Table of Contents
Yoga VB46 _ 3 steps to do Flying Crow Pose _ EKA PADA BAKASANA
BENEFITS OF THE FLYING CROW POSE
The Flying Crow Pose could offer us many advantages
- Strengthens wrists, arms, shoulders and neck
- Helps to widen the hips and strengthens the core of the body.
- Improves spatial awareness, maintains strength and balance on both hands, more than crow pose.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Pregnant women
- People with carpal tunnel syndrome
- People with wrist, shoulder and/or lower back injuries
EXECUTION
Focus your mind with Diamond Pose
First, we meditate together in the Diamond pose, for at least 1 minute.
In the Diamond pose, we will gradually let go of all distracting thoughts, directing our thoughts into each slow and deep 4 phase breathing movement with the lower abdomen.
You should be aware that hand balance poses like the Flying Crow pose are generally difficult, requiring sufficient physical foundation as well as the concentration of consciousness necessary to complete in a pose.
The Diamond pose is always a good starting position to help us quickly achieve the necessary mental focus.
STEP 1: WARM UP YOUR BODY AND JOINTS
Feet and hands on the floor (1 minute)
First of all, in addition to putting our hands on the ground, we also put our feet lightly on the ground to share some of our body weight with our arms.
Our hands and wrists can be very uncomfortable at this point. However, don’t worry, as soon after a good warm-up, our hands, wrists and arms will feel comfortable and energized.
Gently move your body forward-backward and rotate to gently touch the wrist and hand joints.
Do it very slowly, breathe very slowly, 4 phases deep with the lower abdomen.
When you are done, rest for a moment in the diamond pose.
Warm up in crow pose
Here is the warm-up in a more difficult way – the warm-up of the true crow pose. You can review the raven pose in the Yoga VB44 video.
In the crow pose, the legs are still low and lower than the head at the start. We try to feel the space and maintain a stable balance on our hands.
Slowly raise your feet, while slowly lowering your head forward. Always maintain a stable balance.
Slow, deep breathing, in 4 phases with the lower abdomen.
If you have the ability, you can maintain this pose longer. On the contrary, you can also maintain it for a shorter time. It is important to practice maintaining strength and balance in your arms while lifting your full body weight like this.
To practice the flying crow pose, in my opinion, you must first be able to do the crow pose well.
We also rest for a moment in the diamond posture at the end of this warm-up.
Alternatively, you can also relax your hands like this, similar to Relax V24. This way of relaxing helps the hands to quickly regain good blood circulation, and at the same time avoids stress and pain after the workout.
STEP 2 : PRACTICE ASYMMETRICAL BALANCE
Support the body in the gravity deflection state (30 seconds x 2)
Here we will practice balancing in an asymmetric state. Body weight will be shifted to one side.
We also enter the pose as for the Raven pose. However here we will only put one left knee on the left arm, the right leg will be free.
30 seconds. In this position, you will easily lose your balance due to the deviation of gravity, the right arm and the right shoulder blade will be very difficult to support.
Once you get used to it, you can wiggle your legs and lift your right leg a bit to improve the ability to lift and balance your arms, just a bit!
When you are finished, you can relax your hands for a moment with the familiar Relax V24 technique before doing the same on the other side, also for 30 seconds.
Pay attention to always breathe evenly, slowly and deeply 4 phases with the lower abdomen
Balance with two feet up (30 seconds x 2)
To practice the gap sensing and balance technique with the legs above the head, first place the left hand on the floor, then place the right elbow on the floor as well. Note that the distance between the left hand and the right elbow is approximately shoulder width apart and they are both level on the floor in front of you.
Thus, our body will be tilted with the left hand and the right elbow on the ground.
We put the left knee on the left arm. Next, you gently put your forehead on the floor, then slowly balance yourself, raise your feet high, and slowly raise your right foot as high as possible.
Remember to breathe 4 phases evenly, slowly and deeply with the lower abdomen.
Once you get used to this pose, you can gently lift your forehead off the ground!
After leaving the pose, we linger for a moment in the child’s pose before returning to the diamond pose. Then do the same for the other side
STEP 3 _ COMPLETE THE FLYING CROW POSE
Method 1: Step directly into the pose (30 seconds x 2)
We put the left knee on the left arm, the right leg is free
30 seconds: First, we gently lift our feet off the ground, maintaining an off-center body balance like this.
Slowly lower your head forward and at the same time raise your feet up high, lifting your right foot as high as possible.
Rest in the diamond pose for a while. Before doing the same for the other party.
At the end of the movement, you can still relax your hands with the familiar Relax V24.
Method 2 _ Go into the Flying Crow Pose via the Crow Pose (1 min x 2).
First of all, keep your balance in the crow pose.
Slowly lift your right knee away from your right arm.
Then slowly raise your right foot as high as possible.
The hands, especially the fingers, are slightly cupped and the fingertips are firmly embedded in the ground.
Breathe 4 phases evenly, slowly and deeply with the lower abdomen.
You can relax your shoulders, relax your arms, and rest for a moment in Diamond Pose before doing the same for the other side.
Finally, you can rest in the child’s pose for as long as you want.
Good practice!
