Crow Pose or Kakasana is one of the first hand balancing asanas that people learn during their Yoga journey. This pose opens up the world of possibility for Yoga practitioners to go deeper into many other hand-balancing asanas – as I have mentioned in my post.
Here’s the thing, many people who haven’t attempted the crow pose assume that it requires massive strength in hands and arms. That’s partially incorrect. Sure, you need somewhat strong arms, hands, and core but it is so much more than that.
More than just basic arm and hand strength, the crow pose is more about body awareness. It is about finding a point of balance in the air by see-sawing back and forth with your weight, till you find that sweet spot.
Exactly for this purpose, I have made a YouTube video. At the end of this video, I also share a “hack” or a tip that changed my perspective and helped me stay in crow for longer than just 10 seconds.
Remember, if you can hold a proper plank (with protracted shoulders), or do a push-up, then the crow pose is very easily possible for you, it’s just about the technique.
My tips for getting your first Crow pose
Warm up your wrists
This is super basic but some tend to forget this. To set yourself up for success, warm up your hands and fingers for at least 5 minutes. Rotate your wrists in each direction. Get into table top and move your shoulders over your hands.
Cat Like Spine
Think of the cat pose – the one you probably do in cat-cow warm-ups. Recreate that position with the spine when you want to hold the crow pose.
Use Your Finger
The one tip changed my hand-balancing game. Make sure you are utilizing not just your hand muscles but also your finger muscles. If your fingertips aren’t looking yellow, then you aren’t using the fingers enough in your hand-balancing practice.
Use Props
Some teach crow pose with blocks but I prefer cushions or pillows. Place a pillow somewhat in front of your hands so that you don’t have a fear of faceplanting, and can lean forward with your shoulders to find a nice balancing point.
Point your Toes
As soon as you find even a second of air time, immediately point your toes so that your legs are activated. This way you are using your entire body for crow.
Practice Reclined Crow
I talk about this point in my video also at the end. In order to create enough muscle memory to hold the crow pose, try holding the same pose in a reclined position. I mean, lie down on your back and make the same shape you would in crow but in this case, you aren’t balancing on your hands but lying down. Practice this enough so that you create this mind-body connection. Next time you’re attempting crow pose, you’d make it just a tad easier for yourself to hold this pose because of the muscle memory.
Conclusion
Make sure you practice this asana with consistency in order to achieve it. Give yourself enough breaks and roll your wrists to relive tension.
Remember to have fun and enjoy your practice.