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Pose collection · 10 poses

Arm balance yoga poses, in the order you learn them

By the YogaPhilippines.com editorial teamUpdated 2 October 2026

Arm balance yoga poses hold the body up on the hands, such as Crow, Side Plank, Firefly, Eight Angle and Handstand. Build them in order: Plank, Chaturanga and Dolphin for strength, Garland for the shape, then Crow. Warm the wrists first, pad the floor in front of you, and learn the inverted ones with a teacher.

Beginner

A woman in a sage set holds a straight-armed Plank, body in one line from head to heels, in a BGC condo studio at golden hour.

Plank Pose

Phalakasana
The foundation. Shoulders over wrists, one line from head to heels, 5 to 10 breaths.
A woman in an espresso set squats in Garland Pose with palms together and elbows inside her knees, on a Manila rooftop at golden hour.

Garland Pose

Malasana
A deep squat. The same rounded, compact shape you take in Crow, with the feet down.

Intermediate

A man hovers low in Chaturanga, elbows bent back by his ribs and body in one straight line, in a BGC studio.

Four-Limbed Staff Pose

Chaturanga Dandasana
Lowering halfway from Plank, elbows close to the ribs. Builds the pushing strength for every arm balance.
A woman in a cream set holds Dolphin Pose on her forearms, hips high and head hanging free, in a Makati studio.

Dolphin Pose

Ardha Pincha Mayurasana
Downward Dog on the forearms. Shoulder strength for forearm balances and Headstand.
A woman in a sage set balances in Side Plank on one straight arm with her top arm reaching up, on a BGC rooftop.

Side Plank

Vasisthasana
A balance on one hand and the side of the foot. Drop the lower knee to start.
A woman in an oat set balances in Crow Pose, knees on her upper arms and feet lifted, with a folded blanket in front of her hands.

Crow Pose

Bakasana
Knees on the upper arms, gaze forward, lean until the feet lift. A cushion under the face.

Advanced

A man balances on bent arms in Eight-Angle Pose, ankles crossed and legs extended to one side, in a BGC studio.

Eight Angle Pose

Astavakrasana
Legs hooked over one arm, chest lowering forward. Built on Crow and Side Plank.
A man balances on his hands in Firefly Pose with thighs on his upper arms and legs extended forward, in a Makati studio.

Firefly Pose

Tittibhasana
Legs straight and wide over the arms. Needs open hamstrings as much as strength.
A man holds an L-shaped handstand at a plaster wall, hands on the mat and feet pressing into the wall at hip height.

Handstand

Adho Mukha Vrksasana
The full balance upside down. Learned in stages at a wall, with a teacher.
A woman in a sage set balances on her forearms in Scorpion Pose, back deeply arched and feet resting on the wall.

Scorpion Pose

Vrschikasana
A forearm or hand balance with a deep backbend. For long-term practitioners only.

Arm balance yoga poses ask your hands and arms to hold up the whole body. They look like pure strength, but most of the work is in the core, the shoulders and the willingness to lean forward over your hands. That last part is the one that takes time.

These ten are in the order most people learn them. The first four are preparation; the rest are the balances themselves. Arm balances sit inside the wider group of advanced and intermediate yoga poses, which also covers the backbends and inversions.

How do you prepare for arm balances?

Start with the wrists. Circle them, then press the palms together and apart, and kneel with the fingers turned back for a few breaths; the routine of wrist stretches takes about five minutes. Then build strength with Plank, slow Chaturanga lowerings with the knees down, and Dolphin. Garland teaches the compact, rounded shape your body takes in Crow.

Place a cushion or folded blanket in front of your hands every time. The fear of falling on your face is reasonable, and padding is what lets you lean far enough to lift.

Which arm balance should you learn first?

Crow Pose, Bakasana, for most people. Practise lifting one foot, then the other, then both for a breath. Once Crow and Side Plank feel steady, the twisted and straight-legged balances open up: Eight Angle first, then Firefly Pose, Tittibhasana, which needs open hamstrings as well as strength.

Handstand and Scorpion are inversions as well as arm balances. Learn them with a teacher, at a wall, and skip them if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, a shoulder or neck injury, or are pregnant, unless your doctor agrees.

How often should you practise arm balances?

Two or three short sessions a week, early in a practice while you are fresh, work well for many people. A few attempts of one or two breaths each is plenty. Stop before the wrists or shoulders tire, because tired arms are when most falls happen. If you want a Crow for a photo, the guide to yoga photoshoot poses explains how to lift for a breath at a time between takes.

Safety noteYoga is not medical care. Stop if anything feels sharp, pinching or numb, and see a doctor or physiotherapist about pain or an injury before you practise. Inversions such as headstand and shoulderstand put weight on the neck and head: avoid them with neck injuries, high blood pressure, glaucoma or in pregnancy, and learn them with a teacher. Read the health and safety note.

Questions

Do you need strong arms for arm balances?

Some arm strength, yes, but technique and core strength matter as much. In Crow, the knees rest on the upper arms and the weight tips forward over the hands; leaning far enough is often the missing piece rather than more muscle.

How do you protect your wrists in arm balances?

Warm them up first, spread the fingers wide and press through the knuckles and fingertips so the weight does not sink into the heel of the hand. Keep holds short at first. Stop if the wrist hurts, and see a doctor or physio if pain lasts.

What is the easiest arm balance to learn?

Crow Pose is the usual first one, because the knees rest on the arms and the feet are close to the floor. Side Plank with the lower knee down is an easier balance on one hand that many people learn alongside it.

Keep reading

Wrist stretches for yoga and desk daysCrow PoseBakasanaFirefly PoseTittibhasana