Arm Balance Archives - THEYOGIMATT

Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

by Trisha Curling | Nov 6, 2025 | Main Page Display

Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

BAKASANA

PERFECT PROTRACTION FOR CROW POSE

When working toward perfect protraction for Crow Pose, it’s essential to understand the role of the serratus anterior, the “fingertip” muscles that wrap around the rib cage and attach to the inner edge of the shoulder blades. Matt describes them as the driving force behind any forward-pushing movement, from boxing to arm balances. These muscles are responsible for that “lifted” feeling when we press the floor away beneath us. Without this activation, the chest collapses, and the arms bear the brunt of the work. Learning to engage the serratus anterior transforms Crow Pose from a heavy arm balance into an integrated, buoyant experience where strength and lift coexist.

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GET THE MECHANICS DOWN

Matt begins with a simple yet revealing wall drill. With the forearms placed at shoulder height, hands at forehead height, we practice retraction and protraction. This involves drawing the shoulder blades together, then pushing them apart. At this stage, the focus is precision, not power. The goal is to feel how the shoulder blades glide and wrap around the rib cage. This movement builds heat and sets the foundation for proper shoulder mechanics before any weight is added. By refining this awareness early on, we prepare our joints for stability and longevity in arm balances. Protraction becomes not just a motion, but a habit of intelligent movement that protects the shoulders from strain.

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PERFECT PROTRACTION FOR CROW POSE: 2 SHOULDER ACTIONS FOR INCREASED ELEVATION

CHATURANGA & CROW PRACTICE

Translating this awareness into action, Matt layers in Chaturanga and Crow drills. In Chaturanga, we spread the fingers wide, slightly turn the hands out, and push down and in to fire up the serratus and pectoralis. This prevents the shoulders from collapsing forward and maintains lift through the upper back.
To reinforce this pattern, he takes us to the floor for Chaturanga on the back, using blocks or weights. Here, gravity works in reverse, and we feel how the scapulae widen as we “press up.” The transition from Chaturanga to Crow on the back trains the same coordination, knees hug in, tailbone tucks, and the upper body maintains protraction. These drills establish neuromuscular connection before Crow Pose ever touches the ground.

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CROW POSE ON BLOCKS

Now, the mechanics meet the mat. Placing the feet on blocks removes the fear of balance so we can focus purely on shoulder control. Knees squeeze in, elbows hug inward, and hips lift high. Matt emphasizes that Crow Pose shouldn’t be just a head bob from the elbows; it’s a full body integration that begins with elevation of the hips and scapular movement.
We move through retraction and protraction at the top of the shape, feeling the difference between sinking and lifting. As we lean forward, the protraction deepens, allowing the shoulders to stay stable and light. A soft cushion in front provides peace of mind, but the real support comes from the strength of the serratus anterior; it’s the engine behind the lift.

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PRACTICE OVER PERFECTION

Crow Pose mastery comes not from muscling through but from cultivating awareness in the shoulder stabilizers, core, and breath. Each layer, the wall drill, the Chaturanga sequence, and the block practice creates a more refined relationship between effort and control. Protraction is not a static position but an active expression of power that evolves with consistent attention.
In this “perfect protraction for Crow Pose” approach, success lies in understanding mechanics, not chasing shape. With repetition and focus, the shoulders learn to support the lift, transforming Crow Pose from something heavy to something that truly flies.

To break unhelpful patterns in the body, we need to train with intention. Matt’s upcoming online Bring the Heat immersion does just that; each practice blends mindful repetition with fire-building techniques that rewire strength, mobility, and endurance from the inside out.

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Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

Perfect Protraction For Crow PoseBAKASANAPERFECT PROTRACTION FOR CROW POSE When working toward perfect protraction for Crow Pose, it’s essential to understand the role of the serratus anterior, the “fingertip” muscles that wrap around the rib cage and attach to the...

Help For Hamstrings

Help For HamstringsFLEXIBILITYHELP FOR HAMSTRINGS “Yoga butt” or high hamstring tendonitis can be a literal pain where the sit bones meet the hamstrings and glutes. This area is prone to overuse injuries, especially when repetitive forward folds overstretch rather...

