword by Mr Iyengar and colour-codes every pose by the body systems it works on. This is a doctor’s teaching from long practice, not a trial result.
Body systems he marks for boat pose: the heart and circulation, the pelvic organs, the muscles, the joints and the endocrine glands (hormone glands). His front chart lists it for the cardiovascular system, the muscular system and the balance system of the inner ear (p. xvi).
What he says it does, in our words:
- Eases the work of the heart. In his words, it
reduces load on heart
. - Massages the belly and pelvic organs and brings them more blood.
- Brings more blood to the adrenal glands, the insulin-making cells of the pancreas and the sex glands.
- Reduces swelling of the feet.
- Strengthens the thighs and arms.
- In his words, it
improves balance
.
What he lists it for: angina and early heart problems (done with support), belly and pelvic problems such as diarrhoea, colitis and indigestion, asthma, diabetes, sexual problems, swollen feet, weak legs and arms, and mild giddiness.
Source: Dr J. T. Shah, Therapeutic Yoga (foreword by Mr BKS Iyengar), p. 31.
In our experience boat pose builds a strong, steady middle faster than almost anything else, and it is well worth trying. Not every effect Dr Shah lists has been tested in modern trials yet, and not yet tested is not the same as wrong.
What does Iyengar yoga teach about boat pose?
Flametree teaches in the Iyengar yoga style. During the 20th century, Mr BKS Iyengar was the major person who codified traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his widespread teaching. He also pioneered the use of props, so more people can do more poses well. His style is sometimes called modern classical yoga.
In Iyengar classes boat pose is about lift, not crunch. The belly works, but the real aim is a long spine and an open chest while the legs are up. That is why the belt is used so often: it lets you learn the right shape first and build the strength into it.
See also yoga or Iyengar yoga: what is the difference?
Where to go next
- Related reading: deep core exercises, yoga for strength, menopause belly and swollen ankles
- Guides from our yoga for health conditions encyclopaedia: IBS, reflux and constipation, diabetes and blood sugar, circulation and back pain
- Back to all yoga poses, or the longer pose and practice notes
Learn boat pose with a teacher in Darwin or LIVE online
- New to yoga? Half price beginner classes, plus 2 free
- Done yoga before, or away 3 months or more? 2 free classes, then 10 non-beginner classes at half price
- Beginner timetable and group or private classes
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Boat pose: your questions
What is boat pose called in Sanskrit?
Paripurna Navasana. Paripurna means full or complete and nava means boat. Half Boat Pose is Ardha Navasana.
What is the difference between full boat and half boat pose?
In full boat the legs are high and the arms reach forward. In half boat the hands go behind the head and the legs and trunk are lower, which works the belly harder.
How long should you hold boat pose?
Start with a few breaths and repeat two or three times. Build up while the chest stays lifted and the breath stays easy.
Why does my back round in boat pose?
The legs are too heavy for the back at the moment. Bend the knees or use a belt round the feet, and lift the chest first.
Is boat pose good for beginners?
Yes, with bent knees or a belt. Dr Shah marks the full pose as moderately difficult, so build up to it.
Does boat pose work the core?
Yes. It works the deep belly muscles, the back muscles and the hip flexors together, and it trains balance.
What are the benefits of boat pose?
Dr J. T. Shah says it reduces the load on the heart, massages the belly and pelvic organs, reduces swelling of the feet, strengthens the thighs and arms and improves balance.
Can I do boat pose with a sore back?
Use the gentle version: knees bent, hands holding the backs of the thighs, or a belt round the feet. Stop if the back complains, and tell your teacher.
Where can I learn boat pose in Darwin?
Come to a Flametree class in Darwin or LIVE online. Start with the half price beginner deal, or the starter deal if you have done yoga before.
Last updated: 4 November 2026. General information, not medical advice.
