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| maybe someday… (via pinterest.com) |
When teaching I always incorporate an arm balance into my classes. I believe that simple arm balances are a concrete way to see that you’ve pushed yourself and feel a sense of accomplishment. I know that yoga is supposed to be non-competitive, even within oneself, but, especially with new students, it can feel really good to finally nail a cool pose, encouraging someone who might otherwise give up to continue with their practice.
Although I often work arm balances into my regular flows, I make a point to teach one of two poses in all of my classes: crow pose and shoulder pressure pose. Both poses are very accessible to new students and both allow for simple progression through the pose so you can see that you are making progress.
Learning to balance in crow pose was the key to my ability to use my core to control my postures. To develop a good base I will instruct students to simply crouch as low to the floor as is comfortable, then plant their hands firmly, shoulder width apart, then begin to lean forwards while squeezing the elbows towards one another. If the knees and shins can comfortably connect with the triceps, keep that connection while leaning forwards, keeping the gaze about a foot or so in front of the hands. Once comfortable with leaning forwards, one can begin to play with lifting the feet, tucking one heel, then the other, towards the glutes.
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| Size isn’t an obstacle 🙂 (via yogapancake.com) |
I enjoy teaching this pose to new students because I don’t think there’s a good way to cheat your way into crow. In order to progress through the pose, you have to play. You’ll fall on your face quite a few times and if you don’t engage your core, you won’t be able to keep your hips high enough to allow the feet to lift. Once the feet are lifted and you are able to stay here for a few breaths, you have direct knowledge of the core control necessary to maintain that balance. If the pose is practiced regularly, that core control will be cultivated and can be applied to every other pose.
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However, because of the head position in crow pose, the pose can be very intimidating. I probably teach shoulder pressure pose more often than crow simply because, even though it requires much more flexibility in the hips, it is less intimidating. I often start from a squatted position and just work to get the hands firmly planted on the mat. Once the hips are open enough, begin to walk the hands back, until they can plant behind the heels; it is necessary for me to lift my hips here so that there is enough space for my arms. I find that cupping the heel with the index finger and thumb is about the right hand placement for me; this is just what is comfortable on my shoulders and hips. Once you can press the hands fully into the mat behind the feet, allow the thighs to rest on the upper arms while squeezing the elbows together. Eventually you’ll begin to walk the feet towards each other, until you can hook one ankle on top of the other. Once the ankles are crossed, press into the hands and begin to sit back, allowing the ankles to rise off the mat.
This pose takes the fear of falling out of arm balances. It also has very distinct steps to work through in getting to the final pose so progress can be easily measured. I certainly don’t expect every student to get into either crow or shoulder pressure pose. I keep them in my teaching repertoire because they encourage play and provide a sense of accomplishment. I believe that things in life should be fun; my go-to farewell is not “goodbye” but “have fun.” By encouraging students to take some time to play with something as crazy as balancing on their hands, I hope that I have allowed them to bring some more fun into their lives and continue this pursuit off the mat.