Crow (Kakasana)

Balance, whether physical, mental, or emotional, is difficult to come by these days, and the pursuit of equilibrium is frequently a motivation for practicing yoga. The balancing postures of hatha yoga provide the body and mind with a sense of lightness and inner harmony. They also promote concentration and confidence while increasing strength and poise. The balancing postures expose our flaws and put our mental fortitude and nervous system control to the test. Arm balances, in particular, are useful for calming a wandering mind and smoothing out an unpredictable breathing pattern. The crow pose (kakasana, pronounced caw-caw-sana, like the crow's call) is one of the easiest arm balances to learn.

In Kakasana, the arms become the crow's legs, the hands become the crow's feet, and the thighs and legs are curled up to form the crow's body. Crows are quick on their feet, they hop and fly. They're not stuck on Earth. Unlike us, they do not have a pedestrian's sense of gravity. Assuming a crow's posture by bearing our weight on our hands and keeping the body compact and near to the ground allows us to break free from our regular patterns of locomotion and habitual tactics for regulating the body in relation to gravity.

Developing this new feeling of balance in the crow posture helps coordination while also developing strength and flexibility. Wrists, arms, and shoulders benefit the most, as they are not only stretched and strengthened but also revitalized. This position is particularly stimulating to the neurological and circulatory systems in the upper limbs and torso. The posture instills confidence in the arms' ability to hold the body's weight, as well as a sense of lifting and control via the pelvis and abdomen. This is essential for optimum health as well as the performance of many other asanas and pranayama techniques.

The crow posture can be difficult, but with proper technique and a little strength and flexibility, it's a lot of fun to try. It requires some arm and shoulder strength, but it is not as difficult as it appears. The sun salutation is an excellent exercise for improving shoulder strength and flexibility, as well as the whole-body integration essential for balance. Furthermore, performing the crow pose with tight, weak arms and shoulders can cause wrist pain, whereas the downward- and upward-facing dog positions (part of the sun salutation) strengthen the wrists. Even yet, those with wrist injuries or issues should proceed with caution or skip this position in favor of balance poses that do not extend the wrists, such as the headstand or forearm balance.

The crow posture can be difficult, but with proper technique and a little strength and flexibility, it's a lot of fun to try. Hip flexibility and lower abdominal strength are also elements that limit the crow pose, thus the following postures can help prepare you for it.

Step by step:

• Begin with your knees wide apart in a squat. It doesn't matter if your feet are together or apart.
• Place your hands 6–8 inches in front of your feet, shoulder distance apart, on the floor. Your hands can be a little wider if your shoulders are tense.
• Raise your hips high and land on the balls of your feet. Bring your knees up to the level of your upper arms.
• Tilt your torso forward to the point where your shoulders are positioned between your legs.
• Press your knees firmly against your upper arms. Crow requires you to balance them on your triceps, whereas Crane requires you to tuck them closer to your armpits.
• Continue reaching forward with your chest until your elbows are stacked over your wrists and your center of gravity shifts.
  
• Raise your heels to the level of your buttocks. You can either grab your outside shoulders with your knees or balance your triceps with your knees.
• Press your arms as straight as can while pulling your feet and buttocks together for Crane.
• Hold for 5–10 breaths before letting your feet fall to the floor.

Beginner’s Tips:

• Before attempting these poses, warm up your wrists.
• Beginners usually enter this position by elevating their buttocks high off the ground and away from their heels. Rather, keep your tummy tucked in and your heels and buttocks close together.
• Push your upper arms on your shins and drag your inner groin toward your pelvis to assist with the lift when you're ready to take your feet off the floor.
• Strengthening your core is beneficial. Although Crow and Crane appear to need a lot of arm strength, the majority of the work is done by your abdominals. As your abs become stronger, you can reduce the amount of weight you place on the backs of your arms.
  
• Don't rush the position or try to find balance by propelling yourself forward hastily. Slowly walk, ensuring that you maintain your balance at all times.
• You will feel more stable and strong if you press your arms into your knees and your knees into your arms.
• If your elbows splay out or your shoulders slump, practice transitioning from Plank to Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) with your elbows in and shoulders back away from your ears. This will build upper-body strength and prepare you for Crane or Crow.
• Fear of falling can make it difficult to enter Crane or Crow. While learning this pose, it may be beneficial to place a folded blanket, bolster, or cushion on the ground beneath your head.

Common Mistakes

• Weight is unevenly distributed when the hips are excessively high, practically vertical to the head. This not only raises the likelihood of face-planting on the mat but also increases the pressure and weight on the wrists. Muscle and joint ailments can result from carrying too much weight on the wrists. Furthermore, because the arms compensate for a lack of core activation, unequal weight distribution makes the body feel heavier and more difficult to lift. Activating the intercostal and back muscles lifts and holds the legs up, gently rounding the back. The weight is distributed more equally throughout the palms by spreading the fingers and grounding from the knuckles to the fingertips. The angle of the wrists to the floor is also reduced by moving the hips back and keeping the elbows stacked directly above the wrists (forearms perpendicular to the floor).
• Because outward-pointing elbows can stress the joint and raise the weight in the wrists, bending the elbows out to the sides may create joint pain. This is also why, in Chaturanga, it's ideal to keep the elbows hugging the ribcage. As a base for Crow Pose, practice Chaturanga arms. Elbows directly over wrists, bending backward so that the creases face forward.
• Tension is frequently held in the shoulders. Crow Pose causes the shoulders to slide up to the ears, compressing them and perhaps injuring the shoulder girdle or rotator cuff. Begin by rolling your shoulders down your spine before reaching forward with your sternum and opening your collarbones in Crow Pose.
• Getting your feet off the ground may be a thrilling experience and a huge accomplishment. So much so that it's easy to forget to keep lifting the feet once they're up. The feet dangle and get heavier until they fall back to the mat, which is a normal misalignment. Squeeze the big toes together as you lift your feet toward the buttocks. When it's time to lower, use your back muscles and spine to gently lower your toes onto the mat, then shift your weight back into your feet. The more core strength required, the quieter and slower the change.
• The gaze is drawn back to the feet, which is beneficial for forwarding rolls but not so much for Crow Pose. Alternatively, the gaze is directed straight down at the mat, which increases the risk of falling forward and injuring muscles and joints. Move your gaze forward about 3 feet in front of your hands. If you're afraid of falling, practice falling and getting back up with a pillow or two in front of your hands.