Yoga Poses for Swimmers - Boat Pose

Developing core strength is considered one of the main goals of a swimming-specific yoga practice. Core strength is one of the keys to having the upper and lower body working in unison. Improving core stability is also an important of an injury prevention program.

Boat is one of my favourite poses to use with swimmers to develop their core strength.

In this blog you will learn how to do boat and variations of the pose that make it accessible to everyone!

Benefits:

• Increase shoulder, core and quad strength
• Improves balance
• Develops body awareness

​​Cues:

• Begin sitting with your legs together, knees bent and your heels on the ground
• Bring active length into the spine and engage your core
• Place the hands at your sides palms facing the ceiling
• Shift your weight onto your seat hovering the heels off of the ground
• On an exhale extend your legs and extend your arms with your fingers reaching towards your toes

Modifications:

• Keep feet on the ground
• Elevate feet keeping the knees bent

Common Errors:

• The spine and shoulders are rounded
• The legs are separated