Arm balancing poses in yoga have been my nemesis ever since I began practicing more than 4 years ago. Most people in class get into crane without any difficulty or effort. Not for me. I barely can get my toes off the ground for 3 seconds without toppling over. In December when I did Grow Soul Beautiful’s #YogaADay Challenge, I cringed at posting this picture.
I was lucky enough to get one decent pic with my feet off the floor all thanks to a fast shutter speed. I vowed then and there that I would make it a point to work on my arm balances and inversions. Very fitting since this year my intention is to find balance in my life.
I know what my problem is – fear. Fear of falling flat on my face and breaking my nose. Fear of my wrists breaking from under weight. Knowing that I have difficulty with crane, I approach the pose with anxiety – I hold my breath and tense up. All things that do not help at all in achieving anything, particularly a yoga pose.
According to Yoga Journal and my new yoga teacher, it’s not about having enough strength in your arms and core. Sure you need strength to hold the pose but it’s mostly about relaxing and opening the body specifically the hips and groin. If you can hold plank or Chaturanga Dandasana (4-limbed staff pose) you have enough strength. I’ve got no problem with those two poses. Essentially, it’s about letting go of fear and relaxing. Obviously something I need to work on.
There are a few poses that are suggested to help achieve opening of the hips and safely rounding the back since arm balances are so compact. You want to be able to practically roll yourself into a ball.
and
To release tension in the hips and legs, these poses are suggested:
Since I’ve begun to focus on improving my arm balances (focusing on crane as a starting point), I have noticed a slight difference. Relaxing, breathing and looking forward rather than down have helped. I have also begun to be less harsh on myself. If I try to hard, it’s not going to happen. It’ll happen one day and when it does I’ll probably fall right out of the pose because I’ll be so shocked and happy!
Do you have a nemesis pose in yoga or any other activity?
My yoga nemesis is also crow, when I am consistently performing yoga I can do it, but when I slack I can’t. Headstands are also a big challenge for me.
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I also have a hard time with crow. My wrists always feel like they are going to break.
I know the feeling!
I used to be able to do crow, but lately can’t find my balance. My nemesis though is half moon. Go figure.
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Half moon is one of those poses that some days I can nail it and others I’m flat on my face.
I think you are pretty amazing with what you CAN do, and also for being determined to nail the inversions. When it comes to yoga, I am pretty quick to give in to my limitations, which is just sad! So keep at it and I have no doubt you’ll get there.
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Thank you!
Any pose that involves complete bending of my left knee is a nemesis for me. Ergh, knee surgery!
Your poses are truly beautiful Angela. Love the pictures!
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Interesting – sort of makes sense though – just read a chapter in my ISSA study guide about stability and how stance or lowering yourself to the ground gives you a better base. So doing the positions correctly aligned is helping give your body the necessary stability to hold the poses, giving you the base.
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..Thoughts & Things: Blood Thinners, Running, Bike Trainer
Yes!
What your teacher said about the relaxation being just as (or more) important than strength struck me- I just started reading Chi Running, and he has a similar belief. Letting go of tension in our bodies can make such a big difference!
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Love Chi Running! One of my local yoga studios will be doing a workshop on it soon. Sounds really interesting!
I think you look pretty good rocking that pose. I am no good at inversions either and I can’t do a handstand to save my life
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I struggled with crow for YEARS. For me, it was way more mental than anything else. I just had to let go and let my body do its thing.
I need to repeat – let go. let go. let go…trying!
These are soooooo challenging for me. I find it really interesting what you said about actual strength vs relaxation. Perhaps I’ll work on my balance too.
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I thought for sure it was because I didn’t have enough arm strength. But I also know that I immediately tense up when it comes to an arm balance. Not good. Working on it!
Crow! And also any inversions. I know I am holding myself back in them. My yoga teacher has referred to my tightness as “stable”, but I am tight EVERYWHERE, but especially in my hips, which is why crow and I don’t get along at the moment. Need to work on letting go…
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Best of luck to you in letting go!
Recline Hero is so hard for me. It hurts me a lot!
You look beautiful in your photos xo
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Thanks!
It looks great! I still have trouble with that pose, but it doesn’t bother me much, as my main motivation in going to yoga is simply to stretch for running.
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Good for you! Yoga is great for runners.
Interesting concept on the arm poses requiring relaxing – I struggle with crane and I don’t even know if it is possible for me to relax when I’m doing it. It just seems unnatural! I guess it’s try, and try again!
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I think I’ve found it harder to relax now that I’ve been told to relax. Gah!
Thanks for the tips:) I always see people doing these amazing poses and wish that I could do them too. I am going to work on it!
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Good luck to you!
My favorite way to ‘get into’ crane is to start in down dog. Then ‘walk the feet’ up to my hands, tuck my knees as close as I can into my armpits, lean forward just a tad and stand on my tip toes until I’m ready for ‘lift off’! My yoga teacher that I’ve been going to recently taught me that trick and it might help you too (on top of the stretching
)
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Great tip! Going to try it!
Wonderful post! I could do childs pose all day long. Not sure if it will help me all that much since I have no desire to come out of it.
Anything with a back bend to it makes me feel like I’ve suddenly lost all flexibility. My back does not want to do that!
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Hmmmm…don’t think staying in childs pose for days is going to help you out any.
My goal is the arm balancing poses too! I always assumed it took a lot of strength.
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You definitely need some arm and core strength but not nearly as much as one would think. For me, it’s mental for sure.
I tried the crane and toppled over… But it was fun trying!!
Haha! Glad you enjoyed yourself!
I always freak out a little (and discourage myself, ugh) when it comes to doing crane pose. It’s so tough! I love this idea of just breathing well and relaxing to accomplish it though.
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I’m gonna have to try that after this baby is born. That looks so challenging!
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My hips are what give me trouble. I have been working on letting go of tension and letting go of the expectations. I will work to open them and ok with where I am at with that part of my practice but its taken months for it to not hurt anymore to sit in easy pose even though it still looks like it hurts
Put a pillow in front of you when you do crow. It might help mentally to get past the fear. Also practice in your mind how to fall. Imagine yourself turning your face to the side so you dont hit your nose. And then imagine yourself being fine, laughing, and trying again. Face plants happen but its the fear of them that is the worst part.
The Crane was my nemesis forever! When I finally accomplished it without tipping over onto my head I was so excited
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Yes, fear is what totally holds me back with regard to arm balances and inversions. Those are definitely my two nemesis (nemesi?) too! I do feel like my wrists are going to break and that they are not capable of holding my weight – in both arm balances and handstand. I know that a lot of it has to do with letting go and releasing but it’s so hard. Crow is the only arm balance that I can do and I figured it out relatively easily. Everything else? Nearly impossible for me. With crow, I try to remember not to look straight down at the ground but to look a few inches forward so that my head is lifted. I think that helps with the balance.
I love that you are working on this too. Let’s conquer those inversions and arm balances!
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I have the same problem with balancing poses! I just really don’t want to break my face.
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