Bakasana, or Crow, is an intermediate balancing pose that’s great for building the upper-body strength you will need to master more advanced poses. Squat with your feet about hip distance apart, and open your knees to allow your palms to reach down and rest on the floor directly below your shoulders. Place your knees into the back of your upper arms as close to your armpits as possible as you shift your weight to your hands and come up on to the tips of your toes. As you build your strength, pick a spot on the floor a few feet in front of you to focus on so that you can completely shift your body weight to your arms as your toes come up off the floor. In the beginning, you may leave your toes on the ground and focus on building the strength to lift yourself completely. To make the pose extra challenging, try straightening your arms to lift even further off the ground.
Benefits:
- Strengthens abdomen, arms, and wrists
- Improves physical and mental balance
- Releases tension in lower back
