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THE ASANAS
Floor
Crow pose is an arm balance that uniquely develops
your strength, exibility, balance, and agility. Working your
wrist muscles is a great antidote to typing on a computer
all day. Plus, this challenging pose oers an opportunity
to face your fears and be playful in your practice.
THE BIG PICTURE
Practicing Crow strengthens the muscles
of your wrists, shoulders, arms, hips, and
abdomen. In this pose, you are fully
weight-bearing on your hands, with your
upper body working to support you and
keep you balanced.
CROW
Bakasana
ALIGNMENT
Your knees rest on a shelf created by your upper
arms. Gaze forward with your chin slightly lifted.
Press down into the floor and be prepared to fall
backward with grace.
Knees rest on
shelf created by
upper arms
Look forward
and out
to around
2 ft (60 cm)
Elbows
stable
Neck long
Press down
into floor
to lift up
Thighs
Your hip exors engage to
ex your hips. Your hamstrings
ex your knees and your
quadriceps stretch. Your
adductors are recruited
to adduct and stabilize
your hips and thighs.
Lower legs
Your plantar exors engage
to point your toes, while your
dorsiexors slightly stretch—
particularly your tibialis anterior.
Hip
Semitendinosus
Tensor fasciae latae
Rectus femoris
Biceps femoris
Vastus lateralis
Soleus
Tibialis anterior
Gastrocnemius
Flexor hallucis longus
Ankle
Knee
Toes pointed
KEY
Joints
Muscles
Engaging
Engaging while
stretching
Stretching
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