YanvaYoga > Yoga Poses > Baby Crow Pose

Baby Crow Pose - Bala Bakasana

23.02.202324.02.2023

Baby Crow Pose or Bala Bakasana in Sanskrit (Bala means ‘baby’, Baka means ‘crow’, and Asana means ‘pose’) is a cross between Crow Pose (Bakasana) and Duck Pose (Karandavasana).

Baby Crow Pose is an advanced-level pose that serves as a preparatory pose for Feathered Peacock Pose (Pincha Mayurasana). Here the body is balanced on the forearms which makes this arm balancing pose variation unique and interesting to build the required strength and balance for other arm balance poses.

Baby Crow Pose tones the core, strengthens the shoulders and arms, creates a stretch through the upper back, and helps build balance and focus.
This also avoids putting the whole weight on the wrists, hence the pose is especially good for those who have issues with their wrists!

Also known as: Duck Pose or Karandavasana, Bala Kakasana

Pose Detail

Difficulty: Advanced
Body Position: Arm & Leg Support, Inversion Yoga Poses
By Type: Arm Balance Yoga Poses, Balancing Yoga Poses, Strengthening Yoga Poses
By Benefit: Yoga Poses For Stress Relief, Yoga Poses For Weight Loss

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Set up as you would for Crow Pose, coming into a low squat (Malasana), with your knees bent. Come up onto the balls of your feet, bring your big toes together and separate your knees wide apart.

Step 2

Plant your hands on the mat in front of you, just wider than shoulder distance apart, then bend your elbows and place your forearms down on the mat. Ensure your forearms are parallel to one another and that your elbows aren’t splaying out to the sides.

Step 3

Lift your hips up slightly and begin to hug your knees around your upper outer arms. Find the action of squeezing your legs in toward the midline of your body.

Step 4

Shift your weight forward and keep your gaze just ahead of your fingertips. Leading with the heart, begin to round through your upper back and come up onto the tips of your toes.

Step 5

Experiment with your balance here, picking up one foot and then the other. If it feels appropriate for you, keep squeezing your knees into your upper arms, reach your chest forward, and lift both feet off the ground, drawing your heels toward your buttocks.

Step 6

Remain in your expression of the pose for up to five full breaths, then gently lower your feet to the ground on an exhale.

Benefits and Contraindications

Benefits

Improves balance and focus

Strengthens your wrists and arms

Tones all organs in the abdomen.

Contraindications

Knee, back or neck injuries

High blood pressure

Hernia or abdominal pain

Pregnancy

Photo poses in different angles

Modifications and Props for Beginners

Try placing a block underneath your feet. This enables you to bring your shins higher on your upper arms, even if you have tight hips; this increases the likelihood of you getting into the pose. Engage your ab muscles as you lift one leg. Lower that leg and lift your other leg. Work toward lifting both feet at the same time.
Looping a strap around your upper arms can help keep your elbows at shoulder distance apart and can encourage the action of energetically drawing in toward the midline.

Technical Clues

Squeeze the knees into your upper arms.
Squeeze your elbows in like you would in a Low Plank (Chaturanga Dandasana), staying very active in your arms and not letting your elbows come beyond parallel.
Think heels to butt, and really lift up through the legs.
Draw your abdominal wall in and up to help support the weight of the body in the arm balance.
Shift your more weight forward than you think is necessary, and feel the weight in forearms, palms, and fingertips.
Envision the whole body engaging and lifting up. Nothing should be loose or disengaged here.

Baby Crow Pose or Bala Kakasana is deceptively harder than crow pose because your center of gravity is so close to the floor. This pose will build your shoulder and core strength.