What is Astavakrasana?
Astavakrasana, known as the Astavakra sage posture, is a balance pose on the arms in yoga. It represents the combination of strength, flexibility, and mental focus, challenging both the body and mind of the practitioner.
Your name comes from the wise Astavakra, who was born with eight deformities in his body. This posture symbolizes resilience and inner strength to overcome challenges, just as the sage did in his life.
In the physical aspect, Astavakrasana requires strength in the arms and core, along with mobility in the hips. Beyond the body, it fosters concentration and self-confidence, helping to find internal and external balance.
How to do Astavakrasana step by step
- Prepare your body: Warm up with poses that open the hips and strengthen the core, such as Malasana (squat pose) and Chaturanga Dandasana (low plank).
- Sit on the floor: Extend your legs in front and sit up straight. Bend your right knee and bring your foot close to your left hip.
- Bring your right leg over your arm: Lift your right leg and place it over your right arm, as high as possible, ideally near the shoulder.
- Cross your ankles: Cross the left foot over the right, applying pressure between the feet to support yourself better.
- Activate the core and lift the body: Press with your palms against the ground and, with the strength of your core, raise your hips and feet off the ground.
- Extend your legs to one side: Shift your weight forward and extend your legs to the right, keeping them parallel to the ground. Make sure your elbows are bent for greater stability.
- Maintain balance and breathe: Hold the position for 5-10 deep breaths, focusing on maintaining stability and relaxing your face.
Advice for beginners
If it is very complicated to do at first, practice placing blocks under your hands to gain height and stability.
Variants of the Eight Angles Posture
While the classic version of Astavakrasana is intense enough, there are several variations that can offer different degrees of challenge and benefit.
- Astavakrasana with One Leg Extended: In this version, one of the legs extends forward instead of being bent, which places more emphasis on core strength and less on hip flexibility.
- Eka Pada Astavakrasana: Also known as “One-Legged Astavakrasana“, this variation involves keeping one leg extended towards the ceiling while the other wraps around the arm. This adds an extra dimension of balance and strength. For more details about this variation, see eka pada koundinyasana.
- Astavakrasana in Pairs: Performing this pose with a partner can help both parties achieve a more precise alignment and enhance the aspect of balance.
Benefits of Astavakrasana
- Strengthen the core: Increases the strength of the deep abdominal muscles, improving body stability and control.
- Improve balance: Develop the ability to maintain balance by combining strength, coordination, and mental focus.
- Strengthens arms and wrists: Helps to strengthen the arm muscles and improve endurance in the wrists.
- Increases hip flexibility: Requires a deep opening of the hips, improving their mobility and elasticity.
- Promotes concentration: Forces attention to focus on the present moment, helping to calm the mind and develop focus.
- Challenge your mental endurance: Teaches patience, confidence, and the ability to overcome challenges, both physical and emotional.
