Eka Pada Koundinyasana I
Arm Balance
EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA I
If Side Crow is already part of our practice, then Eka Pada Koundinyasana I is like adding on another layer to that posture, because they are quite similar. The added layer is that we extend the top leg behind us, splitting it from the bottom leg.
As with any arm balance, we can encounter some challenges. A common occurrence when sending that top leg back is losing the “sweet spot” of the counterbalance.
The good news is that there are actions, articulations, and variations we can engage in to conquer these challenges. In today’s video, Matt demonstrates a variety of ways to approach Eka Pada Koundinyasana I that will meet us where we are in the development of this pose.
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BACK ON THE MAT VARIATION
Unless it is a regular part of our practice, attempting Eka Pada Koundinyasana I may feel discouraging. The pieces may not come together as we want them to, or in the timeline we desire—but this is where the practice happens. It’s our opportunity to take intentional action in the direction of growth, while learning to release the outcomes.
What we also have in our favor is guidance. Matt offers a first variation that lays a foundation. It’s in a supine position, which allows us to focus our well-placed efforts on the nuances and to strengthen in order to prepare for the variations in which balance is required.
One of the key takeaways is this: Just because we are supine doesn’t mean we don’t stay active in our bodies. For example, we use a high degree of abdominal engagement to draw the front leg higher onto the supportive arm.
WATCH THE VIDEO
EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA I: GO FORWARD, LIFT HIGHER
KICKSTAND SETUP
We may also find it difficult to lift both legs off the ground. Practicing by attempting to lift only one leg may help us gain a sense of what’s required. Using the front foot as a kickstand can allow us to explore what it feels like to lift in the back leg while we contemplate how much we need to go forward with the torso in order to lift the back leg higher. Once we feel secure and strong enough, we can slowly start to play with the idea of bringing the front foot forward and eventually lifting that foot off the ground. This kickstand variation of Eka Pada Koundinyasana I offers us the assurance that until we find full flight, the front foot can remain as a base while we work on muscle engagement and pelvic articulations.
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SLIDE WITH SOCKS
Just like in last week’s article about Eka Pada Koundinyasana II, wearing socks as a prop to assist in sliding the front foot forward can make Eka Pada Koundinyasana I more accessible.
Here too, progression and advancement are in the finer details. It’s not uncommon to find it challenging to keep the bottom leg in place on the upper arm. To help with this, Matt teaches us to rotate the pelvis in a way that the “top pelvis” does a hip hike, which will help roll the bottom leg up the arm. Achieving this effectively makes the posture more vertical, which helps us not have to lean forward as much. Matt compares it to how we understand the way a handstand works: When it’s stacked more vertically, we can rely on less counterbalance and become more weightless, therefore maintaining better access to the posture.
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EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA I CHAIR INVESTIGATION
If we’re not quite ready to take flight, this variation of Eka Pada Koundinyasana I on a chair may be the perfect option. In many ways, it’s similar to the kickstand setup. We start off by keeping the bottom foot on the ground, then placing the top foot on a chair behind us (best to have a chair that doesn’t roll or slide). Once we feel secure, we can start to extend the bottom leg forward. Don’t forget to lean forward to actually be able to extend that leg!
This exploration with a chair takes some weight off of the posture, creating a pathway towards building enough strength for the ability to take flight in this arm balance.
If you want to unlock more access to arm balances like this one, register for Matt’s next 2-hour online arm balance workshop, Step into the Fire.
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Article by Trish Curling
Video Extracted From: Flow and Fly Immersion
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