Yoga question

[Zozo]

I have recently been trying to incorporate Yoga into my routine, as a way to get in deep stretching, and improve flexibility. I have a question about the crane pose. I struggle with arm balances because when my shin bone comes into contact with my upper arm, it HURTS! not muscular hurt, but bruise hurt. And my shins are becoming bruised from it! Can someone talk me through the move to see if I'm doing it right? I've looked on the internet, but it's not helped! I expected 'burning' in my muscles, but that pain is nowhere near as bad as the bruising on my shins and upper arms!
However, yoga's fun! And a lot more demanding than I ever realised

 

[Vee]

I am glad you are enjoying the discovery of yoga! Yoga counts most likely in the list of top ten things I learned to do.

Here is a tip by a lady I enjoy watching.

This is close to the way I do crow, but not quite the same. I make contact at the inner side of the leg at the knee joint and just below the knee against my arms and i dont experience bruising pain. Some very tolerable degree of pain is all. My yoga teacher made fun of my crow so I should not give .you tips.

 

[Vee]

Sadie Nardini teaches crane/crow. This is how my yoga teacher tried to get me to do it.

Hope one of these help you.

 

[Vee]

My crow.

 

[Zozo]

Wow! Thank you! You look amazing doing that! I'm very jealous I'll definitely keep trying. thank you for all the tips x

 

[Zozo]

I've just looked at the linksand I think your crow looks much better! I really struggle getting my knees high up enough into my arm pit... I'm gonna try yours

 

[Elle_p]

I agree with Vee that it is much more comfortable to place the inside of your knees against the upper arms rather than attempting to rest the shins on the backs of your arms although i know some people who do crow with the knees right up against their armpits so play around with it and find what feels most natural to you.

Some additional tips you may find useful when learning is to widen your stance and hands about the width of your mat. Keep your head up and eyes focused forward towards the floor in front of your mat: Steady gaze=Steady mind=Steady Body. Try lifting one foot off the floor at a time and keep tipping forward until you feel the weight has transferred to your hands and you no longer need the other foot on the floor. Once both feet are up point the toes towards each other and bring the big toes together if you can

Enjoy mastering this one!

 

[Vee]

I..... Keep your head up and eyes focused forward towards the floor in front of your mat: Steady gaze=Steady mind=Steady Body. Try lifting one foot off the floor at a time and keep tipping forward until you feel the weight has transferred to your hands and you no longer need the other foot on the floor. Once both feet are up point the toes towards each other and bring the big toes together if you can

Enjoy mastering this one!

I am phobic about looking up. I feel the only way I wont crash into my chin is if I am looking at the ground to see what it is up to. My yoga teacher says I am the only person he knows who does crow with my gaze focused on the ground.

I love the cue about tipping forward. Once the knee "feels right" at being tucked against my arms, I start tipping forward and out (not forward and down which was the first mistake I made attempting crow). The tipping works best if I imagine I am slowly getting ready to fly parallel to the floor.

It still takes me an age to get into crow, after six years of doing yoga. When I am doing DVDs, I barely manage to get the second foot off the ground by the time the instructor on screen moves on to the next pose. So I do my crow after a yoga workout with dvd.

 

[Vee]

Wow! Thank you! You look amazing doing that! I'm very jealous I'll definitely keep trying. thank you for all the tips x

Zozo, Thanks!

Crow/crane is one of those poses that looks very impressive but is actually quite easy if you have the right teacher. It just boils down to physics - finding the right position where the weight distribution ensures you dont tip over. A bit about teachnique to engage your core too. I cant do any crow variations, apart from this basic pose!

We learnt too in class, with a pillow or blanket to take the impact if we fell on our faces. Once the pillow is there you develop the confidence.

 

[Elle_p]

I am phobic about looking up. I feel the only way I wont crash into my chin is if I am looking at the ground to see what it is up to. My yoga teacher says I am the only person he knows who does crow with my gaze focused on the ground.

I love the cue about tipping forward. Once the knee "feels right" at being tucked against my arms, I start tipping forward and out (not forward and down which was the first mistake I made attempting crow). The tipping works best if I imagine I am slowly getting ready to fly parallel to the floor.

It still takes me an age to get into crow, after six years of doing yoga. When I am doing DVDs, I barely manage to get the second foot off the ground by the time the instructor on screen moves on to the next pose. So I do my crow after a yoga workout with dvd.

That's interesting Vee, because i have found beginners are most likely to "do a face plant" when they are looking down. I have found that when i instruct them to look at the floor towards the front of the mat they are able to get it faster.

I recommend learning to fall as well: Practice tipping forward and placing the top of the head on the floor. Everyone is going to fall at some point when practicing crow so it's better to learn to tuck your head and place the head on the floor rather than fall on your face! This also helps prepare for an intermediate version later on where you can come into a headstand from the crow. Tipping forward onto the head will also allow you to practice coming into crow with both feet at the same time once you are comfortable with the one foot at a time method.

 

[Vee]

This also helps prepare for an intermediate version later on where you can come into a headstand from the crow. .

headstand from crow! you call that intermediate?

Great advice in your post. So you teach yoga! Wow!

 

[Elle_p]

headstand from crow! you call that intermediate?

Great advice in your post. So you teach yoga! Wow!

LOL, I am positive you could do this! It's not as advanced as you think:

1. Get into the crow
2. Tip forward and place the top of the head on the floor
3. take a breath to get your balance before continuing, don't rush.
4. Bring the knees together off of the arms. See, you are already in a half headstand!
5. again, don't rush. take a breath and get your balance here before continuing
6. unhinge the legs so the knees are up towards the sky but the lower legs are still tucked at this point.
7. again don't rush!
8. Finally lift your feet up to the sky. Voila!
Once you get this, you then need to practice reversing these steps and coming back into crow!!!!

 

[Zozo]

Just wanted to let you know that I did it last night! I did it the way you do it, Vee, and it was much more comfortable. I didn't last long, and I did face plant.. but I was just so proud. But i think i'll leave the headstand for a while!

Thank you both for your help!

 

[Vee]

Just wanted to let you know that I did it last night! I did it the way you do it, Vee, and it was much more comfortable. I didn't last long, and I did face plant.. but I was just so proud. But i think i'll leave the headstand for a while!

Thank you both for your help!

Congratulations!

And despite the excellent instructions, I ain't doing a headstand anytime soon, from crow or otherwise, either.

 

[Elle_p]

Congratulations Zozo! Keep practicing and you will become more steady and comfortable each time.

Practicing putting the top of the head on the floor will prevent you from falling on your face but don't even worry about intermediate variations right now. They are only meant to challenge you once you are comfortable with the basic poses. All of the intermediate and advanced asanas are variations of the basic postures and you work up to them at your own pace. It keeps the mind and body challenged. You would learn the basic headstand on it's own before learning to come up from the crow anyways.