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How to Master Scissor Legs Side Crow Pose

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:23:43 PDT

Even if you've never done regular ol' Crow Pose, you can master this advanced variation of this arm balance with the right preparation. Yoga arm balances may look straight out of Cirque du Soleil and impossible, but breaking the poses down step by step can help you master them. Try out this sequence of yoga poses to stretch your hip flexors, increase the flexibility of your spine, and build your upper-body strength so the next time you hit the mat, you'll be able to do Scissor Legs Side Crow.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Side Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:00:18 PST

Good ol' Crow post perfectly illustrates that yoga is not all about stretching. Arm balances take arm strength and a balanced core. The twisted variation known as Side Crow may look more difficult than your basic Crow, but some people find it's actually easier. This pose strengthens your shoulders and abs, and the twisting will also increase flexibility in your lower back.

Sanskrit Name: Parsva Bakasana
English Translation: Side Crane Pose
Also Called: Side Crow

Learn the details of the pose when you

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 lower your feet back to the floor. Rotate your torso over to the left, place your palms on the ground, and try this pose on the right side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Hummingbird

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:30:00 PDT

I think we're all ready to kick it up a notch and try this gorgeous arm balancing yoga pose. I know it looks intense and very advanced, but as with most yoga poses, with a few tricks and some practice, you'll have this pose down in no time. I've never seen this taught in a traditional yoga class, but actually saw it on this old Russian yoga competition video. Talk about an oxymoron!

Sanskrit Name: None found
English Translation: Hummingbird

I know you're dying to try it. To see a video demonstrating an easy way to get into this pose just

You really need open hips for this pose, so you may want to spend some time doing Butterfly, Pigeon, and Double Pigeon as a warm-up.
When you're ready, start in a standing position. Bend your right knee and place your right ankle right above your left knee. Then bend both knees and squat down, keeping your right ankle in place, so your foot is hanging off the side of your thigh.
Rotate your torso to the left so that your right foot comes in contact with your right tricep. You want your left thigh to be pressing against the outside edge of your right foot (it helps to keep your right foot from sliding off your arm). Rest your left hip on your left elbow for added support. Place both palms firmly on the ground.
In order to balance, you need to put weight into your right foot, as if you're stepping up onto the back of your right arm. Press into your palms and lift your left leg straight out, so that your left thigh is resting on your right elbow.
Bring your gaze to your left toes and hold for five deep breaths. Then release by bending your left knee and placing your left foot on the ground, and then your right. Come up to stand, and then try this pose on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: One-Legged Arm Balance

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 04:00:00 PST

This pose called One-Legged Arm Balance stretches your front hamstring and strengthens your upper body like you wouldn't believe. I know it looks really hard, but if you practice the prep for this pose, you'll get used to placing your elbows into your belly so you can balance on your hands.

Sanskrit Name: Eka Pada Koundinyasana
English Translation: One-Legged Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya
Also Called: One-Legged Arm Balance

Once you can do the prep, then you can work on the steps to get into One-Legged Arm Balance. With a little practice and determination, you'll be balancing in no time. To see the steps

From Warrior 1 with your right foot forward, lower your hands down to the ground and pick your back heel up. Bring your right shoulder as far underneath your right knee as possible, and plant your right hand next to the outside edge of your right foot.
Now rest the weight of your right hamstring on your right tricep and see if you can pick your right foot off the ground. Work on straightening the leg as much as you can (I know it's hard).
From here, lower your torso so that your left elbow presses into your belly between your ribs and your hip. This is the most important step.
Once your left elbow is into your belly and your right tricep is holding your right leg, press into your hands, lean your weight forward, and lift your left foot off the ground so you're balancing on both hands equally. Stay here for five or more breaths (or as long as you can) and then lower your feet down to the ground. Step your right foot back and take a vinyasa (Chaturunga, Up Dog, Down Dog). Then step your left foot forward, rise into Warrior 1 and try these steps on the left side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Prep For One-Legged Arm Balance

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:00:00 PST

Yoga poses aren't always calm and relaxing. Some poses require a lot of strength and some circus-like balancing skills. At first glance they may seem impossible, but if you learn the tricks and master the preparatory exercises, you'll be able to do poses you never thought you could do.

In the yoga video Warrior Triangle Sequence, one of the postures I showed you called Eka Pada Koundinyasana (a one-legged pose dedicated to the Sage Koundinya) is tough at first, so it's a good idea to practice the prep pose (pictured below) first. This pose will strengthen your upper body and teach you how to balance your own weight above the ground. It's a really empowering pose once you get it, and it's not easy, so keep at it until you have lift off.

Want to see how to get into this pose step by step? Then

Kneel down on your mat and sit on your heels.
Place your hands firmly on the ground, with your fingers pointing slightly diagonally out to the side.
Now lean your torso forward, bend your elbows and place them below your ribs. You want all your weight into your elbows and hands, but keep the fingers spread wide to help take any uncomfortable pressure out of your wrists. Now try and lift your knees off the ground.
Once your knees are up, try to bring your feet together behind you. Stay here for five breaths or as long as you can. Then lower your knees to the ground and sit back up.

Inversion Issues: How to Remedy Common Shoulderstand Complaints

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:14:27 PDT

You're loving your yoga class from Half Moon to Pigeon Pose, but as soon as you get to Shoulderstand, you're less than psyched. Although a basic - challenging, but basic - pose, Shoulderstand can put you at risk of strain and injury when done incorrectly. Turn this pose into your favorite by checking out these common complaints and ways to remedy them.

