Bakasana // Crow Pose
Core, core, and more core. Ahhh, the gateway arm balance, Crow pose.
The trick to mastering crow pose is to engage your core as if your life depends on it. When I first started learning, I couldn’t hold crow for very long but then a fellow yogi friend told me her trick is to engage the core and that’s when it all clicked!
You want to think about rounding through your upper back. which activates your lower core/abdomen allowing you to push further by trying to pull your belly button to your spine–physically impossible but the visualization helps.
Another trick that I usually teach my students is to think about thigh-mastering your legs together. The upward momentum you get by engaging your thighs helps with all the core work you’re trying to achieve. You won’t be just hanging out in crow–you’ll be working your buns off while in crow!
Lastly, pull your gaze out past your fingertips by a good six inches. Your drishti, or focus, creates your forward momentum while entering crow pose.
Crow pose is definitely not an easy arm balance but once you can engage all the necessary muscles then you’ll be well on your way to working on various arm balances too!
Good luck and come back if you have any other questions!
You’ve got this,
Paige
Crow Pose Entry // One foot at a time