Crow Pose Prep

About This Pose

Crow Pose Prep is the introduction to arm balancing, and it teaches two things simultaneously: wrist strength and the willingness to shift weight forward past what feels comfortable. Start from a low squat. Place the hands on the mat shoulder-width apart, fingers spread wide. Bend the elbows slightly, as if setting up for a pushup. Bring the knees to the outer upper arms, as high up toward the armpits as possible. From here, begin to shift the weight forward into the hands. The feet will naturally lighten. The gaze goes slightly forward and down, not straight down. Looking forward pulls the weight forward. Looking straight down keeps it in the feet. The preparation in this version is to practice the weight shift and the knee-on-arm contact without necessarily taking the feet fully off the floor. If one foot floats, that's Crow Prep doing its job. The common fear is falling forward onto the face. This rarely happens if the elbows are bent as the weight shifts. The bent elbows act as a brake. Straight arms send the weight forward too fast. The core has to engage for this to work. Without abdominal engagement the hips sag and the knees slide off the arms. Wrist preparation is important before attempting this pose. Spread the fingers, press actively through the base of each finger, and do a few cat-cow motions on the hands to warm the wrist joint before loading it.

How to Practice

1. 1

   Begin in a low squat with feet together and hands on the floor shoulder-width apart.

2. 2

   Spread the fingers wide and press the palms flat into the mat.

3. 3

   Bring the knees onto the backs of the upper arms, as close to the armpits as possible.

4. 4

   Shift the weight forward onto the hands until the toes begin to lighten — lift one foot, then the other if ready.

5. 5

   Keep the gaze forward rather than straight down, and engage the core.

6. 6

   Hold for 2–3 breaths, then lower the feet back. Build up the hold time gradually.

Benefits

• Builds wrist and core strength, develops confidence for arm balances