CRANE POSE

Bakasana (bah-KAHS-anna)

BENEFITS OF CRANE POSE

  • Strengthens wrists
  • Improves balance
  • Increases core strength
  • Strengthens back

SUMMARY OF CRANE POSE

Crow Pose, known as Kakasana, and Crane Pose, known as Bakasana, are versions of the same position. Crow Pose is the easier of the two, where you balance closer to your hands. Crane Pose is a more extended version. It’s good to practice and get the hang of Crow Pose first, and then to move on to the trickier Crane Pose. For both of these poses, it will take some time to perfect balancing. Be sure to practice building your core strength by working on Plank Pose and Boat Pose.

CRANE POSE TUTORIAL

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

1.) Start with your knees bent in a deep squat with your hands pressed together at heart center. Be sure to sit straight.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

2.) Place your hands on the mat under your shoulders.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

3.) Lift up onto the balls of your feet.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

4.) As you do this, push your knees into the back of your arms and begin to shift your weight forward.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

5.) As you move all of your weight forward and on to your arms, begin to lift your toes and feet off the ground.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

6.) Keep your knees tucked into the back of your upper arms and point your toes.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

7.) Hold this position as long as you can.

Crane Pose (Bakasana) - Yoga Pose

8.) To release, ease back until your toes touch the ground again.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CRANE POSE

CRANE POSE FOR ATHLETES

Crane Pose is great for building arm strength and balance. Both attributes are critically important for most sports. Build arm strength and balance with Crane Pose. For an extra challenge, test your strength and balance by holding the pose for longer periods of time to build muscle and flexibility.

CRANE POSE FOR BALANCE

Crane Pose is most famous as a balance pose. You have to have everything exactly right in order to stay up in the air. Test your balance by holding the pose longer each time.

CRANE POSE FOR WRISTS

Crane Pose is wholly supported by delicate wrist bones. The pose is great at strengthening them and building their flexibility as well.

Contraindications & Cautions

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or wrist injury
  • Shoulder injury
  • Pregnancy

Modifications & Deepening the Pose

MODIFYING CRANE POSE FOR BALANCE ISSUES

Balancing on your hands like this isn’t easy for everyone. When you’re first practicing, it’s wise to have a friend nearby to help. If you don’t have access to someone, do your best to set up an open space surrounded by blankets so when you tumble over it’s a soft landing. You might think it’s better to have something nearby to grab onto, but there’s no guarantee when you’re tumbling over that you’ll be able to reliably reach anything.

MODIFYING CRANE POSE FOR TIPPING BACK

To help you balance during Crane Pose, try putting a block behind you and letting your feet rest on that. That way you can be in the right orientation without having both feet wholly free and swaying. You can then cut that down to just one block. It’s also fine to practice with one foot up and the other foot down. It still gives you a sense of how the balance works without wholly getting loose from the floor.

MODIFYING CRANE POSE FOR SAFER WRISTS

Make sure you keep your elbows and arms beneath you so they create a solid foundation. Don’t let them splay out or wriggle in. If you’re still having challenges with this part of the Crane Pose, focus just on your elbow and arm position for a while, without lifting your feet up off the ground. It’s worth it to take Crane Pose slowly and steadily. The time you invest into building up that arm strength and balance will pay off well as you get deeper into these advanced poses.