Bakāsana, the crow pose (or crane)

3 min read · Updated October 16, 2026 · sources checked October 16, 2026

Sanskrit: बकासनBakāsana
Meaning of the name: Crane pose: baka, crane or heron, and āsana, posture; the Sivananda tradition teaches a similar balance as kākāsana, from kāka, crow
Level: Intermediate
Family: Arm balance
In the texts: Modern posture; the classical arm balances are mayūrāsana and kukkuṭāsana (Hatha Yoga Pradipika 1.32, 1.25)

In short

Bakāsana, usually called crow pose in English, is a first arm balance: squatting, hands on the floor, you place the knees high on the backs of the upper arms, lean forward and lift the feet, balancing on the hands. Gaze forward, not down. The pose is modern; its Sanskrit name means crane, and kākāsana, the crow, is a similar balance.

The crane stands motionless at the edge of the water, then strikes in an instant. In Sanskrit literature the baka is a figure of patience and of cunning at once, the bird that waits. In bakāsana you learn that patience: weight slowly moving forward, belly drawn in, gaze steady, until the feet become light. For many people it is the first time they leave the ground on their hands, and it is a happy moment.

Steps

Place a cushion or a folded blanket on the mat where your face would land.
Squat with the feet close together, heels lifted if needed, knees wide.
Place the hands flat on the floor in front of you, shoulder-width apart, fingers spread wide, a little in front of the feet.
Bend the elbows slightly backward and place the knees as high as possible on the backs of the upper arms, close to the armpits.
Draw the belly in, round the upper back a little, and look forward at a point on the floor ahead of the hands.
Lean forward until the weight moves into the hands, and lift one foot, then the other. Bring the big toes together.
Hold two to five breaths. Lower the feet with control and rest in child's pose.

Alignment

The hands press firmly, especially the fingertips, which act as brakes.
The elbows stay above the wrists, pointing back, not out to the sides.
The gaze goes forward; looking down at the floor tips the head and the body over.
The knees squeeze the arms; the heels draw towards the buttocks.

Variations

One foot at a time (gentle version): lift one foot, place it down, lift the other. This alone builds the balance.
Feet on a block: starting higher makes it easier to place the knees high on the arms.
Crow with bent arms (kākāsana): knees resting on the bent elbows, the form taught in the Sivananda tradition.
Crane with straight arms (intermediate to advanced): the arms straighten and the knees slide up towards the armpits.
Side crow (pārśva bakāsana, advanced): both knees on one arm after a twist.

Contraindications

Wrist injury, carpal tunnel syndrome: avoid.
Shoulder or elbow injury: avoid.
Pregnancy: avoid; the belly is compressed and a fall is possible.
High blood pressure, glaucoma: avoid holding the breath and leaning the head down.
Recent abdominal surgery or hernia: avoid until cleared.

In the texts

Bakāsana is a modern posture. The classical hatha texts do know arm balances, but different ones. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes the cock, kukkuṭāsana (1.25), sitting in lotus, the hands pushed through between thighs and calves, the body raised off the floor; and the peacock, mayūrāsana:

धरामवष्टभ्य करद्वयेन तत्कूर्परस्थापितनाभिपार्श्वः । उच्चासनो दण्डवदुत्थितः खे मायूरमेतत्प्रवदन्ति पीठम् ॥

dharām avaṣṭabhya kara-dvayena tat-kūrpara-sthāpita-nābhi-pārśvaḥ | uccāsano daṇḍavad utthitaḥ khe māyūram etat pravadanti pīṭham ||

Pressing the ground with both hands, the sides of the navel placed on the elbows, raised high like a staff in the air: this they call the peacock seat.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika 1.32 · our translation

Crow and crane belong to the twentieth century. In Sanskrit, kāka is the crow (the Monier-Williams dictionary notes the word imitates its cawing) and baka the crane or heron, which classical literature often makes a symbol of the hypocrite who feigns stillness to catch his prey. Yogis have kept only its patience.

Good to know

The secret is the gaze. Fix a point thirty centimetres in front of your fingertips and keep it: the body follows the eyes.

Build the strength with plank and caturaṅga; prepare the squat with garland pose. Crow leads to other arm balances and, later, to the headstand. Animal names are explained in the meaning of pose names. All the cards: the asanas chapter.

Questions people ask

Is it crow pose or crane pose?

Baka means crane or heron, so bakāsana is literally the crane. English-speaking classes call it crow, perhaps because of kākāsana, a similar balance with bent arms taught in the Sivananda tradition. Some teachers keep crow for bent arms and crane for straight arms.

How do I stop falling forward in crow pose?

Place a cushion or folded blanket in front of you, look forward rather than down, and lift one foot at a time. Most people need several weeks before both feet leave the floor.

Do I need strong arms for crow pose?

Less than you think. It is mostly balance and core work: the knees press into the arms, the belly draws in and the weight moves into the fingertips.

Sources

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, translated by Pancham Sinh (Allahabad, Panini Office, 1914), Internet Archive checked October 16, 2026
Svātmārāma, Haṭhayogapradīpikā, Sanskrit text (GRETIL, University of Göttingen) checked October 16, 2026
Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), entries baka and kāka, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries checked October 16, 2026

Practise gently and within your limits. Yoga is learnt best with a qualified teacher; this page does not replace one.