We’re busting out the crow pose for this month’s featured Zamasana! The crow, or kakasana (say kuh-kas-ana), is a beautiful arm balance that strengthens the upper back, arms and wrists and tones the abdominal organs. Kakasana is accessible for beginning yogis, and has several variations for those who are seeking a more challenging arm balance.
To practice the Crow:
- Begin in a squat with your feet a short distance apart. Plant your hands on the earth as you separate your knees wider than your hips.
- Tip your torso forward, between your thighs, and bend your elbows towards the body as you rest the backs of the upper arms against the shins.
- Lift up onto the balls of your feet as you press your knees into the backs of your upper arms, shifting your weight onto your arms as you do so. Work on holding your core strong and keeping your toes tucked toward your tailbone as you tip forward and let your feet lift off the floor. Enjoy the feeling of floating in space!
Let your Crow grow as you practice these variations:
- Bakasana, Crane pose: From the crow, ensure your knees are tucked as high up your arms as they can be (near the armpits), squeeze the legs against the arms and slowly straighten the elbows. Keep your eyes looking at the floor or slightly forward.
- Parsva Bakasana, Side Crane pose: Begin in a squat, hands planted on the earth. Take the right elbow to the outside of the left thigh and twist the torso, getting the thigh as close to the right armpit as you can before tipping forward and shifting the weight into the arms.
To practice even more arm balances and variations of Kakasana, join us in Toowong on Saturday 8th August at 10:45am for the 90 minutes Yoga Playground workshop, or sign up now for September’s Arm Balance and Inversion master class on Saturday 5th September at 4:10pm.
You should avoid practicing the crow pose and variations if you are pregnant.