Anna McNulty - Via Instagram.

Anna McNulty - Via Instagram.

The extended balancing lizard pose is an advanced level of lizard pose performed in prone position. It additionally includes balance, forward-bend, twist, stretch, strength. Extended balancing lizard pose is a deep lump that stretch your hamstrings, hip..

The extended balancing lizard pose is an advanced level of lizard pose performed in prone position. It additionally includes balance, forward-bend, twist, stretch, strength.

Extended balancing lizard pose is a deep lump that stretch your hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps. Extended balancing lizard pose also called Bound Extended Lizard Pose (Sanskrit- Baddha Utthita Utthan Pristhasana).

One of my favorite things about yoga is that there are so many different ways of exploring advanced poses to allow people of all levels the chance to explore the pose even if they're not at it's "full expression".

Eka Pada Bakasana or One-Legged Crow is a pose I'm still working on myself. Some days I have it (when my core is completely fired up and engaged), and some days I take a variation because for one reason or another I'm not quite there.

Here are 3 versions of this pose that I explored this week:

Variation A - set flying leg back and lift the front foot (feel your core)

Variation B - keep front foot down, step flying leg back and lift

Variation C - lift front foot, shift forward and fly back leg or come straight from Bakasana and reach up and back with one leg (yes I'm still working on my form)

Not sure how to play with this pose?

This is the pose I taught in class today and it's the apex pose in this week's Ignite Vitality Yoga practice for Ignite & Thrive Audio Yoga. I'll be releasing it on Friday, Jan 30th. In that practice we'll explore poses to ready you for Eka Pada Bakasana and various transitions for whatever level of the pose you're at! We'll also play with actively changing how you respond to intense & challenging moments!

Tips on How To Master Arm Balances

Learning to fall can help us overcome our fears of turning upside down, while keeping us safe. For instance, if you’re entering a headstand without the assistance of a wall, and feel an unsteady waver, tuck your head and roll it out in a somersault. Or if you’re turning upside down into a handstand and feel the telltale signs of a fall, walk your hands out in front of you to avoid flipping.

Once you’ve mastered learning to fall, here are 8 other tips that may help you with arm balances and inversions:

1. Open – Opening key areas of your body with your yoga practice will make balancing easier.  Target areas such as hamstrings, wrists and shoulder girdle. 

2. Visualize - Studies have shown the power that mind training can have on the brain’s ability to rewire itself, and mere thought can alter the function of our gray matter. In yoga, this means that by visualizing or mentally rehearsing an inversion or arm balance, we can yield powerful results in our physical practice.

3. Be Present – Is your mind wandering to your to-do list? Are you worried about what you might look like in class?  If your mind starts to wander to other places, reel yourself back in to the present moment and start your balance over.

4. Move slowly, move mindfully – The brain’s ability to sense relative positions and movements of different body parts is improved with slow, mindful actions. So, take it slow and enjoy the journey of coming into each yoga pose.

5. Breathe – When you’re in a pool, exhaling will make you sink...