How to Do Crane Pose (Bakasana)

Once you are comfortable in Crow Pose (Kakasana), you can start to tackle its straight-armed cousin, Crane Pose (Bakasana). The primary benefits of Crane Pose are increased core strength, balance, and control.

It may look like a simple step to straighten your arms, but while Crow is quite beginner-friendly, Crane is a much more advanced pose. Let’s take a look at its challenges and how to meet them!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Crane Pose

1. Begin in Malasana (Garland Pose), a yoga squat.

2. Bring your palms flat onto your mat with your arms straight.

3. Lift your butt high, but keep your knees slightly bent.

4. Heel-toe your feet together and come onto the balls of your feet. 

5. Fit your knees into your armpits or as high up your arms as possible.

6. Begin to tilt your weight forward, keeping your arms straight.

7. Engage your core and squeeze your knees strongly into your arms.

8. Keep leaning forward and hugging your arms with your knees until your feet lift away from the floor.

9. Lift your head to bring your gaze in front of your fingertips.

10. Bring your toes to touch.

11. To come out, shift your weight back and return to a squat.

Crane Pose Basics

Sanskrit meaning: Baka (Crane) Asana (Pose)

Yoga level: Advanced

Pose type: Arm balance

Pose category: Core strength, balance

Common props: Block under feet to assist with lift; bolster or cushion in front to build confidence when learning

Benefits of Crane Pose

• Strengthens arms, wrists, shoulders, and core
• Improves balance and control
• Builds mental focus and concentration
• Encourages experimentation and body awareness

Key Alignment Cues

1. Lean Forward

Getting your feet off the floor is more about finding your center of gravity than strength (though it also takes some strength!). In this pose, you really have to lean into it.

2. Hug Your Knees

In Crow Pose, your knees can sit almost passively atop the shelf created by your upper arms. Straightening your arms removes your shelf, so you have to very actively squeeze your knees into your armpit or upper arms to keep them up.

3. Use Your Core

Draw your navel up and in to activate your center of power.

4. Ground Your Hands

Since your hands are your only contact with the ground, make them as stable as possible by spreading your fingers and pressing into your whole palm from heel to fingertips.

Beginner Tips for Crane Pose

• Keep working on Crow Pose (Kakasana). The more comfortable your Crow is, the more natural the transition to Crane will be.
• Try a block under your feet to give you more height when entering the pose.
• Place a cushion or folded blanket in front of you in case you tip forward.

Crane Pose Variations

Crow Pose (Kakasana)

As mentioned above, Crow Pose is very similar to Crane. In Crow Pose, your bent arms act as support for your knees.

Fingertip Crane

For an added challenge, you can try Crane on your fingertips with your palms lifted.

Preparatory Poses

Plank Pose (Phalankasana)

Builds arm and core strength. Practice coming onto your tip-toes and moving your weight forward to warm up your wrists.

Garland Pose (Malasana)

Opens your hips. This squat position is essentially the same shape that your legs take in Crane.

Boat Pose (Navasana)

Develops the core engagement needed for balance and control.

Counter Pose

Sphinx Pose (Ardha Bhujangasana)

Releases your wrists and gently stretches your back.

Why We Practice Crane Pose

We practice challenging yoga poses to push our boundaries and show ourselves that we can do hard things. A pose like Crane can be years in the making, so it’s also a testament to the power of consistency and perseverance. Even if you never get this pose, your time working on it is not wasted. Its lessons come from the effort, not the result.

Bakasana FAQs

What’s the difference between Crow Pose and Crane Pose?

In Crow Pose, your arms are bent, which gives your legs a place to rest. In Crane, your arms are straight, so you have to squeeze your knees into your arms to keep them up.

Although Crow Pose is sometimes called Bakasana, in Sanskrit, Baka means Crane. Crow Pose is Kakasana.

My wrists hurt in Crane Pose. What can I do?

Crane Pose puts a lot of pressure on the wrists. Make sure to spread your fingers and press into your fingertips and the heels of your hands. Also, do this in other poses where your arms bear your weight, like Plank and Downward Facing Dog.

How long should I hold Crane Pose?

However long is comfortable and then a little longer.