Due to the hands’ innate purpose of mobility and their ability to pick up and grab things, instead of bearing weight as feet do, arm support poses naturally present a test to the human body. Therefore, it is advised that newcomers engage themselves in standing poses and, only after becoming proficient in these, to undertake arm support positions. Also remember that, whenever practicing yoga, one should wear clothes that allow the free mobility of the body. Yoga pants, leggings, body shapers, workout clothes or compression pants are all suitable options.
Bakasana (bak-ahs-anna) is often considered an intermediate level balance yoga pose. It works the spine, legs, and arms while lengthening the spinal extensors, anterior neck muscles, rhomboids, and trapezius.
A perfect crane pose curls up your lower body and torso together while being held by your arms. In a full crane position, one’s hands should be spread widely. One’s arms must be kept straight, while the knees are placed cozily within the armpits and the buttocks lifted up as high as possible. The back, on the other hand, must be slightly bent. A similar position that frequently gets mixed up with the crane pose is the crow position or Kakasana. Although these two look almost exactly the same, when one executes the crow position the arms remain bent and the knees are leaned on the upper arms (triceps) rather than being tucked into the underarm.
Some key things to keep into account are the following:
- To choose a fixed point on which to concentrate while moving into and holding the pose
- To slowly move your feet upwards when moving into the pose
- To keep your buttocks and heels close together
- To keep your arms straight and your hands active while maintaining the pose
- To focus on breathing slowly while holding the pose
- For those who are to practice this pose for the first time, make sure to place a towel or pillow in front of you in case you fall onto your face.
It is important to bear these cues in mind when going into crane position, as they make up the basis of this pose and will help to abstain yourself from any possible injuries.
In order to gain the necessary strength and endurance to carry out this pose, you can first work out on easier preparatory poses. These poses include the boat pose or Navasana, side plank pose or Vasisthasana, warrior pose I and II or Virabhadrasana I and II, and four-limbed stick pose or Chaturanga Dandasana. These positions will work mostly on establishing your core muscles.
Once you have prepared your body you can go ahead into a full crane pose after carrying out preceding poses like downward-facing dog position or Adho Mukha Svanasana, bound angle pose or Baddha Konasana, child’s pose or Balasana, and hero pose or Virasana. Succeeding poses can either include the formerly mentioned downward-facing dog position and plank pose or Kumbhakasana.
The majority of benefits surrounding this yoga pose are closely related to the realignment of the second, Svadhisthana, chakra. This is the energy center of our creative and sexual expressions.Amongst the benefits, one can find that this position helps with accepting and overcoming one’s fears, connecting with our feelings and emotions, and fostering concentration. It will also strengthen your wrists, upper back, and legs.
