Landing Bakasana B - Ashtanga Yoga - Intermediate Series
Landing Bakasana B - Ashtanga Yoga - Intermediate Series
This week I wanted to look at Bakasana B as it’s one of those asanas many people struggle with. In my experience mastering Bakasana B often requires a lot of practice, however, there are always things we can do to make it a little easier.
So if you’re struggling with landing Bakasana B, read on because we’re going to explore some techniques we can use to master this tricky asana.
Bakasana comes about a third of the way through the Ashtanga second series. Because it’s essentially a forward bend (your torso is moving closer to your legs) as well as an arm balance, it provides a nice release for the back after some intense back-bending.
For many Bakasana B is the more challenging version of this asana because we jump straight into it from a downward-facing dog.
So to begin with let’s have a look at what’s required to land Bakasana B:
⁃ A strong foundation
Because we’re balancing on our hands we need to have enough arm and wrist strength to allow us to support our weight. The best way to develop this strength is through the regular practice of earlier asanas in the Ashtanga series.
⁃ A strong foundation (again).
The ability to stabilize the shoulder girdle by activating a muscle called Serratus Anterior (more on this to come)
⁃ Control over our centre of gravity to land (this takes practice)
⁃ A strong Drishti to maintain focus
⁃ A little bravery - the fear of falling onto our face is powerful
