Side Crane (Crow) Pose — Parsva Bakasana

Curl up, fire up and take flight in this revolved arm balance. Side Crane strengthens wrists, arms, shoulders, abdominals, hip flexors and thighs. It stretches spine, wrists and hamstrings.

1. Squat down for sit bones to rest on heels, knees together and big toes touching. Turn torso to right and place hands shoulder width apart outside of right leg, fingers pointing away from you.
2. Bend elbows straight back and to 90 degrees, creating a shelf on triceps for outer right thigh. Place outer right thigh onto triceps. Look forward and lean forward to shift weight out of feet and into hands.
3. Squeeze heels toward glutes and lift legs up as one piece with outer right thigh resting on triceps. Simultaneously straighten both legs out to your left, aligned with - or slightly forward of - left hip.
4. Stabilize by actively squeezing inner thighs together, reaching through balls of feet, reaching chest forward and gripping through finger pads. Shoulders are square toward hands and level (right dip doesn’t lower than left). Left hip is stacked atop right.
5. Chest is slightly concaved, upper back is broadened. Breathe evenly and focus gaze to balance. For added challenge, balance on only the left triceps, lean forward more and straighten arms.