Are you also feeling the FOMO (fear of missing out) when you look at videos of people acing challenging poses? But instead of feeling dejected, it’s important to seek inspiration, and with a proper guide, it is essential to try and challenge yourself. That’s how we found fashion designer Masaba Gupta acing a challenging yoga pose — kakasana or crow pose.
Adding some humour to her post’s caption, she wrote, “Today, I will be a crow.”
Taking some fitness inspiration from Masaba, here’s why you should add the pose under the guidance to your yoga repertoire.
Kakasana or the crow position has the arms angle like the crow’s legs and the legs become the crow’s wings. Kakasana or the crow position looks like a crow striking on its food.
“We should practice Kakasana to build wrist, arm, and shoulder strength to avoid injuries related to all of the three and it’s a preparatory practice for Adho Mukha Vrikshasana (handstand) and all the arm balancing postures in yoga. Kakasana is a standing arm-balancing asana which comes under the category of basic to intermediate level in yoga,” elucidated yoga instructor Fenil Purohit.
Purohit also listed the following benefits of this pose:
*It strengthens arms, shoulders, and abdominal and pelvic muscles.*It stretches the muscles of the back, spine, hips, and glutes.*Hygienic for the shoulder and scapula creating greater shoulder stability and mobility.*Kakasana tones the organs in the abdomen and improves digestion which gives relief from indigestion, constipation, and gas troubles.*This asana balances the nervous system which further improves balance, memory and concentration.*”Kakasana boosts our confidence to face the challenges of the outside world. It stimulates manipuraka chakra, ajna chakra, Vishuddhi, and Muladhara chakra. It relaxes our mind and body,” said Purohit.
Contraindications
Those who have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, high blood pressure, heart disease, Cerebral Thrombosis, or people with wrist, elbow, or shoulder injuries, women in menstruation or pregnancy should avoid this pose.
Also Read | Sonnalli Seygall shares three yoga asanas for good leg strength
Technique
*Start with the squatting position with the feet apart.*Spread your fingers pointing forward to activate your wrist joint*Keep the knees on the sides such that the inside of the thighs touches the outside of the upper arms as near as possible to the armpits.*Bend your elbows and shift your weight forward on both of your palms.*Now, lift one leg up then another leg, and both the legs up. Gaze at one point. Don’t close your eyes and focus on normal breathing for a while by staying here for 3-5 breaths and performing conscious differential relaxation.*Consciously relax the parts of the body uninvolved in maintaining the asana like the stomach, chest, back muscles, neck, and face to deepen the relaxation, comfort, and steadiness in the posture.
Breathing duration
“One can practice this for three rounds for 3-5 breaths each initially and after sufficient practice 1 round of 10-15 breaths is enough,” said Purohit.
What to keep in mind?
*Don’t hold this posture beyond your capacity.
*Perform the asana with yoga props as shown in the picture to avoid injury, especially for beginners in yoga.
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Masaba Gupta’s day out with yoga (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)
How do you ace it when you are a beginner?
*Mat roll or blanket under the palm to avoid wrist compression due to lack of mobility.*Chair and blanket under the chest to support proper form in case of lack of strength.*Block in between the thighs to activate inner leg muscles.*Strap work around the elbow to support the body and gain strength and stability.*Blocks under the heel for proprioception and more muscle engagement.
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