Asana: Pose
Krounchasana at a Glance
Krounchasana or the heron pose is a challenging, seated posture that has two combined poses, the Ardha Virasana, and the Janusirasana pose. Eron is a bird that belongs to the Crane family or Egrets. It impacts the Manipura chakra, which represents, confidence and self-esteem.
Benefits:
- This pose helps to strengthen your legs, back, and hips.
- It stretches your hip joints, hamstrings, thighs, and ankle.
- It helps to detoxify your digestive system.
- It enhances your core strength and keeps your pelvic floor muscles healthy.
Who can do it?
Intermediate and advanced practitioners can do the Heron pose. People with good flexibility in their hips and hamstrings can do this pose. Individuals with strong cores can attempt this pose. Sports persons can do this pose.
Who should not do it?
Beginners should avoid this pose unless they gain flexibility. Pregnant women should not do this pose. People with any hamstring, knee, ankle, spine, or hip injury should avoid this pose. Any surgery on any part of the body should avoid doing this pose. Women during their menstrual cycle should avoid doing this pose. People with arthritis or back pain should avoid doing this pose.
How to Do Krounchasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
Before getting into the pose, see that you work on your flexibility and core strength. Do the warmups and use a soft yoga mat or a blanket to sit on.
- Start by sitting in the Dandasana (staff pose) pose, keep your spine straight and elongated, keep your arms to your sides, and stretch your legs straight in front of you.
- Take some relaxed breaths and be grounded on your sit bones.
- Bend your right leg (right knee) and bring your foot back as in the half-hero pose, let your, inner right calf touch your outer right thigh. Your toes are pointed back and the upper part of the foot is on the mat.
- Keep breathing and deeply exhale bend the left knee bring the foot closer toward you and catch hold of the left foot firmly.
- Inhale and start stretching the left leg up, holding the foot from the heels, and your back straight.
- When you exhale, engage your core bring your leg toward your torso, and keep your leg straight.
- Once you are in this position, keep breathing and hold the pose for a few breaths or within your comfort.
- When you are ready to release, inhale and exhale to bring your leg to the mat and bring your left leg in front come back to the Dandasana pose and relax before you do it on the opposite side.
What are the Benefits of Krounchasana?
- It benefits stretches and strengthens your leg muscles and tight hamstrings.
- It helps to stimulate and strengthen your abdominal organs.
- It helps to strengthen your joints and muscles and increases flexibility.
- It helps to stretch your back and improve your posture.
- It helps to be stable and improve your willpower.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Krounchasana
- It stimulates your digestive system, which helps to cure your constipation and bloating.
- This pose can help to cure flat feet and ankle problems.
- It can help to stimulate your heart, which improves its efficiency and prevents heart issues.
- As this pose helps to stimulate the Manipura chakra, it improves your confidence level, which helps with a healthy mind the body.
Safety and Precautions
- Any injuries in your ankles, knees, back, or hips just skip this pose.
- Avoid it during your menstrual cycle.
- Modify it with the help of your yoga teacher if you have lower back pain.
- Do the warm-ups and preparatory poses before getting into the pose.
Common Mistakes
- Avoid hunching your back.
- Forcing your lifted leg, more than your physical limit.
- Avoid forcing to get into the final pose, progress gradually.
- Not respecting your body.
- Avoid doing it after your meals.
Tips for Krounchasana
- Do the preparatory poses like- The hero pose, head-to-knee pose and seated forward bend.
- Initially do it under the guidance of your yoga teachers.
- Follow the physical alignments.
- Keep a blanket or cushion under your left sitting bone for support.
- Do it on an empty stomach.
Physical Alignment Principles for Krounchasana
- Be grounded on your sitting bones and hips squared.
- Internal rotation of both thighs.
- The top foot of the bent leg (right foot) should be near the right hip.
- Pull your navel to your spine for better stability.
- Your spine should be straight and elongated.
- Gaze at the toe of your raised foot.
- Lifted leg, toes pointing up.
- Open your shoulders and chest.
- Keep your pelvic floor activated.
- Roll your shoulder blades, back and down.
- The extended leg should be straight.
- Hands holding around the foot of the raised leg.
- Your neck is in line with the spine.
Krounchasana and Breath
Start with gentle and deep breaths in the Dandasana pose. Inhale deeply fold your right leg and keep your left leg and hip grounded. Exhale deeply as you lift your left leg, inhale, and with every exhale bring your leg toward the chest and engage your core with the breath for better balance and stability on your sit bones. Inhale and exhale to deepen the stretch and core engagement, and this improves your focus and your willpower. Keep breathing and inhale deeply release the pose and start the same procedure on the other side to balance your body and mind.
Krounchasana and Variations
- Hero pose.
- Downward-facing hero pose.
- Place a folded blanket or soft cushion under your hips for better balance.
- Use a yoga strap to hold your lifted foot.
- Use a chair to balance your lifted foot.
- Hold the lifted leg, near the thigh or calf to start with.
- Take away for the pose.
- Revolved heron pose.
The Bottom Line
This pose is challenging but can be done if you have developed flexibility and core strength. Initially do this pose under the guidance of the yoga teacher and follow the alignment principles, respecting your body. Any health concerns should be avoided or consult your doctor. Practice this pose on an empty stomach. Warm up to avoid any injuries and progress gradually to reach the final pose.
Connect physically and mentally to get a perfect balance and stability with your core engagement and keeping your hips grounded. This pose will improve your confidence, willpower self-esteem, and other physical benefits that improve the quality of your life.
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