Yoga to Tone Abs

How to Get Firm Abs

Summary: Boat Pose, also known as Naukasana or Maha Shakti Kriya, is one of the best yoga exercises for toning the abs, strengthening the core, and building willpower. This powerful posture works the abdominal muscles deeply while also developing balance, focus, and vitality.

Today I want to illustrate and detail for you one of the best yoga exercises to help you tone your stomach muscles and get great firm abs. In fact, this particular exercise might just be the single best exercise from the world of health and fitness to work on your abs. It is such a potent pose that in Kundalini Yoga it is considered a kriya in and of itself and called Maha Shakti Kriya, or Great Strength/Power/Energy Set. In Hatha Yoga, this key posture is called Nauk Asana or Boat Pose.

As I have mentioned in the past, varying your workout routine is a key element in abdominal and other muscle training. To help you do that, there are several excellent ab exercises and sets already on the website. Here is a quick list of these resources, which will give you plenty of ways to introduce variations into your workout. Rest assured, I will continue to add more exercises and sets to help you target your abs and core muscles in a variety of ways in the future.

Video Instruction for Doing Yoga Boat Pose

Yoga Workouts for Toned Firm Abs:

Stretch Pose for Abdominal Strength

Core Abdominal Power Yoga Set (This set uses Boat Pose)

Excellent Yoga Workout to Shape and Tone Stomach

Yoga Exercise for Great Toned Abs:

Boat Pose, along with Stretch Pose, is a great exercise to use to benchmark the fitness level of your abs. So even if you switch to other abdominal workouts, you can do either of these 2 poses from time to time to measure the progress you are making with your core strength and power.

Stretch Pose is a little more basic, while Boat Pose is more advanced. In addition, if you are doing a yoga set where you are not getting enough abdominal work, I suggest adding Boat Pose to your routine, generally at the end, to ensure you get your work in for this key region.

Like almost all yoga postures, Boat Pose also has modifications for beginners, and I have explained that in the practice section below. This pose will be part of the following three free online e-books: Free Hatha Yoga Poses, Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises and Free Kundalini Yoga Kriyas, where you will find a large collection of other yoga sets, poses, and exercises.

Below you will find illustrations of this great ab exercise, and done regularly, I am sure it will help you tone your abs and give you a firm, flat stomach. Please also follow the guidelines on how to practice yoga, which I have detailed in the following two articles: Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice and Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice.

Another simple workout using Boat Pose can be explored here: 10 Minute Yoga Workout for Beginners.

Boat Pose for Firm Toned Abs

Illustration #1 Yoga Boat Pose for Rock Solid Abs

Illustration #2 Yoga Boat Pose for Rock Solid Abs

Yoga Boat Pose (Maha Shakti Kriya or Naukasana)

a. Instructions for Yoga Boat Pose for Rock Solid Abs:

Lie flat on your back.
Have your arms straight out to the sides with your palms facing in. Keep your legs together and straight out, with your toes pointing forward.
Bring your legs and torso up so you are balancing on your sacrum. Keep your eyes focused on your toes to help maintain balance. Your body should form a “V” shape.
Begin the Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise and continue for as long as you can.

b. Duration for Yoga Boat Pose: 15 seconds to 11 minutes.

c. Benefits of Yoga Boat Pose:

Builds your navel center and firms and tones your abdominal muscles.
Activates and balances the Manipura Chakra.
Builds willpower and strength of character.
Awakens all the systems in the body, including digestive, nervous, endocrine, and circulatory systems.
Develops core energy and vitality.
Improves focus and balance.

d. Practice Tips for Yoga Boat Pose:

To modify the exercise, hold your knees or thighs. This is a good way for beginners to start.
Keeping a steady gaze on your toes will help you maintain balance.
If needed, take breaks and come back into the pose. Doing 3 rounds with rest in between works well.
You can build up to 11 minutes for Maha Shakti Kriya. This can give you very strong, well-defined abs.

Anmol Mehta

Anmol Mehta is a world-renowned Yoga and Meditation Master with over 40 years of dedicated practice. Since founding anmolmehta.com in 2007, he has shared ancient wisdom with millions and certified over 3,000 instructors through his Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training programs.

Anmol’s expertise spans Zen, Meditation, Yoga, Kundalini, Mantra, and Pranayama, with a personal practice rooted in the teachings of J. Krishnamurti and the direct perception of thought. Following a period of profound enlightenment in his early twenties, he has dedicated his life to bridging deep spiritual insights with practical living.

He is the author of numerous training manuals and continues to lead the Mastery of Meditation and Yoga community toward greater consciousness and health.