Poses >> Kraunchasana

Kraunchasana "Heron Pose"

1. From a low lunge, with the left leg forward as preparation, shift your hips back slightly and reach behind you. Place your hands in the back of the knee and press the gastrocnemius back and down. Sit down in half virasana.
2. If you feel like you are tipping over to the right then try to draw your right buttock flesh out to the right. It is weird but it usually works. If it doesn't work, then you need to put a blanket or block under your right buttock so you are sitting squarely and upright.
3. Then bend your right knee by placing your right hand inside your knee and lifting up the inner knee. Place your right foot on the floor close to your right sitting bone.
4. Now, you can either:  

                a. Interlace your hands behind your thighs
                b. Loop a yoga belt around your right foot
                c. Clasps both hands behind your right foot

5. It all depends on the movement available in your low back and right hamstring. Be honest and don't hurt yourself.
6. On an exhale, extend your right leg straight or toward straight. What is straight? It means you are reaching your leg in two directions — out through the sole of the foot at the same time you are drawing your leg muscles up and tucking your leg into your pelvis.
7. If this is easy then you are doing version #3 above and now you can begin to bend your elbows out and up a bit, still keeping the chest open. Bring your chin and your shin toward each other. This pose is in the Forward Bend category and really is like a one-legged vertical pascimottanasana, so you are going for a long spine but it will have to round somewhat.
8. After a few breaths, bend your right leg and replace it to the ground. You can shift forward right back into the low lunge and then slowly step into Downward Facing Dog. Tread in place for a few times and then do the other side

Video and Text by Yogamates Featured Teacher: Cyndi Lee