Partner Yoga Pose: Double Boat

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:30:00 PST

When you practice yoga on your own, it can be very internal and meditative, which is one of the reasons people love yoga so much. Yoga also stretches, strengthens, and tones your muscles, and if you do yoga poses with another person, the physical and emotional benefits are amazing. Not only can you get deeper into poses, but you can also deepen your connection.

Here's a fun partner yoga pose to try. I call it Double Boat, and you can find it in the book Yoga for Partners. When you do Boat pose on your own, it totally works your abs, but when you do it with a partner, it changes the stretch and works your hamstrings.

To find out how to do Double Boat

Sit opposite your partner, with about three feet between you.
Hold hands on the outside of your legs. Raise both legs and place the soles of your feet together.
Work on finding your balance and, when you're ready, try straightening your legs. You may need to come out of the pose and adjust the distance between you and you partner, moving an inch or two apart if your hamstrings are less flexible, and moving a couple inches closer if you are more flexible. The least flexible person is always in charge, so make sure you do the pose in a way that's comfortable to both partners. It's OK if one or both of you can't straighten your legs. If it helps, you can work on one leg at a time, keeping the opposite foot planted on the floor.
As you hold the pose, work on drawing your lower back in (trying not to hunch or round your spine) and engaging your abs. You can either gaze towards each other, or drop your heads back and gaze behind you.
Stay here for five or more breaths and then slowly lower your legs down to the ground and release your partner's hands. If your lower back is sore, take a counter-pose such as Child's Pose on your own, or do Double Sandwich together.

Source: Flickr User lmpicard

Strike a Yoga Pose: Boat

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PDT

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

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.