When most people think of abdominal workouts, they picture intense movement. Sit-ups, leg raises, planks.
But the truth is, your deepest core muscles often get left behind. Traditional exercises don’t always reach the layers that support balance, posture, and real strength.
And that’s where yoga enters the picture — more powerful than it looks.
The pose that looks too easy to work
There’s one yoga pose in particular that has experts talking: the boat pose.
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It looks simple at first. You sit on the floor, lift your legs to form a “V” shape, and hold your arms out straight. That’s it. No motion, no sweat dripping off your face.
But don’t be fooled.
Holding this position turns your entire midsection into a furnace. It’s an isometric hold, meaning your muscles are firing non-stop just to keep you from toppling over.
Both your straight and oblique ab muscles are engaged — hard.
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In fact, yoga teacher Sharath Jois has said that 25 deep breaths in this pose can equal 100 crunches in core activation.
The surprising mental benefits
Boat pose isn’t just a physical challenge. It strengthens your hips, spine, glutes, and even your pelvic floor.
But it also does something most workouts don’t: it calms you down.
Why? Because this pose demands focus and breath control. That kind of mental stillness actually helps reduce cortisol — your body’s primary stress hormone.
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A 2023 study from S. Nijalingappa Medical College in India found that six weeks of regular yoga and meditation significantly lowered cortisol levels.
This kind of mind-body balance is a rare bonus in modern fitness.
So while others are pounding out crunch after crunch, you could be sitting still — breathing, balancing, and building a stronger body from the inside out.
This article is based on information from Nyheder 24.
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