"I Can't Breathe"
If you're well endowed or carry extra weight in your belly, then gravity causes added pressure on the lungs and throat, making it tough to take in a deep breath. A supportive bra and fitted top can help, but if you still have trouble breathing, then changing how you do the pose will make a huge improvement. Instead of stacking your pelvis and feet directly over your shoulders, hinge at your hips slightly, pressing them away from your face so your feet extend slightly behind your head.

Still can't breathe? Try the Legs Up the Wall variation; rest your lower back on your mat or, to give your hips a little lift, rest your lower back on a folded-up blanket or flat bolster.

Continue reading to learn how to alleviate neck pain and feelings of imbalance while in Shoulderstand.

Barre Workouts are Expensive! Try This At-Home Alternative Instead

Self — Wed, 23 May 2012 04:23:06 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Barre classes may make you easy on the eyes, but at $20 or more a pop, they're definitely not easy on the wallet. Rather than take a second job to pay for our latest fitness addiction, we turned to Beverly Hill-based Cardio Barre instructor Stacey Bosworth to get the inside scoop on scoring a long, lean dancer's body in your living room. "This at-home workout is effective because it targets the whole lower body. Cardio Barre is amazing because it is a no-impact workout that allows you to lengthen and strengthen your muscles while burning fat. It will also help increase your flexibility and strength," says Bosworth.

Celebrity devotees, including Dakota Fanning, Neve Campbell, and Heather Morris, can all attest to the fact that Cardio Barre has given them "a lifted tush and leaner, dancer-like legs!" Incorporate these three moves into your regular routine three times a week for maximum results.

Butt Blaster
Come down to the floor on both forearms with your knees bent. Your left hip is directly over your left knee. Your right leg is bent to a 90-degree angle with your foot flexed. Extend your right leg toward the ceiling as if you were pushing the ceiling away from you (see photo above). Bring your right leg down past your left hip and then back up toward the ceiling, keeping your leg parallel to the floor with your kneecap pointing toward the ground and your foot flexed. You are doing a full range of motion, trying to imagine extending your leg all the way through the ceiling.

Keep reading for more barre moves you can do at home!

4 Reasons to Add an Exercise Ball to Your Home Gym

Leta Shy — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:58:44 PDT

The exercise ball may occupy a lot of room in your home gym, but it's one versatile piece of equipment. Find out how to get the most out of your exercise ball below.

A healthier seat: Ditch your normal seat on the couch and sit on an exercise ball instead. Using a ball to sit helps correct your posture, tones your abs, and encourages you to stretch, all of which sounds a lot better than the lower back pain that too much sitting on the couch can cause.

Routine shakeup: Adding an exercise ball to your normal mat routines can shake things up and challenge you. For example, you can plank using an exercise ball at your feet to make holding your pose that much harder, or sit or lay on your exercise ball while you execute arm exercises. Even just practicing your balance by kneeling on the exercise ball can help you tone and whittle. Need some ideas? Try these amazingly effective ab and butt workouts using the exercise ball:

Find out how to do the plank pike and the hamstring curl using an exercise ball with this advanced exercise ball workout video.
Skip boring crunches and do this ball pass ab exercise instead.
Challenge your core and balance with this single-leg squat, done against a wall using an exercise ball.
Lie on the ball and work your arms with this chest press move.

Read on for more reasons to use an exercise ball.

Common Treadmill Woe: How to Avoid a Stiff Neck While Running

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:13:23 PDT

Many people prefer hitting the treadmill to running outdoors, but if you're not careful, along with that toned tush you might end up with a stiff neck, resulting in a nagging headache. Follow these tips the next time you hop on the treadmill to prevent this common running woe.

Keep Your Gaze Forward
One gym perk is its televisions, which allow you to catch up on the news or your favorite TV show. It becomes a problem, however, if your gym mounts its TVs on the wall instead of using individual screens on each machine - if you're looking up and to the right for 30 minutes straight, it's no secret why your neck hurts! Avoid cranking your head upward or all the way to one side by choosing a treadmill directly in front of the TV you're watching. Or better yet, bring in your iPad and place it on the magazine rack of your machine to keep your head directly over your spine. The same goes for chatting with your running buddy on the treadmill next to you - keep the conversation going while looking straight ahead.

Keep reading for more tips on preventing neck pain on the treadmill.

Amp Up Your Workout With These Balance Exercises

Susi May — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:37:25 PDT

If you're looking to amp up your fitness routine, you need to get unstable. Performing classic single-leg exercises while standing on a foam pad, like the one pictured above by Aeromat, is simple way to do this. The squishy surface forces your core and legs to work harder, increasing your strength gains and caloric burn. Standing on the soft surface also strengthens your feet and ankles, which is important if you're flirting with the barefoot running trend or plan to spend lots of time hiking hilly terrain this Summer.

To get started, try this three-exercise progression I learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren. Once you've mastered a variation, try the next level up. As you experiment with these moves, you will feel your weight shift from side to side on your foot, which means the muscles that support your arch and ankle are working. If you find your feet cramping, spread your toes wide in your shoes or try the exercise in just socks.

Learn the moves after the break.