Parsva Bakasana or Side Crane (Crow) Pose

Parsva Bakasana at a Glance

How to Do Parsva Bakasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure

• You have to prepare your body before you do this asana. Parsva Bakasana requires a good amount of strength and flexibility and proper warmup and preparatory poses. This pose needs good core strength.
• Malasana can be a good way of starting this pose (squatting position), so practice Malsasana while keeping your palms in the namaste position, so that your foundation in this pose is strong enough to proceed further.
• When you come to the Malasana pose, join your knees and feet together, breathe gently, and relax.
• Breathe in deeply, twist your upper body from the hip to your right side (outer left arm touching the right thigh above the knee), and place both palms on the mat and palms flat.
• When you do this, your left elbow comes under your left hip and maintains a right angle between your upper and lower arms.
• Let your fingers spread wide, which gives better stability and keeps your hands firm, and grounded, and hands should be placed at shoulder distance (as in chaturanga arm position).
• Here you are in the twisting position prepare your focus and concentrate on your inner self.
• Now inhale mindfully and engage your core, lift your heels and exhale, bend your elbows 90 degrees, and lean forward (chest forward).
• Don’t jump and lift your legs, which will ruin your balance, lifting should be slow and with self-awareness.
• You can support your shoulder, by using a yoga block, when you lean your body weight forward, you can use this technique in the starting so that you gain that confidence.
• Exhale and slowly lift your top leg first and the other leg (left foot and right foot), balancing on your arms.
• Gaze at a steady and comfortable point, continuing to breathe.
• Hold this pose for a few breaths according to your comfort limit.
• Don’t be in a rush to release the pose, let it be slow and steady, and take some relaxed breaths then you can do it on the other side – your left side and your left elbow come under your left hip and your right elbow comes under your left knee.

What are the Benefits of Parsva Bakasana?

• It helps to enhance the strength in your arms (biceps and triceps) wrists and shoulders.
• Regular practice can improve your spinal flexibility and improve your posture.
• This helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles.
• This also improves your pelvic floor muscle strength.
• This challenging pose can boost your confidence and self-esteem.
• This helps to massage your internal organs.
• This crow pose can be the foundation for other arm balances.
• It helps to improve the sense of balance and coordination and enhances flexibility.
• It helps to stretch and open the hip flexors and outer hip muscles.

Health Conditions that Might be Beneficial from Parsva Bakasana

• This can be beneficial for mild shoulder issues and strengthens your upper back.
• This pose involves a twist and so a good effect on your abdominal organs, which helps with a better digestion process.
• If you want to reduce your muscle stiffness increase the flexibility of your body part and build your physical strength, you should practice this pose regularly.
• This pose can help with your lower back pain and improve your posture.
• It increases mindfulness and helps to reduce stress.
• This also stretches and strengthens your pelvic floor muscles.
• Balance and coordination are the important keys to getting a stable Bakasana pose, which can help to improve your concentration and focus more.

Safety and Precautions

• Don’t do this pose if you have Carpal tunnel syndrome.
• People with any spinal issues should avoid doing this pose.
• Any shoulder injury (Shoulder injuries) or any surgery avoid doing it.
• If you are suffering from hypertension and migraine, just consult your doctor or avoid it.
• Warm-ups and preparatory poses are a must to avoid any injury.
• You can use a thick cushion, yoga blocks, or any comfortable props for your safety and comfort.
• Do this side crow pose under the guidance of your yoga teacher.

Common Mistakes

• Keep your core muscles and your thigh muscles engaged.
• Avoid this pose immediately after meals, keep a gap of about 4 hours.
• Place your palms properly and fingers wide.
• Avoid putting too much pressure on your wrists.
• Don’t rush into the pose or avoid jumping and lifting your legs.
• Avoiding breathing would affect your balance and stability.

Tips for Parsva Bakasana

• Hands should be shoulder-width apart and keep your fingers wide enough and your middle finger pointing forward.
• Be slow, and patient and progress gradually, and practice other poses of arm balance.
• Keep your gaze forward and your core engaged to maintain your balance.
• Engage your shoulder girdle and lean into your hands.
• If you feel any pain or discomfort, just exit the pose.
• Follow the proper alignment principles.
• Bring your opposite side tricep as high as possible on your outer thigh.
• Always do the follow-up poses to relax your body and mind.

Physical Alignment Principles for the Parsva Bakasana

• Arms shoulder width apart, fingers widespread, palms (hands) flat and grounded, and wrists in line with elbow.
• Hands and elbows should be on the floor shoulder-width apart.
• Press into the base of the index finger and thumb.
• Elbows at 90 degrees.
• Upper arms parallel to each other.
• Place your hips on your right arm shelf.
• Twist from the abdomen.
• Keep the core engaged.
• Gaze down or slightly ahead at a steady point.
• Both knees bent, squeezed together, and the bottom knee against the opposite upper arm.
• You might need to bring the opposite shoulder a bit lower to balance.
• Flex your foot and feet active and touching each other and keep both legs joint.
• Make sure that your biceps and triceps are engaged.
• Bring your shoulder blades toward each other.

Parsva Bakasana and Breath

Coordinate your breath with your movement, inhale deeply exhale, bend down, and place your palms touching the floor. Inhale and bring your hands in front of your feet and exhale, keep your elbows bent, engage your core muscles, and shift your body weight on your arms.

Inhale deeply and focus on your breath and while you exhale shift your weight forward and lift the foot, one by one, and the toes close to the buttocks. Inhale and exhale to maintain focus and balance.

Parsva Bakasana and Variations

• Bakasana or crow pose
• Dwi pada Koundinyasana 
• Eka pada Koundinyasana one and two
• Practice this pose with the wall or chair support.
• Keep a bolster or folded blanket in front of you for safety.
• Keep a block to support the shoulder.
• Side Crow Advanced version, both legs up supported on one arm.

The Bottom Line

Parsva Bakasana has advanced arm balancing and a challenging pose, which offers you enhanced balance, flexibility, core strength, and stability. Do this pose under the guidance of a yoga teacher and if any health concerns, consult your doctor. Warm-up and preparatory poses (arm balances) are very important.

This has many physical and mental benefits. This pose helps to boost your self-confidence and enhances your willpower. This can improve self-awareness reduce stress and help your mind and body to be calm and stress-free.

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