Fun Pose Friday: Baby Crow
Baby Crow is a cute twist on the Crow Pose (Kakasana) arm balance with most of the same benefits. Think about coming into Crow but on forearms instead of your hands, creating a more compact shape — and bringing your body closer to the ground.
Depending on your body and practice, Baby Crow could be a pathway to regular Crow or more challenging arm balances. Your forearms give you a more stable foundation, but because you have less vertical space to work with, it can require some dramatic rounding of the back, especially if you have a longer torso. Baby Crow is also a useful modification of regular Crow if you’re trying to avoid putting weight on your wrists.
While Baby Crow is almost identical to Crow, it’s going to feel a little differently coming up into it: Since your elbows will be on the ground, the shelf for your knees is lower, so you’re going to point your toes rather than actively lift your feet.
Benefits of baby crow
Strengthens arms
Stretches upper back
Improves balance and core strength
Boosts confidence and body awareness
Hones focus
Increases flexibility of the spine
Avoids putting weight on your wrists
Prep Poses for Baby Crow Pose
Sphinx
Dolphin
One-Legged Dolphin
Forearm Plank
Learn how to do Baby Crow Pose (Kakasana) with this step-by-step tutorial by Naya Rappaport.
Start in Dolphin Pose with your arms shoulder-distance apart.
Walk your feet a few steps towards your elbow.
Bend your knees to touch your triceps.
Transfer the weight on your body to your forearms so your toes feel a bit lighter.
Shift forward, bending at your elbows enough so that your knees can rest on your triceps.
Shift forward a little farther, then lift your feet by pointing your toes to the back of your mat.
Practice Baby Crow with Naya in her Rhythmic Flow class, available for free with a 14-day trial to Alo Moves.