The ultimate guide to arm balances

Break down some of yoga's foundational arm balances in this workshop-style class. Practice making their shapes while on your back; briefly warm up with sun salutations, hip openers, and core work; then move to the wall to explore introductory versions of handstand, crow, and elephant trunk pose. If you're brand new to arm balances, this is the perfect place to start. Props Needed: Wall space.

Students (including yours truly) often approach difficult poses by simply working hard. While hard work is often required, postures are much, much easier when you actually understand them. This practice will teach you the main actions of bakasana and guide you into this essential pose in a smart, effective, accessible sequence.

Build strength with this short yet potent sequence that works your arms and core. Practice four variations of bakasana (crow) in a flow that also includes an activating navasana (boat) and lunges. Move through supine, seated and revolved crow variations before peaking with eka pada bakasana (one-footed crow).

It is essential to learn headstand from an experienced, qualified yoga teacher that can see your body and give you direct feedback. Therefore, this tutorial is only designed to supplement your practice and education. Also, due to the impractical nature of watching this tutorial while actually doing this particular pose, I recommend that you bake some cookies, grab some warm almond milk, and watch this tutorial rather than throwing yourself aloft. Then, allow sometime for the cookies, milk, and information to digest before practicing. Enjoy.

Focus on developing greater core, arm and shoulder strength while building up to handstand. This flow practice will awaken and rejuvenate your entire body while teaching you tips to refine your handstand or approach it for the very first time. Students that are new to handstand will be given a brief tutorial on the getting into the pose while seasoned handstanders will get to bypass this tutorial and dig deeper into this pose and many others.

This is a straightforward, demanding vinyasa flow. It begins with a few minutes of deep hip-opening and progresses into a steady-stream of arm-balances and inversions. It concludes with big, full backbends.

This tutorial provides you with a clear understanding of how to approach and practice forearm balance (pincha mayurasana). It begins with a few simple preparatory steps before showing the most effective way to place your hands, use a block and transition into the pose. It continues, by giving you some of the key instructions for practicing the posture.

Open your shoulders, strengthen your core and develop your inversions with a strong flow. Start your practice with reclined core strengtheners before quickly transitioning to salutations. Incorporate core and shoulder work throughout your salutations in order to prepare your body for handstand and forearm balance. Clear, accurate instructions will help you transition into inversions without interrupting the flow of your practice. Expect a strong, smart, complete practice that will build your inversions and your confidence. Props Needed: A block. Props Suggested: Wall space.

This is a straightforward vinyasa practice that will open your hips and deepen your arm-balances. The practice begins with a few minutes of hip-openers and progresses into a strong, continuous flow that includes plenty of arm balances. You'll feel satisfied when its over but you might not want savasana to end.

Developing your core, shoulder and arm strength establishes confidence and skill in arm balances and inversions. Strengthen your body where you need it the most for these postures: your abdominals, hip flexors, shoulders and arms. You will tackle a few arm balances, but focus more on strengthening postures that will build your skill and confidence for arm balances in the future. Props Needed: A block.

This balanced rigorous flow works on building strength and stability throughout the entire body. Start by connecting to your center with one-legged Down Dog to plank repetitions, forearm plank and locust with glute strengthening. Flow though Crescent Lunge salutations and Surya Namaskar A, then weave in Boat pose, Low Boat, and prepare for arm balances with the seated variations of Crow, Firefly, and Side Crow. After a quick Surya Namaskar B, it's time to take flight. Collect your strength and willpower, taking the arm balances you practiced on your seat off the mat and into the air. Work your body from head to toe one final time in asymmetrical Locust, then finish with backbends and a gentle Supine Eka Pada Koundinyasana. This class was previously recorded on November 13, 2020.

There's an entire family of arm balances that focus on picking up your body and lifting it off the ground. In this challenging yet accessible sequence, learn bhujasana, astavakrasana, tolasana, lolasana and more. Develop your shoulder, arm, and core strength and learn the technical nuances of these postures. Expect a strong, smart, all around flow that will develop your arm balancing repertoire.

This is a big, strong, rhythmic vinyasa class that features continuous movement and accessible, yet challenging postures, especially arm balances. Back by popular demand but a slightly modified rhythmic flow class with harder postures, this is challenging practice, but not ridiculously so. Press play if you want to work your whole body, advance your practice safely and perhaps have a good laugh here and there as well.

Known as the “Queen of Asanas,” Shoulderstand is one of the most complex, yet most fulfilling poses in yoga. It leaves the body feeling refreshed and restored. This informative, alignment-based class is for experienced students looking to build up to Shoulderstand. Simple shoulder openers and back extensions warm up the body for Sun Salutes and Warriors. Learn “Shoulderstand Arms” during both Camel and Bridge, then pause to watch an informative demonstration. Practice your comfortable version of Shoulderstand for a full 3 minutes* (see disclaimer below) to soak in the legendary benefits of this pose—the “Fountain of Youth”. This class was previously recorded on November 17, 2020. Suggested Props: 1-3 blankets. *Disclaimer: The information contained on Glo is of a general nature and cannot be a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. We urge you to consult with a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any physical activity, regimen, routine, program or exercise that may be presented in these materials. Glo does not give medical advice or engage in the practice of medicine.

This practice will provide your shoulders, neck and upper-back with greater strength and flexibility. The dynamic sequence includes detailed shoulder openers, modified sun salutations and standing poses, inversions and seated postures that will make your upper body feel oh so good. Props needed: Wall Space

Learn the most thoughtful and effective way to practice and prepare yourself for forearm balance. This workshop-style flow includes updated and detailed techniques for this foundational but challenging arm balance. Begin with a shoulder-focused warm up, then build heat in the body with alignment-based sun salutations and standing postures. Move to the wall to experience 4 different shoulder variations of the pose that create strength and opening in the upper body. Complete your practice with Upward Facing Bow, a supine twist, and a well-deserved Savasana. Props Needed: A wall.

I don't teach fast classes, but this one is strong and continuous. Minimal instruction, continuous motion punctuated by a few longer holds and several key arm-balances. Class includes starting in handstand, plenty of standing posture transitions, inversion variations and a savasana that you'll never want to end. Props Suggested: Wall space.