By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed
Bakasana, or Crow Pose, is a Yoga arm balance that alleviates
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome as it strengthens and stretches out the wrists, forearms
and shoulders. This is a wonderful pose to include in your Yoga practice if you
spend a lot of time typing on the computer, playing tennis or swinging a golf
club. This accessible arm balance also releases tension throughout the thoracic
spine in the upper back area, improves balance and greatly increases abdominal
strength over time. Crow Pose is optimally practiced after a series of Sun
Salutations and standing Yoga asanas. It is traditionally practiced prior to
backbends, inversions and seated poses.
When you are adequately warmed up and are ready to practice
Bakasana, you may wish to place a folded blanket or towel a foot or two in
front of you on your Yoga mat in case you tip over when you are attempting to
lift off your mat in Crow Pose! Most Yoga practitioners find it to be
challenging at first to maintain their balance and equilibrium in Crow Pose. If
you are just beginning to learn to practice this posture, placing a folded
blanket in front of you and a Yoga block horizontally on your mat a foot or so
behind you will help you to “lift off” more easily and hopefully with less
trepidation!
* Bakasana or Crow Pose
To begin your practice of Crow Pose, balance on a Yoga block if
you are using one, or simply balance on your mat with the inner edges of your
feet touching and your heels slightly raised. Keeps your knees comfortably far
apart, just wider than the width of your shoulders. Place your hands on the mat
several inches in front of your feet. Keep your hands in line with your
shoulders. With an inhale, lean forward onto your hands and raise your legs off
the mat and rest your shines on the upper backsides of your arms.
Take a moment and play with the balance. Can you feel when you
are tipping too far forward? Likewise, can you feel when you are leaning too
far backward and gravity pulls your legs back down to the Yoga mat? As you play
with finding the sweet spot that allows you to balance your shins comfortably
on your upper arms with your feet raised off the mat, remember to keep a steady
gaze point or drishti in front of you on the floor. This steady point of
concentration will help to stabilize your balance.
If you find it difficult to maintain your balance with both of
your feet elevated off of the Yoga mat, try lifting just one foot at a time off
the mat. This preliminary action will help to teach your body how to balance in
the posture as the muscles in your arms, shoulders and abdominal area are
strengthened. The primary action in this Yoga pose is one of flexion as your
knees bend in towards your abdomen, your back rounds and your shoulders blades
move away from the back of your spine and toward your Heart Chakra.
In order to increase your sense of solidity and balance in Crow
Pose, use the energy of opposing forces to enhance your stability by squeezing
your legs firmly against your upper arms, while your arms simultaneously apply
consistent pressure against your shins. The combination of the movement of
pulling your legs in toward the center of your body while holding the weight of
your body off of your Yoga mat with your arms is the key sequence of movements
in the posture that increases abdominal strength.
Additionally,
your balance and strength will improve in this posture if you root down firmly
into your Yoga mat with your hands as you simultaneously push the mat away from
you with your palms. If you are an intermediate Yoga practitioner and you would
like to further increase the abdominal strengthening benefits of Bakasana, you
may wish to come out of the pose by jumping directly back into Plank Pose and
flowing into the next asana from Plank. Practice Crow Pose three times at your
own pace, and then either rest in Child’s Pose or jump back into Plank Pose and
continue with your practice of the next Yoga asana.
© Copyright 2014 – Virginia Iversen / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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