Today’s modern life gives us the lure of pleasures and facilities. The cost we pay for it in the form of obesity, high blood pressure, heart problems and we paves the way for mental health issues that beset society Amidst today’s modern ill health. The science of Yoga is a ray of hope that illuminates our path with equanimity, harmony, and well-being.
One such asana of yoga science is Bakasana/The Crane Pose. It is also called Crow Pose Yoga. The word Bakasana is made up of two words of the Sanskrit language. The first word “Baka” means Crane while “Asana” means posture.
Bakasana yoga is an arm balancing posture and part of hatha yoga and modern yoga where the hands are on the floor and the legs are raised and the chin rests on the arms. Crane Pose targets the abdomen, arms, wrists, and upper back.
Bakasana- Origin and History
The earliest mention of Bakasana Yogasana is found in Hatha Ratnavali. This is a 17th-century text that lists Bakasana as number 62 out of 84. It is said that this asana was first taught by Shiva. Bakasana is also known as Crane Pose. Bakasana or Crow Pose Yoga is called Crane because the body posture in this is similar to that of a crane.
Birds like the Crane were considered messengers of God in many Asian cultures. These birds are believed to have the ability to move beyond the limited world and live between the limited and the infinite. These birds are considered to be the bridge between the earth and the sky. When a person can correct this mudra, he or she feels a sense of bliss.
Bakasana- Science
Bakasana is a mid-level balance posture in which we balance our entire body weight on our arms. This yoga asana strengthens your wrists, forearms, abdominal muscles and stretches your upper back. It is a great asana that keeps you refreshed and active, along it also gives a feeling of joy and happiness.
Also Read: Yoga for Knee Pain
Crane Pose strengthens the following muscles-
- Biceps, Triceps, and Forearms
- wrist and palm
- Core, upper back, and low back
Bakasana Health Benefits
Bakasana yoga has many physical and mental health benefits. The physical benefits of Bakasana pose are:
- Helps to strengthen the wrists: The main focus is wrists in the crane pose. This asana strengthens the arms and wrists thereby reducing the risk of injury. It also helps in curing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. By doing this asana, the functionality of the wrists and arms increases.
- Improves Coordination: As our body ages, the body loses balance and coordination. Bakasana yoga pose improves balance, concentration, and coordination and thus improves our quality of life.
- Improve spinal flexibility: The wrong posture and wrong lifestyle of our body lead to problems of the spine and back. Bakasana increases the elasticity and flexibility of the spine and makes it more supple. Crow pose yoga puts less strain on the ligaments and joints aiding the overall health of the body
- Opens up the waist: In this crane pose, the inner thighs get a good stretch and this helps in opening up the muscles of the waist. This asana prevents knee injury and hip joint. Bakasana also works on abs and thighs.
- Full body workout: Crow yoga pose is a full-body workout just like Suryanamaskar. It tones the arms, core muscles, wrists, back, and legs.
The Mental health benefits of Bakasana pose are-
- Crane yoga is yoga focused on lifting and balancing. This asana helps with your mind-body connection and it also enables greater focus and awareness of the body.
- This asana prepares the mind for meditation and encourages introspection and mindfulness.
- It relieves depression.
- This asana stimulates the chakras such as the solar plexus, crown, and throat.
- Practicing this asana improves the self-confidence of the mind and body.
Bakasana- Preparatory Pose
- Vajarasana
- Bhujangasana
- Adhomukh svasasana
- Chaturanga Dandasana
- Plank Pose
Bakasana step by step technique for Beginner
- The fear of you falling into this asana is one of the biggest hurdles that practitioners have to face many times. To overcome this fear, Bakasana can also be practiced in yoga in this way.
- Place a blanket or pillow in front of your mat.
- Now you come into Malasana and first of all place your head on your cushioning. Thus your head is already on the ground so there is no risk of falling.
- Now raise your buttocks and try to move your legs further inwards.
- Now engage your legs and bring your knees over your upper arms.
- Now lift one leg after another and try to maintain balance in this position.
- Your forearms should be vertical in this pose, otherwise, you will not be able to balance this pose.
