Crow Pose Drills

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.

WATCH THE VIDEO

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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    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose DrillsbakasanaCROW 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...

    read more
    Inversion Journey

    Inversion Journey

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    read more
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    Inversion SuccesshandstandINVERSION SUCCESS We all have different definitions of success.  Success in our yoga practice could look anything like effortlessly engaging in inversions, being able to participate in breathwork techniques, and/or simply showing up for a...

    read more

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    Mastering Bakasana

    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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    • 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
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    read more
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    read more
    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose DrillsbakasanaCROW 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...

    read more
    Inversion Journey

    Inversion Journey

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    read more
    Inversion Success

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    Inversion SuccesshandstandINVERSION SUCCESS We all have different definitions of success.  Success in our yoga practice could look anything like effortlessly engaging in inversions, being able to participate in breathwork techniques, and/or simply showing up for a...

    read more

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    Counter Rotations

    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.

    WATCH THE VIDEO

    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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    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.

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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.

    Dive into the fullest potential of your practice! Get more information here about Matt’s 200 & 300 Hr. Teacher Training .

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    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

    lotus pose online yoga classes

    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

    Continue Learning

    Nurture The Neck

    Nurture The Neck

    Nurture The NeckalignmentNURTURE THE NECK The neck is not often the shining star of our yoga practice, yet it is an integral part.  Too often, we may only offer more attention if we’re feeling pain in a particular posture.  It’s important however, for us to be...

    read more
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    read more
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    Flying Pigeon Variations

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    read more
    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose DrillsbakasanaCROW 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...

    read more
    Inversion Journey

    Inversion Journey

    Inversion Journeyadho mukha vrksasanaINVERSION JOURNEY In the previous blog, Inversion Success: Alignment, Drills & Preparation,  I talked about how Matt provides the education and keys to building a solid foundation to execute handstands.  What we must understand...

    read more
    Inversion Success

    Inversion Success

    Inversion SuccesshandstandINVERSION SUCCESS We all have different definitions of success.  Success in our yoga practice could look anything like effortlessly engaging in inversions, being able to participate in breathwork techniques, and/or simply showing up for a...

    read more

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

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    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
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    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Mayurasana

    PRACTICE PEACOCK POSE

    We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose is for when we are in pursuit of the latter. The full pose requires an ample amount of strength, but it will equally build strength if we are not yet at that point. Taking steps to practice Peacock Pose means we are ready to jump into the fire of what this arm balance posture has to offer.  

    With regard to arm balances, Matt teaches us the concept of “lean, resist, push.” This is what guides us to ultimately finding our balance. The same concept exists in Peacock Pose, except that we must approach the “resist” portion differently. The backwards placement of the hands changes our experience. The muscle engagements are different.

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    START WITH “SIMPLE” BICEP ACTIVATION

    Even though we have many of the traditional principles of an arm balance in Peacock Pose, there’s a lot we can learn from what is different. For example, the placement of the hands is backwards, which makes our hands a pulling force rather than the usual pushing. Our biceps pull us into a position to avoid leaning too much and falling over.

    Asana practice, however, does not provide many opportunities for bicep strength. So how do we prepare these muscles, which are integral to the pose? In today’s video, Matt offers two drills that can be incorporated into our practice. 

    First, like a bicep curl, you can place one hand on top of the other and resist the push of the top hand by bringing the bottom hand up toward your face or by simply creating an isometric contraction.

    Next, on hands and knees, you can pull one hand toward the other, even swiping each hand up to the opposite shoulder.

    WATCH THE VIDEO

    PRACTICE PEACOCK POSE: PREPARE YOUR PULLING MUSCLES

    BADDHA KONASANA VARIATION

    As always, progression is key. When it’s time to actually explore Peacock Pose, this Baddha Konasana variation is a great step before we attempt the plank-like position. Why? It’s an option that allows us to create less weight in the pose by having our knees bent.  

    To start off, placing some soft support out in front is a good plan, just in case we fall.  

    In this Baddha Konasana variation of Peacock Pose, we practice the hand placement and arm setup while creating a diamond shape in the legs.  As we lean forward, we must remember that nothing is stopping us! The biceps (our pulling muscles) need to work. It’s all about pressing our hands into the ground and pulling them towards our face, which will help with the counterbalance. The action will move some weight back towards our feet, which will help us from falling forward.

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    PLANK POSITION FOR PEACOCK POSE

    When we arrive in this variation of Peacock Pose, the back muscles are of course involved, but it’s the leaning forward that also takes the legs up.

    Additionally, there can be some conversation about the placement of the elbows. With a deeply rounded back, we may get them very low on the belly, even below the belly button, especially during the initial setup phase, but body proportion needs to be taken into consideration. Matt reminds us that when the legs lift up, it can move the belly button area further away from the elbows. It doesn’t mean that they are now in the wrong place.

    Essentially, we have the same setup as in the previous variation, but you’ll see in the video that the legs go straight back and we need to be bold with the “lean” element.

