As you progress through this course watch as you move from being someone who thinks “I could never do that”, to eventually feeling strong and confident in the full pose. It shares common foundation work with headstand in terms of supporting the full body weight with the forearms. If you have completed the Beginner Extension course then you will have already started to work with some of the preliminary actions.

Forearm balance requires a balanced combination of strength and shoulder mobility. Neither of these prerequisites can be rushed and their absence may put strain on the lower back or neck. For this reason, this course starts you off with basic techniques which will open stiff areas and strengthen weak areas. At your own pace, gradually build towards applying this foundation to the full inversion.

The ability to work with this pose, or some of the modifications shown in these tutorials, will help prepare you as you work towards eventually attempting classes from the advanced section.

Tutorial 1

An important starting point when working with this pose is determining whether or not you possess the prerequisite strength and shoulder mobility. The first few stages in this tutorial will assist you to judge whether it is better to concentrate for the time being on foundations, or if you are ready to move forwards. Either way, this video presents the basic techniques of forearm balance which you can keep coming back to and consolidating. Use it as a “go to” class for building strength, or as a stepping stone for learning how to safely perform the full inversion.

Tutorial 2

Now that you are confident with the foundations of Pincha Mayurasana you are ready to start developing the pose into more of a full inversion. This tutorial teaches you the kicking action to do just that. Learn the techniques which link the preparatory stages to the full pose. Don’t be put off if you are not able to get all the way up at this stage. Just working with the kicking action will be a great way to build strength and confidence. You will also learn  how to use props to assist you in progressing to the next stage. Enjoy the energizing benefits from this dynamic pose.

Tutorial 3

Now that you are up in the full pose you are ready to start refining. This tutorial highlights the key actions and techniques that help you to achieve a balanced Pinca Mayurasana. You will learn how to create a more energetic lift in the pose. Align yourself to ensure no strain is being placed on the lower back. There is also instruction on how to correctly use props, and how to gradually reduce your dependence on them. Once you have completed this class you can look forward to working more confidently with this pose in other upcoming classes.