Bakasana

I have been teaching Bakasana a lot in my classes lately. Otherwise known as Crane Pose, this asana is used to help us transition out of supta kurmasana & into vinyasa during the Ashtanga Primary Series. It is also a great arm balance posture to practice on its own.

Arm balancing is often intimidating for new students; however, with Bakasana, it is really just about getting the feel for tilting your weight forward at the correct angle. Once you have this under control, then you can start to work on moving your knees in closer to the armpits, and taking some of the bend out of your elbows.

I have been introducing students to this asana by starting in a squat position to open up the hips & rock forward while still remaining close to the ground. The Yoga Journal also offers a helpful tip: elevating the feet on blocks. This is a great suggestion as it allows the student to practice lifting one foot at a time, without having to worry about using as much upper body strength to lift their feet off the floor.