Side Crow Pose (Parshva Bakasana)

A twisting arm balance that builds on the foundation of Crow Pose by rotating the hips to one side and stacking both knees onto a single upper arm, cultivating oblique strength, spinal rotation, and focused mental clarity. It acts as both an accessible introduction to lateral arm balancing and a gateway toward more demanding twisted poses like Two-Legged Sage Koundinya's. From a twisted squat, the practitioner plants both palms flat, leans the outer thigh against one upper arm, and lifts the feet by shifting the center of gravity forward over the wrists.

Cues

• Keep both palms shoulder-width apart and spread the fingers wide before any weight transfer begins.
• Twist your torso as deeply as possible before bending the elbows — rotation creates the shelf.
• Press the outer thigh firmly into the back of the upper arm and use that contact as a ledge, not a rest.
• Engage the low belly and breathe steadily — holding the breath is the fastest way to lose the balance.