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better
the
secret to
arm balances?

090-097_armb_208.indd 90 12/7/07 10:27:52 AM

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B by jason crandell
B Its easy to get rattl ed by arm bal ances. Fall-
ing at on your face is a met aphor for failure,
and wi t h t hese poses i ts an all-t oo-li t eral de -
scription of what can happen when you get into
troubl e. So if youre li ke most peopl e, you ap -
proach arm bal ances with anxi ety, f earing that
your arms may not be strong enough to get you
airborne and that you might wind up with bruises
on your bodyand ego. To keep from crashing,
you t ap i nt o some hard-edged det ermi nati on:
Your knuckl es turn whi t e, your f ace turns red,
and you push, push, push. B You might
manage to lift off. But it takes more than
muscl e power and det er mi nat i on t o
perch comfortably in a pose like Baka -
sana (Crane Pose). What often gets over-
looked is that arm bal ances require you
to relax deeply and rel ease many of your joints
and muscl es. You need a l ot of suppl eness i n
your groins, hamstrings, hips, knees, and torso
just to get into the shape of most of these poses;
once you develop this, you wont have to work
so hard. B Thats not to say you can forget all
about strength. But if your upper body is strong
enough to support a healthy Pl ank Pose or Cha-
t uranga Dandasana (Four-Li mbed St aff Pose),
you probably dont need any more arm strength
t han you already have. True, you may need t o
buil d core strengt h by maki ng poses such as
Pari purna Navasana (Boat Pose) and Ardha
Navasana (Half Boat Pose) part of your regul ar
rout i ne. B But i f you st ruggl e wi t h ar m bal-
ances, shi f t your energi es a way from bul king
up those biceps. Try this fri endli er, and perhaps
count eri nt ui t i ve, approach t hat e mphasi z es
openi ng and rel axi ng. Youll use t wo key pre-
paratory poses to open your joints and get your
body de epl y f ami l i ar wi t h t he shape of each
of t hr e e mai n ar m bal anc es: Bakasana, Par -
sv a Bakasana (Si de Crane Pose), and
Bhu j a pi d a s a n a (Shoul d e r-Pr e ssi ng
Pose). B Perhaps the most i mport ant
t hi ng is t o cul tivat e a pl ayful , curi ous,
and nonstriving attitude. The f eeling of
wei ght l essness and conf i dence t hat
you can nd in these postures (not to mention
their striking beauty) t ends to bring up a sense
of at t achment . Not i ce i f you become overl y
int ense in your desire to perform the poses or,
conversel y, i f youre t empt ed t o t hrow i n t he
towel because they seem too chall enging. B If
t hat happens, l et go and search f or t he del i-
cat e bal ance bet we en ef f ort and r el axat i on.
Use the expl or ati on of these postures as a way
t o practi ce meeti ng any chall enge wi t h under-
st andi ng, accept ance, and resili ence.
think
relaxation,
not
strength

