The Health Benefits of Bakasana

Wish you had a pair of really strong arms and an enduring shoulder to carry the weight of the world? Relax, the weight of the world is not for you to carry, just be strong enough to sustain yourself on your two arms like in the Bakasana posture of yoga, and the larger scape of life is going to be so much more agreeable.

Yoga, the core self-disciplining method of a five thousand years old lineage teaches us just that. To be strong, self-reliant, functionally optimized, and spiritually centered is the key to greater health, longevity, and a more fulfilling life. In yoga, every posture is a multifold exercise in itself with many targeted pressure points at different parts in the body and innate mindfulness-enhancing aspects. The health benefits of Bakasana or the crane pose- a posture known for building great strength, shape, and endurance in the arms and the abs is thus also an effective formula for relieving distress in the upper back, stretching of the abdominals, opening the groin, and providing a tone to lower abdominal muscles.

Here’s a quick look into the steps of Bakasana–

1. With your feet separated by a few inches, squat down in Tadasana. Lean the torso to the front as you also pull apart your knees sideways, opening them wider than your hips. Stretch out your arms, bent at the elbows, place them on the floor with the upper arms drawn against your shins.

2. Get up on the balls of your feet as your thighs are closed on the sides of your torso and your shins are dug into the armpits. Lean to the front at a greater degree, distributing your weight in the upper arms. Consciously attempt to round your back and contract your torso. Make sure your tailbone is close, almost touching your upturned heels at this point.

3. Letting out a deep exhalation, lean better on your upper arms, shifting the whole weight of your contracted body on the stumps of your arms and letting the balls of your feet now leave the floor. Perch securely on the bent arms. For safety, let another person hold you at this point.

4. One can go further from here, squeezing up the legs more against the arms and pressing the hands more strongly into the floor. Align your knees to your outer arms almost at the armpits level. Position your head neutrally, the gaze either to the floor or fixed to the front.

5. Maintain this way from 20 seconds to 1 minute. Release with an exhalation slowly lowering your feet to the floor.

The Benefits

A Full-Body Workout

We are always crunched for time, it’s a fact of life.

If you cannot manage to get a long enough break to practice a full sequence, it’s better to stick to a pose that covers most of the target areas where stress accumulates in the body. The benefits of crane pose are that core muscles, arms, the wrist joints, upper back, and neck get a complete workout.

Secures Against Possible Injury With Groin Opening

The great lift up from the ground in Bakasana works up an opening of the groin muscles. With more elasticity in the now more supple groin muscles, you will be able to flex better for other postures without the threat of injury to the hips or knees.

Enhances Endurance and Courage

The spontaneous ground-up lift involved adds to the benefits of bakasana and is symbolic of honesty, courage, and the go-getter attitude of facing an overwhelming challenge.

Strength for the Sacral Chakra

The sacral chakra is situated just beneath the tailbone. Its energies are present in our reproductive functions as well as emotions. Activation of this chakra is possible through the means of Bakasana, enabling creativity and emotional intelligence in the practitioner.

Balance, Coordination, and Concentration

Bakasana creates a great sense of balance, coordination, and connection in the practitioner with the arms rooting him to ground existence, the torso weight critically balanced, and his concentration centered upon maintaining this lower body upon upper body equation. This posture can be your inspiration for maintaining balance, focus, and inner coordination at all spheres of life.

Wrist Support and Spinal Stretch Benefits

One of the health benefits of bakasana is the reduction of the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome as the instrument of balance and endurance in this posture are the wrists. On the other hand, there is some significant spinal stretch to enjoy which is definitely good for relieving backache.