BAKĀSANA (CRANE POSE)
BAKĀSANA (CRANE POSE)
- Come into a squatting position
- Place your hands on the floor, shoulder distance apart
- Bring your knees on your upper arms
- Tilt forward until your feet leave the floor
- Balance in this position
- Join the palms together
- Stay for 5 breaths
Asana in Depth
Bakāsana, often referred to as kākāsana, is also known as the crane or crow pose. It is an arm balancing posture which strengthens the wrists and develops tremendous concentration.
Start by coming into a squatting position. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, roughly shoulder distance apart. Spread your fingers wide apart and keep the fingers pointing forward. Bend your elbows backward. Start lifting your hips up from the squatting position as your place your knees on your upper arms, close to the armpits. Look straight ahead of you rather than down to avoid plummeting over. Slowly bring your weight forward as you lift your feet up from the floor, one by one. Find your balance by focusing your eyes on a specific point. Lift your feet up as high as you can and engage your core strength. Breathe deeply in and out through the nose for 5 to 10 breaths or as long as you can maintain your balance.
As a variation to this pose you can explore the side crow, where the hands are kept on the side rather than in front. Here you rest the hips on the elbows and left your legs up to the side. Another variation is in the regular bakāsana, straightening the arms. This is a challenging variation and requires a lot of arm strength.
This pose is beneficial in strengthening the wrist and arms. It also strengthens the abdomen and core muscles. It increases your sense of balance and concentration.
The contraindications for this pose are wrist injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome
Start by coming into a squatting position. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, roughly shoulder distance apart. Spread your fingers wide apart and keep the fingers pointing forward. Bend your elbows backward. Start lifting your hips up from the squatting position as your place your knees on your upper arms, close to the armpits. Look straight ahead of you rather than down to avoid plummeting over. Slowly bring your weight forward as you lift your feet up from the floor, one by one. Find your balance by focusing your eyes on a specific point. Lift your feet up as high as you can and engage your core strength. Breathe deeply in and out through the nose for 5 to 10 breaths or as long as you can maintain your balance.
As a variation to this pose you can explore the side crow, where the hands are kept on the side rather than in front. Here you rest the hips on the elbows and left your legs up to the side. Another variation is in the regular bakāsana, straightening the arms. This is a challenging variation and requires a lot of arm strength.
This pose is beneficial in strengthening the wrist and arms. It also strengthens the abdomen and core muscles. It increases your sense of balance and concentration.
The contraindications for this pose are wrist injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome
Major Benefits
- Strengthens the wrists and arms
- Strengthens the abdomen
- Improves concentration and balance
Contra Indications
- Wrist injuries / Carpal tunnel syndrome
Anatomy Basics
- Tones triceps
- Tones Deltoids
- Tones trapezius
- Tones psoas Major