B photography by katrine naleid

B
090-097_armb_208.indd 91 12/7/07 10:28:01 AM
This pose is a
perfect intro-
duction to the subtleties of arm
balancing because of its deeply
folded, compact shape, as well as
the back rounding and the groin
and hip opening it requires. The
squatting and folding elements
of the rst prep pose, Marichya-
sana I (Marichis Twist I), will
help develop the hip exibility
and postural awareness necessary
to do Bakasana with less effort
and resistance. The second prep
pose, Malasana (Garland Pose),
will broaden and free your upper
back, safely round your spine, and
teach you Bakasanas shape.
And to release tension in
your hips and legs, try practicing
Balasana (Childs Pose), Uttana-
sana (Standing Forward Bend),
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle
Pose), and Virasana (Hero Pose).
For instruction in these poses, go
to yogajournal.com/poses. If you
have the suppleness for Bakasana
but not the strength, try this: Lie
on your back, reach your arms
toward the ceiling, draw your
knees toward your chest, and lift
your head and chest off the oor.
This is Bakasana on your back.
Your abdominals may nearly
catch re, but the core strength
will come in handy.
Before you start, look at this photo of Malasana and see how cl early
the poses shape resembl es Bakasana. The calves and thighs are
folded together, the thighs and torso are folded together, and the
back is rounded gracefully. Essenti ally, Mal asana is Bakasana, just
with a diff erent arm position.
Begin in a standing position, then bring the insides of your f eet
together and bend your knees deeply into a squat. If possibl e, bring
your heels to the oor; if not, its OK for them to lift. Allow your knees
to separat e slightly wider than your shoulders and lower your torso
bet ween your l egs. Deepen the pose by sliding your armpits down
the shins. To maint ain the even, graceful arc of your back, situat e
yourself so that your tailbone and the crown of your head are equi-
distant from the oor. Be aware that you may need to l ean fairly far
forward to nd this bal ance.
Now tuck your arms under the front of your shins and slide them
behi nd your hi ps, wi th your pal ms f aci ng the ceili ng. Gently hug
your knees i nto your si de ri bs, soft en the muscl es of your back,
and settl e into your breath. As you re -
l ax i nt o t he pose, all ow your body t o
get used t o i ts shape.
To start, get in a seat ed position.
Straight en your l eft l eg and bend
your right knee until your calf and
thigh touch, with the shin perpendicul ar to the oor. Pl ace your right
foot in line with your sitting bone. Ext end your right arm inside your
right thigh and hold the inside of your l eft foot (use a belt if you need
t o). Moment ari l y open your ri ght t hi gh t o t he si de as you l i f t and
l engthen your right side. Then squeeze your right thigh against your
ri bs. Sli de your armpi t down your shi n as f ar as you can wi t h ease,
allowing your back to gently dome. Keep squeezing your knee into your
side so theres littl e or no space bet ween your armpit and shin. Wrap
your right arm around your shi n, sweep your l eft hand around your
back, and bi nd the hands together (or use a bel t). Gently draw your
lower abdomen toward your spine and deepen the forward bend. Feel
the hip opening that will help with Bakasana. Take 5 to 10 long, smooth
cycl es of breath before you switch sides.
on the way to
BAKASANA
(crane pose)

the plan
MALASANA
(garland pose)
MARICHYASANA I
(marichis t wist I)
prep pose 11
prep pose 1