- Now from here shift your body weight backward so that you can slowly lift your head.
- Now attach the toes.
- You pull the ribs further inwards and try to suck the stomach
- Now bring your knees and upper arms to each other.
Thus once you touch your toes you can finally straighten your arms.
Bakasana Advance Pose
Crane pose seems complicated in the beginning but it is not that complicated. There is a lot of fun in doing this asana. So let’s know how to do this asana
- You start from your sitting position or Malasana. Extend your hands forward and place your palms on the ground.
- Now bend the arms as you do during low plank (Chaturanga).
- Bring your knees to your outer upper arms and lift them over your body on the tips of your toes.
- Now spread your elbows wide so that it is easy for you to keep your knees on your upper arms.
- You bend towards your fingers and point your toes. Now create resistance with your fingers.
- Try to hollow out your body by drawing your ribs in and rounding your back.
- Now before you come into the asana, move your body weight forward on your arms.
- Now you will be able to feel the power flow in your upper arms.
- You should hold this position until your feet become light. You raise your legs one by one.
- You pull the ribs further inwards and try to suck the stomach
- Now bring your knees and upper arms to each other.
- Thus once you touch your toes you can finally straighten your arms.
- Now you are in Bakasana. Do it as easily as you can.
Common Mistakes during Bakasana
Many times beginners make some mistakes while doing Bakasana, which is as follows.
- Your elbows should be in line with your shoulders and wrists and should not be peeling.
- Try not to put too much weight on the wrist as it can lead to injury.
- Do not keep your fingers too close, but keep them spread out that way you’ll be able to hold on to the ground.
- Use your core muscles, not just relying on your hips.
- Do not rest your feet on the arm. Keep your knees up as high as you can.
- Don’t delay the transfer of weight on your hands otherwise, the body will not move up.
Do’s
- After coming into the Crow pose yoga posture, the elbows should be kept in line with the shoulders and wrists.
- You should use the core muscles and not the hips to keep your feet up.
- You keep steadily doing regular practice.
Don’t
- Do not attempt Crane pose immediately if you are a beginner
- When you master that, go for the advanced posture. If you are practicing the advanced asana, then you should do this asana under the supervision of a yoga teacher.
Limitations
The following people should not practice Bakasana-
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Sciatica pain
- Slip disc
- Spondylitis
- Wrist injury
- Shoulder injury and hamstring injury
FAQ’s-
Q-What is Bakasana good for?
A- Bakasana is a yoga asana that strengthens your shoulders, upper arms, forearms, and wrists. Along with this, it also strengthens and tones the core muscles and abdominal organs.
Q- Is Bakasana difficult?
A- It’s an arm balance that may seem easier than the one-arm handstand push-up, but it’s extremely challenging. Flying in this pose requires strength, patience, and courage.
Q- What sequences can help me move my hand balance beyond Bakasana?
A- There are several arm balance exercises you can do before Bakasana, Bhujangasana, Koundinyasana, and Ashtavakrasana. Once you have the balance to hold Bakasana you can begin to tone the Uddiyana bandha (lower abdominal muscles) in Chaturanga, Navasana, and Vasishthasana. You will build up the strength you need to lift your legs without resting on your arms.
Along with this, any hip opening pose will help you bring the knees over the shoulders But if you do a warm-up with Surya Namaskar and some basic standing poses like Padotonasana and Trikonasana
In the end- Bakasana Yoga Asana is one such effective asana which is considered as the Asian symbol of prosperity and youthfulness. People of China consider this asana as a symbol of longevity. Regular practice of crane pose is equally beneficial for both men and women but plays a particularly important role in making the body of women slim.
This asana is considered to be the best asana to strengthen the abdominal and back muscles and arms. A person has difficulty in doing this asana, but once the balance of the body is achieved, it can be practiced easily.
Yoga is not just a group of asanas but it is the union of body, mind, and soul. It is a scientific practice with a deep understanding of how to keep one’s body fit and mind calm. Yoga tells what to eat, how to eat when to eat, and what not to eat.
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