Crow Revisited ( Bakasana or Crane)

I am weak.

I used to dislike arm balances. My wrists used to be painful when I do arm balances and hence I never did quite get bakasana. I can’t balance long and seems to take up a lot of effort for me. Now I feel that I have grown stronger at the wrists ( maybe due to many handstand ) and shoulders such that I feel more in control when I do my arm balances.

Today I went for 2 classes ( to keep my mind off stuff… ). The Power 1 and Power 2 classes both by Hee Boon.

In the Power 1 class, we did the crow pose or crane pose or bakasana (see the pose here). Although this pose is probably done quite a few times in classes, I had never got it until today. And I was able to “float” from crow to chaturanga dandasana or rather this was the very first time, I feel that the jump back was light and almost easy. It was different from the normal crow I did.

Here’s what I learned ( re-learnt actually ) :
1. Imagine a triangle forming with your palms and a third point slightly in front. Remember that your head will be moving forward towards that point to form that triangle.
2. Move your legs upon your triceps area.
3. Hug towards a central line. Imagine a line running down the center and hugs to the center.
4. When you lift up, still continue to hug to the center, lift the feet as close to your butt as possible. You also need to suck stomach in and curve your back to have that lift.

I think what helps is the lifting of the feet to the butt (I was reminded by Hee Boon to keep lifting the feet to the butt and it helped! ). Seems to help me balance a lot longer today. Plus the jumping back to the chaturanga is quite effortless and smooth. *yippee*

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