Boat Pose and Core Work Without Neck or Low Back Strain

One of my newest classes was filmed on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on our way to Hawaii. Which meant we got to do boat pose on a boat. Such a novelty. Somewhere in the middle of it I tell you, “You’re breathing. I’m not.” So I’m not going to pretend core work is easy for me either.

Core work is also where a lot of us end up feeling it in the wrong places, like a tight neck or a cranky low back. So here’s how I set up boat pose and the rest of my core work so your core does the job, not your neck and not your low back.

Woman hugging her knees on a yoga mat on a wooden deck

Setting up boat pose

Sit on your mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold on to the backs of your thighs.
Lift your chest and lean back a little. Stop here if this is already working your core. It counts.
When you’re ready, lift your feet up off the floor. Your legs can stay bent.
Keep your chest lifted and your shoulders lowered away from your ears.
From there, choose your challenge. Keep holding your legs, or reach your arms forward. You can also straighten your legs.

I’ll give you all of those options in almost every class, because each one gives you a different level of challenge. Legs bent with your hands holding on is still boat pose. If your arms are up overhead, you’re focusing a little more on your upper core. Choose whatever you want to feel in your core today.

The one cue that matters most

Keep your chest lifted. In one of my longer hold classes, I tell you that leaning back with your feet on the floor can be a great core strengthener for you, as long as you can keep your chest lifted. What I don’t want is boat pose turning into a slumped, rounded shape.

I’ll also cue your chin and your gaze to lift with your chest. Not cranked up, just lifted, so your head stays in line with your spine.

If your chest starts to drop, that’s your signal to choose an easier version. Bend your legs again. Hold on to your thighs. Put your feet back down. Your core still works in all of them.

Low boat and the low back

Low boat is where you lower down until your shoulders and your heels hover just off the mat, then press back up to boat. It’s a lot. Take it with bent legs as long as you need to.

For your low back, the cue I use in leg lowers applies here too. With your back on the mat and your legs lifted, press your low back into the floor as you lower your feet. I teach this with a block squeezed between your feet. Lower your feet about 30 degrees and bring them back up. Then lower about halfway. Then lower all the way down to hover. Press your low back into the floor every time.

Core work without straining your neck

Crunches and bicycles are where neck strain sneaks in. My own neck is pretty sensitive (I prefer half neck rolls to full ones), so I’m very aware of this.

Bring your hands behind your head and cup the back of your head. Your hands support your head, but you’re not using them to pull it forward or crank your neck.
Keep your elbows wide.
Use your core to lift until your shoulder blades come off the floor.
Keep your chin away from your chest. A little space there keeps the back of your neck long.

And slow down. In my quick core classes I’ll remind you that you’re not swinging your hips or using momentum. Nice and controlled is how your core actually does the work.

Breathe through the shaking

Holding boat pose for a few breaths, you’ll probably start to shake. I do too. In my solar plexus chakra class I say it on camera: I’m shaking, I don’t know if you are. You’re building strength not just in your body but in your mind.

What helps is the breath. As you exhale, contract your core and draw your belly button back toward your spine. On that ship class I kept repeating it: we’re holding and we’re breathing.

Remember your back body

Your core isn’t only the front of your belly. The strength of your core is just as important in your back muscles, all of those muscles wrapping around toward your spine. That’s why my core classes include back body work like low lift cobra and locust. In locust, keep your neck long, avoiding crunching or lifting your head too high.

Common mistakes

Collapsing your chest in boat. Lift your chest, or hold the backs of your thighs and bend your legs.
Pulling on your head in crunches. Cup your head with your elbows wide, and let your core do the lifting.
Tucking your chin into your chest. Keep some space there.
Swinging and using momentum. Slow it down.
Letting your low back lift during leg lowers. Press it back into the floor.

If you have a neck or back injury, check with your doctor about which core work is right for you.

Practice it with me

Improve Your Core Strength in 40 Minutes at Sea (40m 9s). Boat on a boat and upward angle, filmed on our way to Hawaii.
Complete Core Workout in a 25 Min Yoga Class (25m 15s). Every boat variation, plus rolling boats.
Quick Core Pick Me Up (32m 5s). Slow, controlled core work with no swinging.
Ignite Your Core Yoga Class (1h 2m 34s). Leg lowers with a block, pressing your low back into the floor.
Wall-Assisted Yoga (1h 10m 42s). Mini sit-ups with your legs up the wall, cupping your head without cranking your neck.
Longer Holds, Wrist Free (39m 58s). A seven breath boat with the feet-on-the-floor option.

Ignite Your Core is also one of the days in my free 30 Day Athletes Yoga Challenge. Core work goes better with a good playlist (in one class I admit I wish I had some loud music playing), so here are my yoga playlists. And if you’d like to work on boat pose with me on solid ground, come to our spring and November retreats in Nosara.

FAQ

Is it okay to bend my knees in boat pose? Yes. Legs bent and holding the backs of your thighs is one of the options I give in every class.

How do I keep my neck out of crunches? Cup the back of your head with your elbows wide, without pulling on it. Keep your chin away from your chest. Then let your core do the lifting.

What should my low back do in leg lowers? Press it into the floor as you lower your legs.

What if I can’t lift my feet yet? Keep your feet on the floor and hold the backs of your thighs. Lift your chest and lean back a little. That’s already working your core.