Elephant Trunk Pose (Eka Hasta Bhujasana)

A seated single-arm balance in which one leg is hooked high over the corresponding upper arm while both hands press into the floor beside the hips, lifting the entire body off the mat. It targets wrist and forearm strength, deep hip flexor engagement, and core stability, and serves as an accessible gateway into more complex lateral arm balances. The practitioner begins seated, draws one leg up and over the arm to hook behind the shoulder, then presses down to float the hips and extended leg off the ground.

Cues

• Draw your bent knee as high up the back of your arm as possible before pressing into the palms — the higher the hook, the more stable the balance.
• Press evenly through the whole hand, keeping the wrist crease parallel to the front edge of the mat.
• Hug the inner thigh of the hooked leg toward your shoulder to prevent it from slipping down.
• Keep the extended leg active and reaching forward, rather than letting it drop toward the floor.