Crow Pose or Crane Pose

What’s the difference?

Hey Yogis,

We just shared a video with drills to help you build strength, awareness, and confidence in two foundational arm balances: crow pose and crane pose.

These two postures—Kakasana (crow) and Bakasana (crane)—are often used interchangeably, but they offer distinct energetic and anatomical experiences:

🕊️ Crane Pose (Bakasana)

• Alignment: Knees rest high on the triceps, with a deep hinge from the hips and a compact, vertical lift.
• Focus: Requires intense core engagement and shoulder stability to create a sense of upward buoyancy.
• Feeling: Think of a heron poised to take flight—elegant, contained, and precise.

🐦 Crow Pose (Kakasana)

• Alignment: Inner thighs press to the outer elbows, with a wider hip opening and a more grounded, squat-like entry.
• Focus: Emphasizes hip mobility and a broader base of support, making it slightly more accessible for many bodies.
• Feeling: More playful and expansive—like a bird hopping from branch to branch.

🔍 Tips for Practice

• Warm up with hip openers, plank variations, and wrist mobility drills.
• Use props like blocks under the feet or a bolster in front of the face to build trust and reduce fear of falling.
• Engage the pelvic floor and lower belly to lift—not just lean—into the pose.
• Practice transitions from Malasana (yogi squat) or Chaturanga to integrate these balances into your flow.

🌿 Why It Matters

Arm balances aren’t just about strength—they’re invitations to explore trust, focus, and the subtle dance between effort and surrender. Whether you’re working toward liftoff or refining your alignment, these poses offer a mirror for your inner landscape.

In our Men’s Natural Yoga community, we approach these postures not as feats of performance, but as rituals of embodiment. They remind us that balance is born from presence, and that flight begins with grounded awareness.

Follow along with us in the Yoga Video Link. Once you’ve mastered the basics, feel free to start integrating crow and crane into any flow or class you do here. The more you revisit them, the more they’ll become part of your movement vocabulary.

Love, light & Arm Balances 🧘‍♂️✨

Richard & Daniele

YogisWithPride.com