
Boat pose is a yoga pose that works the muscles in your core, arms and legs. It is particularly good for strengthening your hip flexors, abdominal muscles, adductors, lower back, upper back and neck. It also helps to improve your balance and alleviate lower back pain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscles worked | Hip flexors, abdominal muscles, core muscles, biceps, triceps, hamstrings, adductors, lower back muscles, quads, upper back and neck muscles |
| Benefits | Improved balance, alleviates lower back pain, helps prevent injury, improves posture, improves performance in other activities |
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What You'll Learn

Hip flexors
Boat pose is a yoga pose that works the hip flexors. The hip flexors are the muscles that bring the front of the pelvis and the thighs closer together, creating a fold at the hips. The major hip flexor muscle group is the iliopsoas, which consists of two main muscles. The first, the iliacus, runs from the inside of the ilium, the upper rim of the pelvis, to the lesser trochanter on the inner upper thigh bone, or femur. The second, the rectus femoris, is one of the quadriceps muscles, the large muscles on the front of the thigh that straighten the knee. It originates on the pelvis at the anterior inferior iliac spine, just above the hip joint, and runs along the front of the thigh to insert into the kneecap through the common quadriceps tendon. In Boat Pose, the iliopsoas contracts to pull the lumbar spine toward the thighs, which tends to arch the lower back. This movement strengthens the hip flexors, helping to improve balance and alleviate lower back pain.
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Core muscles
Boat pose is a core stabiliser that works the abdominal muscles, obliques, lower back, hip flexors, adductors, upper back and neck. It strengthens the deep core muscles, including the transversus abdominis, lower abs, obliques and lower back.
The hip flexors are the primary muscles at work in boat pose. The major hip flexor muscle group is the iliopsoas, which consists of two main muscles: the iliacus, which runs from the inside of the ilium (the upper rim of the pelvis) to the inner upper thigh bone (femur); and the rectus femoris, which is one of the quadriceps muscles that straighten the knee. The iliopsoas contracts to pull the lumbar spine toward the thighs, arching the lower back.
Boat pose also works the upper arms (biceps and triceps) and hamstrings, improving muscle tone over time. It is a tricky pose that helps build the core strength required for inversions and arm balances. A strong core helps you stand taller, prevents injury, and improves performance in other activities like running or rock climbing.
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Upper arms
The boat pose is a great way to engage your upper arms, specifically your biceps and triceps. While your core muscles are the primary focus of this pose, your upper arms play a crucial role in maintaining the boat pose. They work to hold up your limbs, which gradually tones your arm muscles over time. This pose doesn't strengthen your upper arm muscles as much as your core, but it will improve their muscle tone.
The boat pose is an excellent way to work on your upper arm strength and definition without overworking your arms. It is a challenging pose that targets multiple muscle groups, including your biceps and triceps. By engaging in this pose, you will be able to improve the tone and strength of your upper arms, contributing to a well-rounded fitness routine.
When performing the boat pose, it is important to start slowly and listen to your body. You can begin in a supine position or sitting on the floor, whichever is more comfortable for you. As you hold the pose, your upper arms will be actively engaged, working to support your limbs and maintain your balance.
Over time, with consistent practice, you will notice improvements in your upper arm strength and muscle definition. The boat pose is an effective way to target these muscles without putting excessive strain on them. It is a great addition to your yoga or fitness routine, offering a full-body workout that challenges your core, arms, and legs.
In summary, the boat pose is an excellent exercise to engage and tone your upper arms, specifically targeting your biceps and triceps. It offers a well-rounded approach to strengthening your entire body, improving muscle tone, and enhancing your overall fitness level. By incorporating the boat pose into your routine, you will be able to see noticeable improvements in your upper arm strength and definition.
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Hamstrings
Boat pose is a yoga position that works the hamstrings, as well as the hip flexors, adductors, quads, upper back, neck, and abdominal muscles. The hamstrings are the muscles at the back of the thigh that help you extend your leg behind your body. They are essential for many everyday movements, such as walking, running, and jumping.
In boat pose, the hamstrings are engaged to help stabilise the pose and maintain balance. The hamstrings work in conjunction with the hip flexors to create a fold at the hips, bringing the front of the pelvis and the thighs closer together. This action helps to strengthen the hamstrings and improve muscle tone over time.
To get into boat pose, start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your feet together, flat on the mat. Hold onto the backs of your thighs and lean back slightly. Inhale, lift your chest, and then pick up your feet, balancing on your sitting bones.
Maintaining boat pose requires engagement of the hamstrings to hold the legs in position. This isometric contraction of the hamstrings helps to strengthen the muscles and improve their endurance. Over time, regular practice of boat pose can lead to increased hamstring strength and improved muscle tone in the back of the thighs.
Boat pose is a challenging yoga posture that provides a comprehensive workout for the hamstrings. By engaging and strengthening the hamstrings, boat pose can help improve stability, balance, and overall functional movement.
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Lower back
Boat pose is a core stabiliser that works the lower back muscles that support the spine. It also strengthens the hip flexors, which are the primary muscles at work in the pose. The major hip flexor muscle group is the iliopsoas, which consists of two main muscles: the iliacus, which runs from the inside of the ilium (the upper rim of the pelvis) to the inner upper thigh bone or femur; and the rectus femoris, which is one of the quadriceps muscles and runs along the front of the thigh to insert into the kneecap. In boat pose, the iliopsoas contracts to pull the lumbar spine toward the thighs, which tends to arch the lower back.
Boat pose also works the abdominal muscles, although these play a supporting role rather than being the primary muscles at work. It strengthens the abs, obliques, and lower abs. It also works the upper back and neck.
Boat pose is a tricky pose that can help to improve your balance and alleviate lower back pain. It is a good pose for building core strength, which will help with inversions and arm balances such as Crow or Firefly. A strong core helps you stand taller, prevents injury, and improves performance in other activities such as running or rock climbing.
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Frequently asked questions
The hip flexors.
The abdominal muscles.
The major hip flexor muscle group is the iliopsoas, which consist of two main muscles. One, the iliacus runs from the inside of the ilium, the upper rim of the pelvis, to the lesser trochanter on the inner upper thigh bone, or femur. The other is the rectus femoris, one of the quadriceps muscles, which straighten your knee.
Boat pose also works your upper arms (biceps and triceps), hamstrings, obliques, lower back, quads, adductors, upper back and neck.
A strong core helps you stand taller, helps prevent injury, and makes you better at other activities like running or rock climbing.











