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090-097_armb_208.indd 92 12/7/07 10:28:11 AM
Begin by bringing the insides of your
feet together and bending the knees
into a squat, as in Mal asana. Sepa-
rat e your knees slightly wi der than your shoul ders and l ower
your torso bet ween your thighs. Slide your armpits down your
shins as low as they will go and allow your elbows to separat e
away from each other. Round and broaden your back i nto an
even, graceful arc. Pl ace your hands directly under your shoul-
ders and pause for a breath. Lift your hips up 6 inches and away
from your heels, and shift your gaze to your elbows. Draw your
elbows in until the upper arms are parall el to each other.
Now heres your big moment. But dont try to jump, lift, or
y. Inst ead, si mply shift your weight forward onto your hands
until your forearms are perpendicul ar to the oor and your f eet
begin to lift. As you make the transition forward, begin practic-
ing Bakasana by shifting more weight onto your hands, even if
your f eet dont lift.
If your feet do lift or become light, engage your lower abdom-
inal muscl es by drawing your navel toward your spine. As you
glide onto your arms, ext end them strongly; broaden and round
your upper back. Do your best to soft en and ext end your breath
for 5 to 10 cycl es.
the pose
BAKASANA
(crane pose)
B
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M 9 3
090-097_armb_208.indd 93 12/7/07 10:28:13 AM
By practic-
ing the deep,
wringing twist that Parsva Baka-
sana requires, youll cultivate
greater strength and awareness
in your abdominals particularly
your obliquesand create a
healthy squeezing action in the
digestive organs. But, alas, if your
hips are tight and your spine
doesnt rotate easily, this pose will
be a real downer. Tension in these
crucial areas will pull you out of
it, and youll fatigue early because
youll be struggling against your
bodys resistance. So your rst
prep pose, Marichyasana III,
is intended to create greater
movement and ease in your hips
and back. Regularly practic-
ing additional hip openers such
as Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
(One-Legged King Pigeon Pose),
Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose),
and Ardha Padmasana (Half Lotus
Pose) will also help.
And while we dont often think
of standing poses as helpful for
arm balances, the second prep
pose, a variation of Parivrtta Pars-
vakonasana (Revolved Side Angle
Pose), is a great warmup. It twists
the torso deeply, opens the outer
hips, and gives you an opportunity
to focus on balance. Other useful
warmups include Parivrtta Triko-
nasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
and Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana
(Revolved Half Moon Pose).
Straight en your l eft l eg
out i n front of you and
bend your right knee un -
til your calf and thigh touch and your shin is perpendicul ar to
the oor. Pl ace your right foot i n li ne wi th your si tti ng bone.
Wrap your l ef t arm around t he front of your right shi n and
swing your right arm behind you. Elongat e the l eft side of your
lower back away from your hips, rotat e your spine to the right
and gently puff out your chest.
Deepen the pose by sliding your l eft armpit to your out er
right knee. Focus on this movement, essenti al to the el asticity
needed for Parsva Bakasana. Close the space bet ween your
armpi t and out er knee as much as you can wi th ease. Bend
your l eft el bow and open your hand, so t he l eft pal m f aces
right. Bring a smooth quality to your breath. Pl ay with micro
movements until your spine rotat es evenly and gracefully, like
a spiral staircase. Aft er 10 to 15 breaths, change sides.
Start in a lunge with your right foot forward bet ween your hands and
your l eft knee on the ground, toes tucked under. Pl ace your right knee
over your right ankl e so your shinbone is vertical, then st ep your l eft
knee back so you get a moderat e stretch i n the l eft thigh. Put your
hands on top of your right thigh and straight en your back l eg. (Your
back heel should be lift ed.) Now rotat e your trunk to the right and slide
your l eft elbow to the outside of your right knee. Gently deepen the
t wist by sliding your l eft elbow further down the outside of your knee
and rot ati ng the belly, ri bs, and chest. Bri ng your pal ms together i n
front of your chest and press the top hand strongly into the bottom
one. Soft en and receive the breath moving into your body.
Observe how your body
s e e ks bal a nc e a nd ho w
your mind reacts. You may
fall; practice pati ence!
on the way to
PARSVA BAKASANA
(side crane pose)

MARICHYASANA III
(marichis t wist III) PARIVRTTA
PARSVAKONASANA
(revolved side angle pose)
the plan

prep pose 1
prep pose 11
090-097_armb_208.indd 94 12/7/07 10:28:17 AM
Wi t h your i nne r t hi ghs
to gether, begin in a deep
squat . Twi st your abdo-
men and upper body to the right and slip your l eft elbow to the
outsi de of your right knee. As i n the prep poses, fol d your torso
deeply into your l egs and slide your l eft armpit to the outside of
your right knee. As your t wist deepens, put your hands on the oor
just in front of your right thigh; they should be turned to the right
at a 90-degree angl e to your hips. Now engage your lower abdom-
inal muscl es and roll your belly to the right. Look at your right hip
and lift i t higher than your right el bow. Compl ement this acti on
and set the stage for liftoff by moving your right elbow inward until
your el bows are parall el to each other. As you di d i n Bakasana,
shift your weight onto your hands. You may have to practice for a
whil e by bringing more weight onto your hands than your f eet. If
you can, lift your feet off the ground, engage your lower abdominal
muscl es more strongly, and turn your navel toward your right ribs.
As t hat supports your l i f t and de epens your t wi st , bri ng your
awareness to your breath; it may shorten, but try to keep it smooth.
When youve had your ll, rel ease and switch sides.