Pelvic Floor and Groin Support

Pelvic Floor & Groin SupportCOREPELVIC FLOOR AND GROIN SUPPORT Pelvic floor instability can quietly influence how we move and how safe we feel in our practice. Weakness or imbalance here may lead to groin strains, hip discomfort, or even low-back issues....

Pain In The Neck

Pain In The NeckSTABILITYPAIN IN THE NECK A pain in the neck can be more than just an annoyance. It can ripple into the shoulders, spine, and even the jaw, creating discomfort that affects the whole body. Often, this pain stems from subtle misalignments: a chin that...

King Pigeon Preparation

King Pigeon PreparationHIP OPENINGKING PIGEON PREPARATION King Pigeon demands more than flexibility; it asks us to build carefully and deliberately. Progress comes not from leaping into the deepest version of the posture, but from cultivating strength, control, and...

Boat Pose

Boat PoseNAVASANABOAT POSE Our bodies are intelligent and adaptive, often finding ways to compensate when certain muscles are underused. Over time, these patterns can create imbalances, leaving some muscles overdeveloped and others neglected. In yoga, one area often...

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Side Crow Strategy

by Trisha Curling | Jul 31, 2025 | Main Page Display

Side Crow Strategy

PARSVA BAKASANA

SIDE CROW STRATEGY

When we step onto the yoga mat with a strategy, we open ourselves up to a practice that’s both intelligent and transformational. Side Crow is one of those postures that calls for a clear plan, one that breaks down the mechanics and balances effort with trust. Rather than relying on sheer strength or guesswork, Matt’S Chromatic Yoga method offers a layered approach rooted in precision. It’s not just sequencing, it’s a system that honours tapas (effort) and Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender). With Side Crow, much of that effort is directed toward activating and stabilizing the adductors. This may not often be examined in a “typical” yoga class, but drawing our awareness here helps to keep us connected to the midline. This intentional use of muscular engagement provides both structure and support. A Side Crow strategy gives us permission to slow down and build awareness of our spine, our core, our balance, and how we distribute energy. From that foundation, we can begin to fly.

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ONE-LEGGED CHAIR POSE

In today’s video, Matt instructs us to place a block between the upper thighs and squeeze to activate the adductors. From there, we twist to the left, placing the right tricep on the left thigh. Leaning into the left foot makes the right heel light, and we start to build a one-legged variation of Revolved Chair pose, drawing the right heel to the glutes. This “flamingo-style” chair pose (as Matt refers to it) is less about aesthetics and more about teaching the body to rotate and stabilize at once. With the block engaged and the twist deepening, we simultaneously challenge balance and coordination. It’s a strong preparation for understanding how internal pressure and spiral activation become essential later on in Side Crow. Once the shape is complete, we bring the right foot back down and head to the ground for the next layer of training.

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SIDE CROW STRATEGY: SYSTEMATIC SEQUENCING FOR SUCCESS

FLIP IT UPSIDE DOWN

From our backs, the same strategic tone continues, this time placing a block between the shins, (adductors still firing). Matt cues a subtle posterior tilt of the pelvis, then shifts the knees to the left while the arms move to the right. We engage in a sit-up that resists the temptation for the knees to drift. This upright engagement through twist keeps the focus on the obliques and reinforces spinal control. With arms stretched wide, Matt invites us to continue exploring the twist, only letting the pelvis rotate as far as we can control—never beyond that. There’s no forcing. There’s no rush. He then demonstrates a “side-to-side roll”, with the block still in place, which helps us refine symmetry and continue conditioning the midsection. This phase may seem simple, but it’s crucial. We are wiring the body for rotation, stability, and centerline strength, all components we’ll call on in the Side Crow.

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SIDE CROW SET UP

The moment we’ve prepared for begins to take form. Matt sets us up for Side Crow with the option to place the block between the shins (more challenging) or thighs (more accessible). Facing the side of the mat, we take our hands wide, so wide that initially, we can’t even touch the floor. This forces us to lift the hips, find height, and make space before planting the second hand. Squeezing the block, we shift into a zone of possibility. Hips high, bum lifted, knees squeezing inward. We have the option to stay here and hover, or eventually fly. If we choose to “fly”, the lean comes next, moving our weight toward the fingertips while keeping the tailbone lifted and knees spiraling inward. Matt reminds us to “wag the tail,” a cue that activates the obliques and centers the pelvis. At every step, we are reminded to grip, lean, spiral, and squeeze. This is our Side Crow strategy in action.

