Recently, I posted about vinyasas - the 5-movement sequence that links poses together. In order to be able to lift your body back from seated and get back to Chaturanga (this is called a "jump back"), you need to have some serious core muscle strength.

This pose called Boat is great to practice if you want to tone and build up your abdominals. The increased strength and control you gain will help you get closer and closer to getting the jump back.

Sanskrit Name: Navasana English Translation: Boat Pose Also Called: Boat

Want to know how to work your core? Then read more

• Begin sitting on your mat. Lift your knees up to your chest and work on balancing on your sit bones (the bottom of your pelvis).



• The most important thing here is to keep your spine as long and straight as possible. Keep pulling your knees into your chest and at the same time, keep lifting your chest up as high as you can.
• Keep your shins parallel to the ground (as shown), draw your navel towards your spine, and work on slowly straightening your legs up. If your back starts to hunch, bring your shins back down. Your legs don't need to be straight - the action of keeping your spine long and drawing your belly in is what works your abs here.
• Wherever you are, hold for 5 complete breaths.
• Now you are ready to take the lift. Cross your legs just below your knees, point through your toes and pull them in as close to your body as possible, without letting them touch the ground. Plant your palms firmly beside your hips, spreading your fingers wide. On an inhale, hold yourself together like a little ball, press your palms into the ground, engage your core and try to lift your body off the ground. (If your body won't cooperate, then touch your toes to the mat and work on lifting your hips off the ground. After you practice this for a while, I'm sure you'll be able to lift everything up.) Exhale, and slowly release your body back to the ground.
• Come back into Navasana (Boat) for 5 breaths, then take the lift again. Do this three more times for a total of five reps of Navasana. Take a vinyasa and flow to your next pose, or take Child's pose to release your lower back.

Continue practicing this sequence and you're guaranteed to notice a difference in your core strength.