Making arm balances a little easier
Many find yoga arm balances the most challenging of all poses and so we hope our 3 tips below help you feel an amazing sense of achievement when you lift off!
Keep in mind that arm balances may not be the most suitable for beginners and can be tricky even for intermediate yogi’s so practice mindfully and carefully and preferably in the safe environment of a yoga studio with a trained instructor nearby
1. It’s all in your hands and wrists
This is perhaps not surprising when we talk about arm balances, but it is vital that you pay attention to your hands and wrists.
Starting with the wrists, take time to improve their flexibility. Wrist stretches and circles to warm them up before practice should soon provide the necessary flexibility. Why is this important? Truth is, our hands were not designed to support the weight of our whole body; without this extra flexibility extra tension which may prevent you from achieving an arm balance or may mean you have to exit a pose quickly.
Pay attention to your hands. Spread your fingers wide and allow the weight of your body to fall evenly on all fingers. If you put all your weight at the base of your hands this causes unneeded tension in the wrists and limits the range of motion past the wrists – thus you may tip backwards!
Take note to do your arm balances on an even firm surface, as anything soft and cushiony will create more tension in the wrists.
2. Build shoulder strength
Shoulders are under an enormous amount of pressure during an arm balance. Working on their strength and flexibility through other, safer poses – such as plank, down dog & Chaturanga – is a good way to make sure they can sustain the weight of your body.
3. Work on your core
Core strength is vital for maintaining stability that literally keeps you up in an arms balancing pose. A stronger core will help you achieve better alignment which in turn makes arm balances easier, as they, as well as many other poses in yoga, are much more about the technique than about the strength.
Don’t rush and take your time. Tweet us with your progress (@Yogabreaks) or share your arm balance photos on Facebook
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