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INTEGRATION LEADS TO TRANSFORMATION

The beauty of this approach is that nothing is random. Each drill is intentional, each cue a puzzle piece that fits into the larger structure. From standing to seated to upside down, we build body awareness layer by layer. We don’t just attempt Side Crow, we construct it. The internal rotation, the spinal rotation, the controlled lean, all of it becomes part of us. This is what the Chromatic Yoga approach teaches: not just to perform, but to integrate. Our transformation doesn’t come from nailing the pose, it comes from respecting the path it took to get there. We practice discernment, meet resistance with strategy, and stay present in the process. As with any meaningful practice, the goal isn’t just to arrive, it’s to understand how we arrived. That’s the strategy. That’s the system. And in that, we prevail.

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Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

Help For Hamstrings

Pelvic Floor and Groin Support

Pain In The Neck

King Pigeon Preparation

Boat Pose

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Crow Pose Drills

by Trisha Curling | Jan 16, 2025 | Main Page Display

Crow Pose Drills

bakasana

CROW POSE DRILLS

If we’re attempting to balance in a posture like Crow pose, then the understanding of the way in which we balance our weight is crucial. When we achieve this, not only will we find more confidence and comfort in executing the posture, but we’ll also be able to utilize this new knowledge and patterning to assist in the weight transfer that is imperative for a posture like Handstand. This of course doesn’t happen overnight. Establishing discipline and the right training ground will inform our experience. Implementing Crow pose drills into our practice is an excellent step. It’s not just about doing random drills we come across online or anywhere else, but it’s always about being intentional. The Crow pose drills Matt shares come from a lifetime of dedication and research in understanding the human body (anatomy and biomechanics), and arguably more importantly, the human psyche.

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HANDSTAND CROW DRILL

The first Crow pose drill Matt shares, shows us how to explore the shifting of weight, in the posture. We’re not meant to balance here. It can be scary to think about falling in Crow if we can’t find our balance. After the demonstration of this drill in the full class, Matt discusses how we can train ourselves psychologically to overcome our fear by actually holding ourselves back from attempting to balance. This removes the temptation to go overboard and then ultimately end up falling, which is the very thing we fear.

That first drill is a great precursor to the second drill which is a “Handstand” Crow drill. Again, if we’re scared to balance, it’s great because we go from the bottom up (our head on the ground and then push away). This also serves to strengthen the flexors of the wrist, which is essential for Handstand.

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CROW POSE DRILLS: THE KEYS TO BALANCING YOUR WEIGHT

LEAPFROG DRILL

Hollow Body Hops are a great building block that can be implemented as an extension from Matt’s Handstand Prep position #1. What we improve upon here is our ability to shift our weight more into the hands and away from our feet and hips. In fact, we pop off of the feet and start to create a longer hold of balanced weight into the hands.

Here, we place our hands more forward than we would in Handstand Prep #1. Instead of just lifting the heels we do a slight hop off of the feet to propel ourselves more forward in order to bring the feet closer between the hands once again.

In the video Matt demonstrates how to go both forward and backwards in these hops.

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START FROM THE BOTTOM

An effective way to find balance in Crow pose and to understand where the weight shift needs to occur, is to start from the bottom. Having explored it in the previous Handstand Crow pose drill is helpful in now attempting to cultivate more control in this approach.

Matt demonstrates it in two ways. In the first, we have the support of a cushion underneath the head and the next, we remove the cushion/bolster. The latter of course comes with more confidence and may take some time. One of the keys to finding our way up to balance is actively pulling the pubic bone and solar plexus together. This will help to flex the spine to achieve the desired shape and of course will help to pull ourselves up from the headstand position into Crow.

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YOUR PATH, YOUR WAY

It’s in our nature to resist challenge, but it’s also in our nature to pursue reward and pleasure. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that when we achieve arm balances like Crow pose or even Handstand that it is the only reward. It’s the road in “pursuit” of these postures where we truly achieve reward. When we cultivate the ability to discern what our own path is, what comes is a strong sense of accomplishment and reward. We may never “achieve” Crow pose or Handstand, but what we achieve is a healthier sense of self. We’ve contributed to strength in body and mind. Within the exploration of these drills we develop strength. The exploration formulates the path and provides direction.

