Bakasana- Crow Pose

If you're interested in taking flight and venturing into the exciting world of arm balances, Bakasana is one of the most beloved and accessible arm balances for new practitioners. I like to think of Crow Pose as the foundation upon which other arm balances are built. Once a student understands the mechanics and balance in Crow Pose, other arm balances become more accessible. For more advanced practitioners, there are plenty of fun transitions to play with like Crow to Headstand or Crow to Chaturanga.

To begin, come to Malasana (Yogic Squat) to set up.

From Malasana, plant the hands shoulder-width apart; spread the fingers wide and ground down through the hands. Place the knees on the triceps as close to the armpits as possible, or you can wrap the inner knees around the outside of the upper arms. Drawing the elbows toward the mid-line so that both elbows are facing the back of the room, begin to lift the heels and shift the weight onto the arms. Keep your drishti (focal point) about 6 inches in front of your hands.

Begin to lift one foot off the ground, drawing the foot up towards the bum. If you've found the balance here, work on drawing the other foot up off the ground. Seal the inside edges of the feet together, draw the belly towards the spine, and round through the upper back.

Continue to press the feet towards the bum and push the floor away with your hands.

After you've gotten enough air time, gently bri