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Strike a Yoga Pose: Straight Legs Side Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:30:00 -0800

If you had a fun time practicing the arm-balancing pose Side Crow, then you're going to love this next pose called Straight Legs Crow. It's a little bit more challenging since it requires strength, balance, and flexibility, but once you nail it, you'll feel amazing.

Sanskrit Name: Koundinyasana A or Dwi Pada Koundinyasana
English Translation: Two-Legged Sage Pose
Also Called: Straight Legs Side Crow

To learn how to get into this acrobatic-looking pose read more.

Begin squatting down on your mat with your knees and feet together. Rotate your torso to the left and place both palms flat on the ground, shoulder width apart. They should be perpendicular to your thighs.
Spread your fingers as wide as you can and begin to shift to the left, putting some of your weight into your hands. Your outer left knee is going to rest on your right elbow and your outer left thigh (close to your hip) is going to rest on your left elbow. Think of your arms as the legs of a table, and your left thigh is the tabletop.
Try to keep your knees together as you shift all your weight into your hands and slowly lift your feet off the floor.
It's OK if you lose your balance and fall over. Just keep trying until eventually you can hold this pose for five even breaths.
Then bend your knees and lower your feet back to the floor. Rotate your torso over to the right, place your palms on the ground, and try this pose on the right side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Staff

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:49 -0700

Some yoga poses require flexibility like Tortoise, some are all about your strength like Scissor Legs Side Crow, and some demand extreme balance like Headstand Scorpion. Then there are poses that don't call for much but your stillness and attention to breath.

Sanskrit Name: Dandasana
English Translation: Staff Pose
Also Called: Stick

To learn how to do this simple pose read more.

Sit on your mat with both legs together so they're straight out in front of you.
Place your palms flat on the floor beside your hips, and actively press them into the ground. Keep both arms as straight as possible, and lengthen your spine, imagining it is a sturdy staff or cane someone would use to walk with. Roll your shoulders away from your ears and tuck your chin. Engage your leg muscles and flex your feet.
Stay here for five deep breaths, keeping your belly still and only breathing into your ribs. Then release.

Have any burning questions about yoga? Then post them to the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Compass

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0700

All you runners and bikers out there, I know you're always in need of a good hamstring stretch. Here's one that allows you to concentrate on one leg at a time, and will also open your hips and shoulders.

Sanskrit Name: Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana
English Translation: Revolved Compass Pose
Also Called: Compass

To learn how to do this pose read more.

Sit at the top of your mat with your legs straight in front of you. Bend your right knee and hold onto it with your left hand. Press your knee back behind you as far as you can and place your right hand underneath your right leg, planting your palm firmly on the right corner of your mat.
From here, straighten your right leg as much as you can by taking your right arm overhead, and straighten that as well. Turn your head to the left and gaze toward the ceiling. Work on straightening your spine and leaning back slightly to increase the stretch in your right hamstring and left side of the body.
Hold for five breaths, then bend your right leg and arm and release your right leg back to the floor. Then repeat this pose with the left leg.

Whether you're new to yoga or have been practicing for a while, check out FitSugar's Yoga Stretch and Tell Group. It's a place where you can get info about the latest yoga clothes and gear, post questions, and share your yoga moments like being able to hold Crow pose for the first time!

Strike a Yoga Pose: Scissor Legs Side Crow to One-Legged Arm Balance

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0800

I've shown you all some pretty advanced arm balancing poses found in yoga; one being Scissor Legs Side Crow, a balancing spinal twisting pose where your legs are scissored out to the side. In another arm balance, One-Legged Arm Balance, you balance on your hands while your legs are in a split position. After experimenting with both poses, it's really fun to work on switching from one to the other without letting your feet touch the floor. It's a challenge but well worth the work.

To see how to do it, watch this video after you read more.

Music: "Infusion" by Adham Shaikh

Begin by getting into Straight Legs Side Crow, with your outer left thigh resting on your right elbow. Then bring your right leg behind you, scissoring your legs, coming into Scissor Legs Side Crow. Hold for a second or two.
Then bring your right leg forward and slide it in front of your left leg so your inner right thigh is now resting on your right elbow. Slide your left leg off your right elbow and bring it behind you. Your legs are now in a split, and you're in One-Legged Arm Balance pose. Hold for a second or two.
When you're ready, step your right leg back, coming into Four-Limbed Staff pose. Inhale to Upward Facing Dog, and exhale to Downward Facing Dog. Now try this sequence on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Scissor Legs Side Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:00:22 -0800

After practicing Side Crow and Straight Legs Crow, you're ready to give this pose called Scissor Legs Side Crow a try. It's similar to One-Legged Arm Balance, but it's a twist instead of a hamstring stretch. As with all arm-balancing poses, it'll take practice, strength, and stability to achieve this pose, so keep trying until you master it.