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    • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
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    TAKE CARE AND LEAN

    Before we even attempt any variation of Peacock Pose, we must not only prepare the pulling muscles (with bicep drills like those offered in today’s video) but also understand how much we need to lean forward to protect our wrists.  If we are at a 90 degree angle or less, this may cause a lot of pressure on the wrists. Leaning forward will increase the angle and potentially minimize the tension. It’s like a cycle: Unless we prepare the pulling muscles, we will not have the capacity to lean to the necessary degree.  

    The beauty of the practice is developing this discernment. We develop a sense for what stage fits our development. Taking care to use this discernment indicates longevity in our bodies and in our practice.  

    Prepare to receive step-by-step instruction and education in Matt’s upcoming online arm balance workshop, Step into the Fire.

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Arm Balance Immersion 

    lotus pose online yoga classes

    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

    Continue Learning

    Nurture The Neck

    Nurture The Neck

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    Eka Pada Koundinyasana I

    Eka Pada Koundinyasana I

    Arm Balance

    EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA I

    If Side Crow is already part of our practice, then Eka Pada Koundinyasana I is like adding on another layer to that posture, because they are quite similar. The added layer is that we extend the top leg behind us, splitting it from the bottom leg.

    As with any arm balance, we can encounter some challenges. A common occurrence when sending that top leg back is losing the “sweet spot” of the counterbalance.  

    The good news is that there are actions, articulations, and variations we can engage in to conquer these challenges. In today’s video, Matt demonstrates a variety of ways to approach Eka Pada Koundinyasana I that will meet us where we are in the development of this pose.

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    BACK ON THE MAT VARIATION

    Unless it is a regular part of our practice, attempting Eka Pada Koundinyasana I may feel discouraging. The pieces may not come together as we want them to, or in the timeline we desire—but this is where the practice happens. It’s our opportunity to take intentional action in the direction of growth, while learning to release the outcomes.

    What we also have in our favor is guidance. Matt offers a first variation that lays a foundation. It’s in a supine position, which allows us to focus our well-placed efforts on the nuances and to strengthen in order to prepare for the variations in which balance is required.

    One of the key takeaways is this: Just because we are supine doesn’t mean we don’t stay active in our bodies. For example, we use a high degree of abdominal engagement to draw the front leg higher onto the supportive arm.

    WATCH THE VIDEO

    EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA I: GO FORWARD, LIFT HIGHER

    KICKSTAND SETUP

    We may also find it difficult to lift both legs off the ground. Practicing by attempting to lift only one leg may help us gain a sense of what’s required. Using the front foot as a kickstand can allow us to explore what it feels like to lift in the back leg while we contemplate how much we need to go forward with the torso in order to lift the back leg higher. Once we feel secure and strong enough, we can slowly start to play with the idea of bringing the front foot forward and eventually lifting that foot off the ground. This kickstand variation of Eka Pada Koundinyasana I offers us the assurance that until we find full flight, the front foot can remain as a base while we work on muscle engagement and pelvic articulations.

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    SLIDE WITH SOCKS

    Just like in last week’s article about Eka Pada Koundinyasana II, wearing socks as a prop to assist in sliding the front foot forward can make Eka Pada Koundinyasana I more accessible.

    Here too, progression and advancement are in the finer details. It’s not uncommon to find it challenging to keep the bottom leg in place on the upper arm. To help with this, Matt teaches us to rotate the pelvis in a way that the “top pelvis” does a hip hike, which will help roll the bottom leg up the arm. Achieving this effectively makes the posture more vertical, which helps us not have to lean forward as much. Matt compares it to how we understand the way a handstand works: When it’s stacked more vertically, we can rely on less counterbalance and become more weightless, therefore maintaining better access to the posture.

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    EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA I CHAIR INVESTIGATION

    If we’re not quite ready to take flight, this variation of Eka Pada Koundinyasana I on a chair may be the perfect option. In many ways, it’s similar to the kickstand setup. We start off by keeping the bottom foot on the ground, then placing the top foot on a chair behind us (best to have a chair that doesn’t roll or slide). Once we feel secure, we can start to extend the bottom leg forward. Don’t forget to lean forward to actually be able to extend that leg!  

    This exploration with a chair takes some weight off of the posture, creating a pathway towards building enough strength for the ability to take flight in this arm balance.

    If you want to unlock more access to arm balances like this one, register for Matt’s next 2-hour online arm balance workshop, Step into the Fire.

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    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Flow and Fly Immersion 

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    Continue Learning

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    Nurture The NeckalignmentNURTURE THE NECK The neck is not often the shining star of our yoga practice, yet it is an integral part.  Too often, we may only offer more attention if we’re feeling pain in a particular posture.  It’s important however, for us to be...

    read more
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    read more
    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose Drills

    Crow Pose DrillsbakasanaCROW 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...

    read more
    Inversion Journey

    Inversion Journey

    Inversion Journeyadho mukha vrksasanaINVERSION JOURNEY In the previous blog, Inversion Success: Alignment, Drills & Preparation,  I talked about how Matt provides the education and keys to building a solid foundation to execute handstands.  What we must understand...

    read more
    Inversion Success

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    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

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