10 Yoga Arm Balances | Medium to Advanced Poses

One of the great advantages to regularly practicing yoga is that it offers a full-body workout. You can even tone and work out your arms if you want more defined limbs. 

How to Do Yoga Arm Balances

Yoga arm balances are some of the more advanced moves you can learn in the realm of yoga. The reason is that you’re often lifting your lower body off the ground, only supporting yourself with your arms. 

It takes quite a lot of practice to get right. Your best bet for getting started is to get familiar with the more basic yoga poses. Once you feel comfortable with those, you can move onto more intermediate poses that involve balancing your arms. 

Additionally, you should seriously consider signing up for a class if you haven’t already. An instructor will provide you with proper safety advice so that you’re balancing properly.

Yoga Arm Balances Tips

The most important tip is that you want your hands as spread out as humanly possible. This provides you with greater surface area, and your hands can better grip the floor’s surface.

You also want to adequately address your core. Suck your belly in, so it feels like your ribs are zippering toward your torso. This also gives your arms greater support to balance themselves.

One thing we also always recommend our readers do is implement yoga warmup poses. 

Intermediate Yoga Arm Balance Poses:

The only way you become a master of yoga arm balances is to get started, so here are some stretches for working out your arms. 

10. Crocodile Pose

This pose relaxes your entire body, helping to alleviate pain related to other activities. When you lie on your stomach with your shoulders and chest rest, you relieve tension in the lower back. 

9. Crow Pose

This accessible pose strengthens your arm in addition to your upper back, shoulders, and wrists. You want to make sure you warm up your wrists before attempting this pose as it will place a lot of stress on them. 

8. Headstand

A headstand can help calm the mind and alleviate depression. You should use a supportive Yoga Strong Mat and work with a spotter initially to help you understand where you need to flex to do it independently. 

7. Forearm Stand

The forearm stand is a lot like a headstand, except you’ll balance your body off of just your forearms with your head lifted. The enhanced blood flow to the brain can help reduce stress. 

6. Half Moon Pose

The half moon pose teaches coordination. It strengthens your legs and hips as much as your arms as well as teaching you the interdependence of your bodily actions. 

Advanced Yoga Arm Balance Poses:

Once you’ve mastered the above poses, you’ll be ready to tackle the following.

5. Flying Crow Pose

You’ll need to get into the crow pose first before you adjust the position of your knees and legs for a more advanced challenge. It strengthens your arms, neck, and hips in the process. 

4. Side Plank Pose

The side plank pose is great for your arms in addition to the back of your legs. One arm supports the rest of your body, improving your sense of balance. 

3. Wild Things Pose

This pose works out the entire front half of your body. It opens up your shoulders and chest, thereby boosting the usage of your lungs. 

2. Firefly Pose

You really need flexibility in your legs to nail this pose. It’s a deep hamstring stretch so make sure you limber up well beforehand.

1. Eight Angle Pose

This is basically the firefly pose taken to the next level. Again, stretching beforehand will help immensely, and have someone help you at first so that you don’t accidentally pull something. 

Do Yoga Arm Balance Poses Today

Both women and men can benefit from yoga arm balance poses. They take some getting used to, but you’ll get in a serious workout as well as do wonders for your mental health.

References:

Cronkleton, Emily. “How to Do a Headstand Safely: Follow These Steps.” Healthline, 26 Aug. 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-do-a-headstand-safely