Sanskrit Name: Koundinyasana B
English Translation: Pose dedicated to the Sage Koundinya
Also Called: Scissor Legs Side Crow

To learn how to get into this acrobatic-looking pose, read more.

Begin squatting down on your mat with your knees and feet together. Rotate your torso to the left and place both palms flat on the ground, shoulder width apart. They should be perpendicular to your thighs.
Spread your fingers as wide as you can and begin to shift to the left, putting some of your weight into your hands. Your outer left knee is going to rest on your right elbow, and your outer left thigh (close to your hip) is going to rest on your left elbow. Think of your arms as the legs of a table, and your left thigh is the tabletop.
Try to keep your knees together as you shift all your weight into your hands and slowly lift your feet off the floor. Then straighten your legs out to the side, coming into Straight Legs Crow
Keep your left leg in contact with both elbows. Then slowly straighten your right leg behind you so it's parallel with your torso. Hold this pose for five even breaths.
Then bring your right leg back on top of your left, bend your knees and lower your feet back to the floor. Rotate your torso over to the right, place your palms on the ground, and try this pose on the right side.

You Asked: How Can I Tone My Arms and Upper Back?

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

Hey Fit,

I'm in a wedding at the end of August. I feel pretty good about the way I look, but my arms always look bulky in wedding photos! I have access to equipment at the gym but was wondering if there are any general exercises that I could do without using weight machines.

- Bridesmaid to Be

Awesome question. Since summer is closer than we think, now's the time to start toning our arms and upper backs for tank tops and sleeveless dresses. There are definitely some great exercises you can do that don't require any machines. To find out what they are read more.

Push-ups are an oldie but goodie. They're great because they focus on toning the backs of your arms and your upper back. You can do "classic" push-ups with your legs straight, or you can do them with your knees on the ground. You can also do push-ups with your legs on a step or gym ball. The decline helps to add resistance making this push-up a bit more challenging. You can also try side push-ups for an extra challenge too.

Yoga poses also help to tone your arms and upper back and you don't need any equipment for them. They work because you're lifting your own body weight. Beginner's Sage works your shoulders and abs, Crow works your arms, and Wheel strengthens your back. If you like balancing poses, holding headstand for a while, even if your feet are leaning against a wall, really works your upper back and shoulders.

If you have a set of hand weights, doing Reverse Rows in Plank position is another great move. You'll really feel the burn in your upper back and triceps. You can also use your weights to follow along with this Starter Arms Video. It targets your upper arms, shoulders and upper back.

Fit's Tips: My friend Dear also has some great advice about how to pose for pictures. She says that if you're self-conscious about your arms, put one hand on your hip, or rest your arms slightly away from your body so they don't smush out and look wider than they really are.

Source

Strike a Yoga Pose: Cobra

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Some yoga poses require a ton of strength such as Crow, and other poses involve balance such as Standing Hand to Big Toe. Then there are those poses that are all about relaxing and gently stretching your muscles. Cobra is one of those poses that's all about feeling good and breathing. As you increase flexibility in your spine, you are also opening your shoulders and chest (heart), which makes you feel light and ready to give and accept love.

Sanskrit Name: Bhujangasana
English Translation: Cobra Pose
Also Called: Snake

Lie on your belly, on either a thick yoga mat, cotton rug, or a carpeted surface. Since your hip bones will be on the ground, you want to make sure they are padded and won't bruise. If you were doing some standing or seated poses before this, feel free to take a vinyasa to get back to Downward Facing Dog, and then come to lie on your belly.
Bring your legs together so your knees are touching. Then extend your arms straight out in front of you.
As you lift your head up off the ground, begin to slowly walk your hands in, keeping your hips and thighs on the ground, but gently arching your lower back. Walk them in as far as you want, keeping your elbows slightly bent. If your back is really flexible, you can begin to straighten your arms.
Actively roll your shoulders back and down away from your ears, elongating your neck. Keep looking in front of you, or if you want more of a stretch, drop your head back between your shoulder blades.
Stay here, opening through the chest, making sure to relax all your muscles (don't clench your butt). Take deep breaths, at least 5 or more, and then slowly lower your chest back to the ground. Lay your arms next to the sides of your body and bring one cheek to the ground.
When you're ready, you can bring your hands by your shoulders, press into your arms, bend your knees and come into Child's pose to release your lower back and neck.