Join us in welcoming Samantha Burton and Erin Harris.   

And don't forget to check out our other classes and  services!   

Start saving and printing the yoga poses to refer to later. You can download the pdf here.  

Theresa Franklin, NCTMB, LMT, RYT, CMT

Olivia Kelly, NCTMB, LMT

In 2007, four researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences set out to determine if a regular practice of yoga would help patients with premature ejaculation (PE). They also wanted to compare its efficacy with fluoxetine, a known treatment option for PE.

There were 68 subjects in the study (38 in the yoga group, 30 in the fluoxetine group). At the end of the study, subjective and objective assessment tools were administered to evaluate the efficacy of the yoga and fluoxetine in PE. The researchers found that all 38 of the subjects practicing yoga and 25 out of 30 of the fluoxetine group had statistically significantly improved PE. One problem with this study is that it doesn't mention the men's ages nor how long the study took place.

In a subsequent 2010 study by the same researchers, 65 men ages 24-60 (with an average age of 40) were administered the Male Sexual Quotient questionnaire before and after participating in a 12-week yoga camp. The study found that sexual functions scores (among them desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, erection, ejaculatory control, partner synchronization and orgasm) had all significantly improved.

In a third study, 40 women ages 22-55 (with an average age of 34) were given the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire before and after in the same 12-week yoga camp. Like the men, the women showed a significant improvement in all domains of the Index (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain). The improvement was greater in women 45 and older compared to younger women.

The poses practiced in the yoga camp included plough, boat, cat, fish, bow and spinal twist. Try them and see for yourself if they make a difference or not.

back to top  

 Boat pose is a seated pose that can be challenging but once mastered, you'll gain a greater sense of control over your body. Finding stability in this posture can help calm and align your body, mind, and emotions. From here, you can move into Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend).

The Blueprint

In boat pose, the practitioner sits with her weight balanced on the base of the pelvis and her legs raised and straightened in front of her with outstretched arms parallel to each other.

How to do it 

1. Start in Dandasana (Staff pose) with your legs straight out in front of you and your torso lengthened. Lean back slightly but don't round your back. Adjust yourself so you are sitting on the "tripod" of your two sitting bones and tailbone
2. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, bend your knees and lift your feet slightly off the floor.
3.  Slowly straighten your legs, raising them until your toes are about eye level.
4.  Stretch your arms out parallel to each other and the floor. Hold a steady gaze but don't hold your breath.

Do:

• spread your shoulder blades across your back
• reach with your fingers for the space in front of you
• try to keep the lower belly relatively flat

Don't:

• round your back
• hold your breath

If you are a beginner and find this pose too challenging at first, try one of these modifications:

• Loop a strap around the soles of your feet. Grip the strap firmly in your hands and inhale, leaning your torso back. Exhale and lift and straighten your legs, adjusting the strap to keep it taut. Push the feet firmly against the strap
• If using a strap is still too difficult, remain with your knees bent, perhaps lifting the shins parallel to the floor
• If it's too difficult to raise both your legs and your arms, keep your hands on the floor beside your hips or hold on to the backs of your thighs

 Benefits

• Stimulates the kidneys, thyroid and prostate glands and intestines

• Helps relieve stress
• Strengthens the abdomen, hip flexors and spine

• Improves digestion

Contraindications

• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Heart Problems
• Low blood pressure
• Menstruation
• Pregnancy
• Neck injury: Sit with your back near a wall to perform this pose. As you tilt your torso back rest the back of your head on the wall