I love inversions. I love the challenge of trying to stay balanced. I love how strong my upper body feels while I'm in it, and I love how energized I feel getting fresh blood circulating to my brain.
Headstands, forearm stands, and handstands are all kinds of balancing inversions.
Headstands are the easiest inversion since your head and your forearms are planted on the ground. Handstands are the hardest (I think), because only your hands are holding your body up.
So that leaves forearm stands right in the middle with a moderate level of difficulty. You may find them easier than handstands, since both your forearms are helping you to stay balanced. Plus, you are lower to the ground, so you may find this easier to get into - it's less scary. This pose has a lot to do with shoulder and upper back strength, but it's also about engaging your core muscles.
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| Sanskrit Name: Pincha Mayurasana English Translation: Feathered Peacock Pose Also Called: Forearm Stand |
Want some tips for getting into it? Then read more
- If you are new to this pose, bring your mat up to a stable wall. Drop onto your hands and knees with your fingers about 3 feet or so away from the wall.
- In order to measure how far apart your arms need to be, grab a hold of opposite elbows with your hands (so your forearms are parallel with the front of your mat). Now straighten your arms out creating a straight line between both elbows, forearms, and middle fingers. Try to keep your arms parallel, and don't let your elbows slide out to the sides (or you'll end up doing a face plant).
- Walk your feet as close as you can towards your head and gaze between your hands - NOT at your feet.
- Now lift your right leg straight up. Stay here or work on taking little hops. Do this by bending your left knee slightly, and popping off the ball of your left foot. Keep your right leg lifted and work on holding your legs in split position (like the picture to the right). If you are near a wall, make sure you are close enough to touch it with just your toes.
- Once you've found your balance, you can work on bringing your legs together straight up towards the ceiling. Tucking your tailbone and your ribs in will help you stay balanced.
- Don't forget to try kicking up with the left leg too.
- After you've had enough of forearm stand, come down into Child's pose and rest.
Keep practicing and I know you'll soon have that "aha" moment where you finally feel yourself staying balanced. It's a feeling like no other.
Dwell
Robert Clergerie
Forzieri
I am not even gonna attempt to do this pose, I have a problem standing and walking without tripping as it is. Hats off to those that can do yoga.
1I wonder how many years does a person have to practice yoga to develop this type of body strength and balance?
2Wow. That's impressive.
3I love yoga...but I think I would put my back out if I tried to do that haha...
4I hear ya james bond girl! I would definitely hurt myself if I tried this one! Hahha
5I love yoga but, when my teacher asks us to do things like this I usually look at my bff and we just laugh like 3rd graders cause we know our limits!
6Looks amazing and I can't wait for my yoga class to start!
7i wish i could do that..
8hahahahh yeah f'n right.
9Nooooooo way!
10There is no way...
11omg, how can any living being do that? i endlessly admire the girl on the picture!
12Dayum!
13I LOVE this pose! I can't balance unassisted (yet), but we do this in my yoga classes both partnered and against a wall. It is soooo awesome for your shoulders and a lot of fun.
If you just want the benefits of opening up your shoulders without going all the way into the pose, you can stop at the third step, where you walk your feet forwards and look between your hands and then just hold it there. I've heard it called the Dolphin, but I don't know if it has a proper sanskrit name.
14thatgilrjj - You're right! you don't have to get both feet up in the air at all! The pose you're talking about, I learned was called "1/4 dog," like Downward facing Dog, but your elbows are on the ground. Really works your upper body!
I know this pose LOOKS really difficult, but once you give it a try, you'll see that your body is much stronger than you give it credit for. You never know what you can do unless you try, right?!
15huh, not so sure about this one. My problem with alot of poses like this (and yoga in general) is that I was a dancer and a gymnast so it gets all jumbled up. I just tried it but didn't really have the balance (or patience) to keep at it.
16looks scary but maybe you're right Fit - i should try it first!
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