Problems with balance or concentration in yoga? You have company. Many practitioners need help to focus or balance their profession. Good news: the Eagle Pose can help you overcome these challenges.
This strong stance works your body and mind. It boosts mental clarity and focus while building muscle. Eagle Pose is ideal for advanced yoga practitioners.
Regular Eagle Pose practice improves balance, flexibility, and mental clarity. This stance is great for building physical and mental strength. Ready to fly? Eagle Pose can help you become more balanced and concentrated.
What is Eagle Pose?
Garudasana, also known as Eagle Pose, is a standing balance pose in modern yoga. In ancient hatha yoga, the name was given to a different pose.
The word comes from the Sanskrit words garuda, which means “eagle,” and asana, which means “posture” or “seat.”
To get into this pose, wrap one leg around the other and cross your arms over your chest, making an eagle shape.
It works on the hips, legs, and shoulders, making you more balanced and focused while stretching important muscle groups.
How to Prepare for Eagle Pose?
- Shoulders and upper back should be stretched, and balance training should be performed.
- Both the hips and the legs should be kept open.
- Pay Attention to the Core Engagement and Breath Awareness
Warm-up Exercises
- Neck stretches: Gently tilt your head to relieve neck strain. Take a few seconds to look left and right.
- Shoulder Rolls: Slowly turn your shoulders forward and backward to release your upper body.
- Cat-Cow Stretch: Warm up your spine by arching and rounding your back on all fours.
- Standing in Tree Pose, place the other foot on the inner thigh or calf. Hold breaths to balance.
How to Perform Eagle Pose
- Start in Mountain Pose: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, grounding through your feet, and spine straight.
- Shift Your Weight: Put all your weight on your left foot and slightly bend your knee to stay stable. Do not put your right foot on the ground.
- Cross Your Right Leg: Put your left foot on top of your right foot. Try to tuck your right foot behind your left leg or wrap it around your left knee. You need to be able to balance on your left foot with your right leg wrapped around it.
- Focus on Your Arms: Straighten your arms in front. Bring your forearms together by crossing your right and left arms. Bring your palms together by bending your elbows. Cross your arms if this is hard.
- Engage Your Core: To stay balanced and support your body, keep your core muscles tight.
- Find Your Gaze: Focus on something straight ahead to help you stay steady.
- Hold the Pose: Breathe deeply and hold the stance for 20–30 seconds or longer if comfortable. Relax your shoulders and straighten your back.
- Release and Repeat: Slowly unwind, releasing your arms and legs. Switch sides and repeat the steps with the opposite leg and arm.
“Here’s a video that explains this yoga pose in more detail.”
Benefits of Eagle Pose
Significant hip extension. The Eagle pose is a powerful hip opener in yoga. As you recline in a chair and wrap your legs, the hip stretch intensifies.
Promotes deep breathing. Encourages deep breathing. Wrap your arms around your head to improve deep breathing. This aids in airway opening.
Improves balance and focus. Balancing while staring straight ahead is a mindfulness exercise. Balance improves with practice.
Let shoulders rest. Eagle posture yoga helps relieve tense shoulders, whether done fully or with merely the arms together.
Cobra Pose for Better Flexibility and Stronger Back
Expert Tips
Squeeze your leg and arm muscles hard. Making your body smaller is all it takes to improve your balance.
Make sure that your hands, arms, and legs stay in a straight line. Lessen your hips even more if you can cross your legs or wrap your feet around them.
Beginner Tips
Start Eagle Pose slowly and practice arm and leg movements separately before merging them. Support your balance with a chair or wall. Stay stable by bending your standing leg slightly and focusing in front of you.
If foot-calf wrapping is difficult, cross your legs without wrapping. Core support for body and posture. Take deep breaths and breaks. With repetition, your balance and flexibility will improve, making the stance easier.
Eagle Yoga Pose Variations.
Half Eagle Pose: Cross one leg over the other, but don’t wrap the foot around the other leg. Cross your arms or do something easier if you need to.
Eagle Pose while sitting: Cross your legs and wrap them around each other. To help yourself, cross your arms in front of you.
Eagle Pose with a Chair: To make the pose more stable and balanced, sit in a chair and do it.
Eagle Pose with a Bind: For an added shoulder stretch, bring your palms together to make a deeper bind.
Hold Eagle Pose with Forward Fold: Bend forward at the hips to deepen the back and hip stretch.
Safety Precautions
If you hurt your knees, elbows, wrists, or shoulders, you shouldn’t do Eagle Pose. If your balance exercises are giving you trouble, do them against a wall to keep from falling.
Case Study:
My personal experience about this pose and also search on different forums. Reddit User (talkstoravens) Said according to what I was taught, the eagle stance involves looking through the area between the arms to sharpen vision. Not everyone has a space between their arms, so if that’s the case, locate a focal point on the ground. For more knowledge Visit Reddit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
If you want to keep your balance, keep your knee slightly bent while you lock it.
When you arch your back, keep your back straight and your core tight.
Shoulders Tight: Let your shoulders drop and keep them away from your ears.
Not Enough of a Leg Wrap: Do not force the wrap; cross your legs easily.
Source:
Heagberg, K. (2016, March 14). Eagle pose, step by step.
Yoga Journal. (2023, January 4). Eagle pose.
MasterClass. (n.d.). How to do eagle pose: 4 benefits of eagle Pose – 2024 – MasterClass.
