Do You Want to Learn How to Do Crow Pose (or Bakasana)?

Are you new(ish) to yoga and sorta finding it hard to stick the crow pose? 

Dude, I get it. I am the epitome of naturally uncooridinated (ask me about how long it took me to go a whole month before breaking things as a pre-requisite for my driver's license.) I was never the first one picked on any team unless the game required brute strength--finese--no way.

Crow Pose-it takes more finese then it does brute strength, and this tutorial will show you.

BUT--even if you are more of the brute strength sort of person, you can watch this tutorial to learn how to muscle your way into the pose (and guess what, both work completely fine and both "count" towards attaining your crow dreams!)

Keep in mind, there are no "yoga police" so who really cares what "counts" right? As long as you're, having fun (1), breathing (2) and learning something (3).

How to Do Crow Pose or Bakasana

First thing's first, this can be pretty scary, so acknowledge this fact and just tell yourself you can do this.

Once you have warmed up your hands and wrists, maybe by stretching them, gentle presser on the hands and wrists-whatever you need to do to get your hands ready for this weight. Then, follow these steps:

(be sure you have a block or bolster nearby)

1. Start in Yogi Squat or Malasana Squat (tutorial coming soon!)
2. Place your hands shoulder's width distance apart on the mat between and in front of your toes. 
3. Spread your fingers out wide
4. Lift your hips up and schimmy those feet closer together

Variation 1:

1. Bend your elbows back (not out, for more info check out this tutorial)
2. Place your knees as high up on to the triceps as you can
3. (Your weight will shift forward)
4. Try to bring one heel to your bottom while steadying yourself with the other foot.
5. Switch feet, trying to bring opposite heel to your bottom.
6. When you think you're ready, try lifting both heels up towards your bottom.

Variation 2:

1. Bend your elbows back (like in Chaturanga (here's another "how to")
2. This time, place your knees to the outside of your triceps
3. Squeeze your knees together like you're working hard on the "thigh master" but the Thigh Master is your triceps.

              5. As you squeeze, think about lifting one or both heels.

              6. Your weight will shift forward.

              7.Try to hold  it with your spread fingers wide.

One thing you can do to help you is to start out with your feet on a block. This way, your feet are already in crow position and it helps your shoulders and hands get used to the idea of all that weight on them.

When I first started, I was petrified of face planting. (I still am afraid of face planting, but I have done it so many times, I know it generally doesn't hurt THAT BAD, ​​​​

To overcome my faceplanting fear, I started with my head on a block or on a bolster. As soon as I knew I couldn't "fall" anywhere, it was like a magical lightbulb went off and BAM, I caught crow pose.

Everyone is different, so play with these adjustments and let me know what you think.

 Remember, this pose takes practice. If you have a lot of upper body strength, then you probably just jumped right into this pose easy peasy. However, if you were more like me when I first started, then this pose may take a minute to "Catch."

Don't give up. Anything worth having is worth working towards, so keep at it. You can practice this pose every day if you'd like, just a couple of moments at a time. If your wrists start to hurt, then take some time off and revisit on another day. Yoga is like golf, you'll never master it, so be happy to practice and tell the pose, "until tomorrow."

If you would like to practice with Jennifer some more, be sure to check out Thrive Online where you can join a community of strength seekers that use Yoga and Yoga inspired practices to help them build muscle, endurance AND flexibility.  She also is the lead teacher in Chattanooga's ONLY modular 200 hr teacher training program.