Matt’s current online immersion Handstand and Arm Balances is the perfect step towards the achievement of our highest potential.

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Video Extracted From: Handstand And Arm Balances

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ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
Appropriate for both teachers and students
Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
Demystify yoga poses and transitions
Release aches and pains
Learn how to avoid common injuries
Caters to all levels with modifications and props
20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
Lifetime access

TELL ME MORE!

Continue Learning

Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

Help For Hamstrings

Pelvic Floor and Groin Support

Pain In The Neck

King Pigeon Preparation

Boat Pose

All Videos

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Mastering Bakasana

by Trisha Curling | Oct 24, 2024 | Main Page Display

Mastering Bakasana

Crow Pose

MASTERING BAKASANA

We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to discern where to go throughout the next phases of our journey, both on and off the mat.

As we delve into a posture like Bakasana, we become aware very quickly that we must gain a sense of our proprioception in the posture. Proprioception is essentially the understanding of where our bodies are in space. Because this is not necessarily easy, investigating the posture in different planes can assist with this understanding. In addition, applying technique is the ticket to the elevation of our abilities. The marriage between technique and proprioception will help us realize our potential in Bakasana.

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MALASANA POSE POSITIONING

In today’s video, Matt demonstrates variations of Bakasana with techniques that help prepare our bodies for this challenging arm balance. The first variation we see is in a Malasana Pose position, which is essentially Bakasana in a squatted position. As Matt always teaches, such variations take some of the complexity out of the posture and help up home in on the foundations.

Here, we focus on placing the knees onto the outer arms and squeezing the knees in. Now, the element that can become more difficult when we implement the balance is the necessary spinal flexion. In this Malasana position, we practice rounding the back and extending the arms into the arm balance position, being mindful to keep the forearms parallel to the ground. This is how we begin to get more comfortable with proprioception.

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MASTERING BAKASANA: PROPRIOCEPTION & ARM BALANCE TECHNIQUES

BAKASANA ON YOUR BACK

Bakasana on our back begins to promote increased activation in the body. Matt teaches that the objective here is to get the head and buttocks off of the ground. We are still squeezing the inner thighs into the outer arms in order to activate the adductors.

The benefit of practicing this variation is a better understanding of the tension and strength required for the balanced variation; Bakasana on our back is the next stepping stone in developing stability and control. As we move into the balanced variation, we rely on this strength and patterning.

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GET LIGHTER

When we start to implement the balance in Bakasana, we feel the heaviness of supporting our body weight. What we need to strive for is a lightness in the posture, which we access by starting with the foundation.

With the elevation of blocks under the feet, we can maneuver the body into deeper spinal flexion, with knees outside the upper arms and shoulders. Once the shape is created and we squeeze the legs in, we shift our weight forward. If we don’t have a good sense of proprioception, this is when the pose can fall apart. Matt brings our attention to shifting the weight out of our feet and into our hands. From here, we grip the hands more, which helps us feel more secure when leaning forward. This is where the lightness is achieved.

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KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE

“Knowing exactly where we are” can be interpreted in many ways. It can easily refer to our own understanding of where we are on the journey of Bakasana, in other words, to knowing which variation we need to grasp before we move towards the next. As we progress through the course of exploration, it definitely also refers to proprioception: We need to know where we are in space in order to find the lift and lightness required for this arm balance.

Awareness enables us to adjust and refine with greater precision. With this understanding, we embrace the journey of our practice rather than an end goal. It’s through this deepened self-awareness that we can feel the subtle shifts and adjustments that lead to progress.

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Video Extracted From: Step into the Fire Workshop

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ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
Appropriate for both teachers and students
Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
Demystify yoga poses and transitions
Release aches and pains
Learn how to avoid common injuries
Caters to all levels with modifications and props
20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
Lifetime access

TELL ME MORE!

Continue Learning

Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

Help For Hamstrings

Pelvic Floor and Groin Support

Pain In The Neck

King Pigeon Preparation

Boat Pose

All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

Counter Rotations

by Trisha Curling | Oct 9, 2024 | Main Page Display

Counter Rotations

Stability

COUNTER ROTATIONS

The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even frustrating. What are counter rotations? Counter rotations happen when our joints move simultaneously in opposite directions, and this is why confusion may take over. Because they assist in increased muscle engagement, counter rotations serve to increase support and stability within a given posture.

