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Strike a Yoga Pose: Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I love yoga poses that both challenge my sense of balance and work on my strength, like this one called Crow. I know it looks really hard, but once you break it down step by step and practice it a lot, you'll be flying like a crow in no time. Not only does it feel amazing to be balancing solely on your hands, but this pose really works your core and upper body, so it'll make you feel strong inside and out.

This pose is ultimately done with your arms straight, which takes a ton of upper body and abdominal strength. Once you can do this easily with your elbows bent then you can work on straightening your arms.

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

How do you do this pose? To find out read more.

Begin in a Wide Squat. Place your palms firmly on the ground in front of you. Be sure to spread your fingers as wide as you can, and press into your fingertips to release any pressure in your wrists.
Now straighten your legs slightly and place your knees as high up onto your triceps as possible, toward your armpits.
Shift your weight forward into your hands and see if you can lean the weight of your knees into the backs of your arms. Then try lifting one foot off the ground and then the other. If you can bring your toes together, you'll feel more compact and it'll be easier to balance. Squeeze your knees together slightly and pull your belly button in towards your spine to give you a sense of lightness.
Stay here for five breaths or you can work on straightening your arms. It's OK if you lose your balance and fall over. It took me a ton of tries to be able to stay balanced. Just keep trying!
After you've had enough, release your feet down to the ground and come into Child's pose to give your lower back and upper body a break. Then do these two wrist stretches to increase flexibility in your hands and wrists.

Challenge Your Sense of Balance

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Many people take up Yoga as a way to relax, reduce stress and bring a sense of inner calmness. For me, balancing poses are the most effective at reducing the stresses of life because they require all my attention and focus, that I am forced to forget about everything else. Staying in the pose and not falling requires all your effort and concentration. Once you release the pose, you feel an amazing wave of relief and contentment.

Here are some of my favorite balancing poses. Some of them solely challenge your sense of balance, and others also challenge your strength and flexibility. Just click on the name of the pose to learn how to get into them.

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana English Translation: Crane Pose Also Called: Crow
Sanskrit Name: (beginner's) Vasisthasana English Translation: Sage Pose Also Called: Side Plank

Want to see the others? Then read more

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana English Translation: Half Moon Pose Also Called:
Sanskrit Name: Upavishta Konasana English Translation: Seated Angle Pose Also Called: Balancing Wide Legs
Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana B English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Pose Also Called: Double Arm Headstand

Sanskrit Name: Pincha Mayurasana English Translation: Feathered Peacock Pose Also Called: Forearm Stand
Sanskrit Name: Garudasana English Translation: Eagle Pose Also Called: Eagle
Sanskrit name: Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A English translation: Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose Also called: Standing Hand to Big Toe A

A Little Sanskrit Lesson: Animal Names

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:45:00 -0700

When you take a yoga class (especially Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti classes), sometimes the instructor will call out the names of the poses in their original language, Sanskrit. Here's a list of some animals in Sanskrit and the poses they're named after. Knowing these Sanskrit words really helped me to remember the names of certain yoga poses.

Baka - crow, crane or wading bird, as in Bakasana (Crow pose)
Bheka - frog, as in Bhekasana (Frog pose)
Bhujanga - snake or serpent, as in Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
Gomukha - face resembling a cow, as in Gomukhasana (Cow Face pose)
Kapota - dove or pigeon, as in Salamba Kapotasana (Supported Pigeon pose)
Kukkuta - rooster or cock, as in Kukkutasana (Cock pose)
Kurma - tortoise, as in Kurmasana
Matsya - fish, as in Matsyasana (Fish pose)
Mayura - peacock, as in Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock pose, also called Forearm Stand)
Nakra - crocodile, as in Nakrasana (Crocodile pose)
Svana - dog, as in Adho Mukkha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog pose)
Simha lion, as in Simhasana (Lion pose)
Vatayana - horse, as in Vatayanasana (Horse pose)
Vrschika - scorpion, as in Vrschikasana (Scorpion pose)

Humans were not the first to do yoga. Way back in India, animals were observed in nature, and noted for their particular abilities and accomplishments. To imitate these qualities was considered a high sign of spiritual enlightenment, that's why so many yoga poses are named after animals. Check out this post to see animals doing yoga.

Favorite Crow Pose

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:02:00 -0800

Thank you to kevindineen, suzanne and her husband (grandfather of 9) for trying out Crow pose. You were all awesome, but the award must go to the person who took the challenge and ran with it!.

birdwoman tried Crow pose and took it to a whole other level and showed us her Side Crow. I was so amazed at her balance, grace, and beauty. She made it look like she was floating in space without a care in the world. Talk about inspirational.

And now let's get ready for the latest Yoga challenge called Eagle pose.

Give this balancing pose your best shot and submit your photos to the IYOGA CHALLENGE group. Your picture could be my next favorite.

YOGA CHALLENGE: Crow

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 09:15:00 -0800

Did you all have fun practicing Tripod Balance Pose as much as I did? I hope so.

I read your comments and was planning on making this week's challenge Tripod Headstand, but colormesticky gave me a much more exciting idea.