PARSVA BAKASANA
(side crane pose)
the pose
B
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M 9 5
090-097_armb_208.indd 95 12/7/07 10:28:19 AM
Of the three
arm balances,
Bhujapidasana requires the least
strength and the greatest exibil-
ity. So the warmups give you the
suppleness to fold deeply and wrap
your legs around your upper arms.
The rst, Happy Baby, will open
your groins, round your back safely,
and elongate your hamstrings. Its a
comforting, accessible posture that
helps create opening and aware-
ness. The second, a lunge variation,
opens the groin and hip exors in
your back leg and creates length in
the hamstrings of your front leg. It
also imitates the shape of Bhujapi-
dasana: The front knee goes into a
90-degree angle and the shoulder
and torso tuck into the front thigh.
If its hard to get the heels of
your hands to the oor in Bhujapi-
dasana, dont blame it on your arms.
Try poses that release the groins
and support deep hip exion: Bad-
dha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose),
Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward-
Facing Hero Pose), and Prasarita
Padottanasana (Wide-Legged
Standing Forward Bend).
Begi n by l yi ng on your back. (Don t you l ove
poses that start this way?) Bend both knees and
dra w t hem t oward your armpi ts. Reach your
arms around the outside of your l egs and hold
the outsi de of your f eet. Your shi ns shoul d be
vertical. Gently pull with your arms and rel ease
your t hi ghs t oward t he out si de of your ri bs.
Rel ax your faci al muscl es and receive the open-
ing that the pose brings.
Observe where the great est resistance is; in
Bhuj apidasana, that area will f eel even tight er.
Direct your breat h i nt o i t , l et ti ng t he t ensi on
slowly dissipat e. Continue to saturat e your body
with breath for 20 to 30 cycl es.
St art i n a l unge wi t h your ri ght f oot
bet ween your hands and your l eft knee
on the ground, toes curl ed under. Place
your right knee over your right ankl e
so t he shi n is verti cal; t hen st ep t he
l eft knee back so you get a moderat e
stretch in the l eft thigh. St ep your right
foot 2 i nches furt her t o t he right and
put both hands on the oor inside your
foot. Set tli ng i nt o your breat h, nestl e
your right shoul der i nsi de your right
i nner t high. See i f you can t uck your
ri ght shoul der i nsi de and under t he
right knee. Once youve hit your edge,
slide your right arm under your l eg and pl ace your hand on the oor outside your right
foot. Lift your back knee off the oor and ext end through your l eft heel. Deepen the pose
by hugging your right knee into your right shoulderan action essenti al to Bhuj apidasana.
Breathe smoothly and deeply into the resistance in your right hip and groin. This pose is
int ense; dont push too hard. Aft er 5 to 15 breaths, rel ease and switch sides.
on the way to
BHUJAPIDASANA
(shoulder-pressing pose)

the plan
HAPPY BABY POSE
LUNGE VARIATION

prep pose 1
prep pose 11
090-097_armb_208.indd 96 12/7/07 10:28:23 AM
Al t hough t he bal anci ng
poi nt i n this pose is very
narrow and youre li kel y
to end up on your bum a f ew ti mes, Bhuj apidasana requires l ess
effort to sustain than Bakasana or Parsva Bakasana.
St and i n Tadasana wi t h your f eet as wi de as your mat. Bend
your knees deeply and fold your torso bet ween your inner thighs.
Remember t ucki ng t he shoul der under t he knee i n t he l ungi ng
vari ation of Parivrtta Parsvakonasana? Well, here goes: Tuck your
shoulders bet ween your inner knees as deeply as you can and put
your hands on the oor behind your heels. Your ngers should point
forward, not to the side or backward. Bend your knees and begin
to sit on the backs of your upper arms. If its still difcult to bring
the heels of your hands to the oor, ease off and continue working
on the prep poses so you creat e more exi bili ty i n the hi ps and
groi ns and prot ect your wri st s. Sque e z e your t hi ghs st rongl y
against your upper arms, l ean back until your f eet lift, and cross
your right ankl e over your l eft. Draw your navel toward your spine
and ext end your arms until theyre straight.
Once youve found your narrow threshold of bal ance, your arm
bones will absorb much of your weight and allow your muscl es to
work l ess intensely. Let go of any unnecessary tension particularly
i n t he j a w and eyesand set t l e i nt o your breat h f or as many
rounds as you can. I
Jason Crandell ( jasonyoga.com) is the
yoga director for the San Francisco Bay
Club. He lives in San Francisco and
t eaches at studios around the country.
BHUJAPIDASANA
(shoulder-pressing pose)
B
B
the pose
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8 Y O G A J O U R N A L . C O M 9 7
090-097_armb_208.indd 97 12/7/07 10:28:25 AM