In today’s video, Matt explains how to simplify the actions to more easily adopt them into our practice. There are 4 specific postures we’ll examine. The implementation of these actions within these postures can transform our experience and help us balance and move more efficiently.

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DOWNWARD DOG AND DOLPHIN

Downward Dog

Matt asks us to apply a push action to connect from the outer shoulder blade to the outer hand. This push increases upward rotation in the shoulder blades, creating space in the glenohumeral joint and reducing shoulder impingement risk; it also engages the triceps. Next, the biceps are engaged by the counteraction of isometrically pulling each hand toward the opposite shoulder. The key counter rotations are to externally rotate the upper arms while internally rotating the forearms, pressing the inner palms into the mat.

Dolphin

In Dolphin Pose, wrist strain can be common, so rolling up the mat to support the wrists is helpful. Depending on the sensations in the shoulders and wrists, we can adjust, but the main counteraction involves pronating the forearms while externally rotating the upper arms, as demonstrated in the video.

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COUNTER ROTATIONS: 4 POSTURES & THEIR OPPOSING ACTIONS

PRONATE AND GRIP

In Pincha Mayurasana, a more intense inversion, it’s essential that we pronate the forearms while gripping our fingers into the ground. These actions provide a stable foundation. Next, the counter rotation to the pronation in the forearms is the external rotation of the upper arms. These opposite actions stabilize our bodies to increase balance in this inversion.

It’s also important to note that these counter rotations help to distribute the weight more evenly through the shoulders, arms, and wrists. Putting too much weight or emphasis in one area is common, especially if we are trying to compensate for tension or restriction. Discerning how our bodies respond to these counter rotations is vital. Should we avoid something due to pain, or is there room for development to ease restrictions? These questions are important to navigate.

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Deepen your yoga practice
Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
Learn foundational class structures and templates
Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
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LEAN AND PULL

In Mayurasana, the counter rotations can be described as opposite actions. These actions are to shift our weight forward while pulling our hands towards the front of the mat. While this pulling is resisting our weight leaning forward, what happens is that we find balance. The pulling action also strengthens the biceps. Matt notes that Mayurasana is one of the very few yoga postures that does so.

Depending on our experience with this posture, it may not be easy, but these are definitely concepts we can grasp and put into practice.

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

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Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
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FLIP THE SCRIPT

Progress in these poses requires flipping the script—shifting from simply holding or pushing our way through a posture to actively engaging in the counteractions. Instead of resisting the challenges we face when exploring these poses, we have the opportunity to use counter rotations to create balance, control, and stability. This ultimately paves the way for growth in both practice and mindset.

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Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

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Perfect Protraction For Crow Pose

PERFECT PROTRACTION FOR CROW POSE

BRING THE HEAT

GET THE MECHANICS DOWN

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PERFECT PROTRACTION FOR CROW POSE: 2 SHOULDER ACTIONS FOR INCREASED ELEVATION

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CROW POSE ON BLOCKS

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Side Crow Strategy

SIDE CROW STRATEGY

CHROMATIC LEVEL 1 TRAINING

ONE-LEGGED CHAIR POSE

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SIDE CROW STRATEGY: SYSTEMATIC SEQUENCING FOR SUCCESS

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SIDE CROW SET UP

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Crow Pose Drills

CROW POSE DRILLS

HANDSTAND AND ARM BALANCES

HANDSTAND CROW DRILL

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CROW POSE DRILLS: THE KEYS TO BALANCING YOUR WEIGHT

LEAPFROG DRILL

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Mastering Bakasana

MASTERING BAKASANA

ITALY RETREAT

MALASANA POSE POSITIONING

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MASTERING BAKASANA: PROPRIOCEPTION & ARM BALANCE TECHNIQUES

BAKASANA ON YOUR BACK

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Counter Rotations

COUNTER ROTATIONS

CHROMATIC GLOBAL TRAINING

DOWNWARD DOG AND DOLPHIN

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COUNTER ROTATIONS: 4 POSTURES & THEIR OPPOSING ACTIONS

PRONATE AND GRIP

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LEAN AND PULL

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FLIP THE SCRIPT

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