Another challenging arm balancing pose that opens up the hips, stretches your glutes, strengthens your core and lets you fly! Achieving this pose will build self-confidence and help you overcome your fears and limitations.
Pose Summary
Steps
Step 1
Start in Tadasana.
Step 2
Place your right ankle just above your left knee. Right knee is now pointing to the right, hips are square. Keep the right foot flexed.
Step 3
Start bending your left knee, sitting back into a chair variation.
Step 4
Lean forward and place your hands on the floor in front of you, shoulder distance apart and fingers spread wide to get a good grip on the mat.
Step 5
Bend the elbows and ensure they stay right over your wrists. Gaze slightly in front of you.
Step 6
Place the top of the right shin (just below the right knee) on top of your right triceps. Hook the left triceps with the right foot and toes.
Step 7
Shift the weight into your hands and pull your navel up towards your spine to activate your core.
Step 8
When you feel you have control in your hands start to lift up your left foot bringing the heel up towards your seat.
Step 9
Keep your left toes pointed and start straightening the left leg out. You want to try to keep neck-hip-left leg alignment. Your Drishti remains slightly in front of you.
Step 10
To get out of the pose bring the left knee back in and drop the foot down OR push into your hands, release the right leg and jump back into Chaturanga. Come into Child’s pose and rest for a few breaths. Change side.
Modifications
If you feel this pose in your wrists you can, to reduce pressure, roll up a mat and place the palm of the hands on the mat and the fingers on the floor.
If elbows fall out to the sides, wider than your hands/shoulders, you can tighten a strap around your arms just over your elbows to keep them together.
If you fear of falling over place a pillow below your head.
Benefits
- Strengthens core, wrists, arms and shoulders.
- Opens up the hips, inner thighs and stretches the glutes.
- Improves balance.
- Builds self-confidence and helps overcoming fears and limitations
Contraindications
- Avoid this pose if you suffer from wrist, elbow or shoulder injuries.
- You might want to avoid this pose if you feel discomfort and suffer from sciatica, spondylitis or other back/disc problems as the spine is slightly rounded.