This week's Yoga Challenge is Crow Pose. I love it because it really works your arms and core. It can hurt your wrists, so try to press into your fingertips instead of the heels of your palms.

Get your cameras ready people. Send those pictures in to Fitsugar's Yoga Challenge Group called It's a STRETCH: Fit's Yoga Challenge.

Click on "Post Content to the Group" on the left-hand side. Then click on "Blog." To add your picture, just click "Add image." Then click "Submit."

Here we go:

For a real challenge, begin this pose in Tripod Balance Pose.
Very S-L-O-W-L-Y (did I say slowly?) lift your head up off the ground - in order for this to happen, you need to shift some (NOT all) of your weight into your hips and feet.
Now the trick here is to know just how much weight to shift so that you can lift your head, but still stay balanced.
Once you're up there balancing on your hands, try to bring your feet together.

That's it - can't wait to see your pics. This pose took me a little while to get because I think my butt weighs more than my head - Could that be? Nah.

Maybe I should have worn a helmet. Want to see my Yoga Bloopers? Then read more

View 14 Photos ›

YOGA CHALLENGE: Bound Squat

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:45:00 -0800

I hope you've all been working on opening your hips doing the wide squat pose. This week's Yoga Challenge is just a little variation on the traditional wide squat.

Give it a try. I'm looking forward to seeing the photos you post in the YOGA CHALLENGE Group.

This is how you do Bound Squat:

Now wrap your left forearm in front of your left shin, trying to bring that hand up towards your left hip.
Now lift your right arm up as high as you can and drop it behind you, bringing your right hand towards your lower back.
If you can, you're going to bind around your left knee - this means your left hand grabs your right hand (grab your right wrist if you can.)
Stay here for 5 breaths, trying to keep equal weight in both feet. Pull your right shoulder down towards your hips so you can open through your chest.
Try it on the other side.

What do you think? Can't wait to see your pictures. My favorite will be featured right here on FitSugar!

All Sheryl Crow Wants to Do Is Get Fit

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0700

Here's something that running moms like Sheryl Crow should give themselves a pat on the back for . . .

Research has found that running with a stroller provides a much more intense workout than running without a stroller. What's more? Your form is not compromised by pushing the stroller, as once previously thought. So Sheryl has the right idea, and it looks like she is getting in a killer workout while her adorable son just hangs out. If you're looking to get fit with your baby, then you may want to check out StrollerFit that just happens to be offering a free class on March 15.

View 7 Photos ›

Flynet

Crowe to Journalist "Go Ride a Bike"

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:35:23 -0700

Maybe it's because of his starring role as a fighter in Gladiator, but Russell Crowe doesn't take criticism lying down. In fact, when faced with an undesirable assessment of his fitness regime by Australian gossip columnist Annette Sharp, Crowe laid down a challenge - a 20-kilometer bike ride. Sharp didn't think Crowe should begin a bike ride with smoking and didn't approve of his mid-workout snack - three crispy tacos. Crowe didn't like her words; his Sydney rep called and left her this challenge: "Get on your bike. Russell wants you to go riding with him. Are you ready to die?" While Sharp, a mother of three, is no smoker, she's not a cyclist either.

The ride with Russell is documented in video, and it is actually quite charming. To see if she survived continue reading.

Sheryl Crow Is the Picture of (and on) Health

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:00:53 -0700

When I think of breast cancer survivors, Sheryl Crow is one of the first people to pop into my mind. Three years ago, she was diagnosed with the disease and is now happy to say she's cancer-free. These days, this down-to-earth, single mom is a breast cancer advocate, and in a candid interview with Health magazine, she talks about ways she's taking care of herself to stay healthy. Here's what she said about her diet.

"When I first got diagnosed, I went to this great nutritionist who specializes in disease prevention and well-being, and I still incorporate her tips like eating omega-3s - I eat salmon or other fish at least three times a week. I eat a lot of walnuts, almonds, colorful vegetables, and prunes, which get such a bad rap but are loaded with antioxidants. I also drink pomegranate juice and keep a vat of tomato soup around or some kind of tomato sauce, because it has lycopene. And one big thing I learned was that so much of wellness depends on your body getting rid of waste. So I eat a lot of Fiber One, which has 14 grams of fiber per serving."

Getting your fill of omega-3s, antioxidants like lycopene, and fiber have all been found to help prevent breast cancer, so following Sheryl's advice is a great way to put prevention into your own hands.

To hear what Sheryl said about her exercise plan, read more.

"I try to do something every day that’s sports-related, and I like to be outside. I love riding my bike, and playing tennis, and paddle surfing. I don’t love going to the gym, but I’ll do it if it’s rainy."

Research has shown that vigorous exercise (running, fast jogging, aerobics, bicycling on hills, etc.) can reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 30 percent in normal-weight women, so get moving like Sheryl to help prevent this disease. The singer also tries to rid her life of stress, lets out her emotions rather than bottling them up, and doesn't deny herself one of her favorite guilty pleasures - Lay's potato chips.

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.