Eagle arms yoga is easy and often is overcomplicated in instruction.
An easy way to remember is the arm and elbow that’s on the bottom (the active arm) is also the same side leg that wraps around the other limb.
1.Choose an active arm.
So while standing, wrap the active arm around the other arm like a twisted vine where the elbows touch and the two palms (hands) meet a little even if only halfway down the palm.
If your active arm is the right arm, then your active leg is the right leg.
Now that your eagle arms yoga position.
Then work on your legs…
2. Wind or twist your active leg behind the other leg.
Think of a yourself like a vertical braided pretzel. 🥨
Take the active leg and cross over the opposite knee like you would if you were crossing your legs.
Let your active leg toes either loosely hang behind the other front leg calf or wrap around the leg calf if you can.
That’s it. And keeping poses simple is your best bet.
I have a few arm poses that are even easier than eagle arm poses you may like:
Genie arms – this is where the top of one arm gently lays on top of the other one and the bottom one and you can hand rest on the opposite elbow if you choose You may remember the classic Barbara Eden I Dream of Genie 1960’s show who came out of a bottle re-invented this arm pose. 🧞♀️
So you want to keep it light, confident, and dreamy.
You can use genie arms for your Chair pose that helps with balance. 🪑
Or as a variety in your Tree pose that’s great for Vatas who get bored easier.
Cactus arms – This is good for your Goddess pose where your arms are almost a symmetrical mirror image of your legs. 🌵
Another name you can hear is Goal Post arms that’s even easier to imagine. And if you’re feeling like you have goals to meet this can be a good metaphor for your life. 🥅
This is also how you can start your eagle arms yoga pose before you bring them together. 🦅
Arms in the air – this is an enlightening arm pose where you want to reach higher up that can be a metaphor for your life.
This is also a good option for your Tree pose where you have arms in the air church arms.🌲 And when you “Y” them in the air like in the song “Y-M-C-A” then you know you’re in Mountain pose.
Reaching the mountain is much easier on the mat than in real life. But you can use that pose as encouragement to reach higher. ⛰️
You can move into a Warrior yoga pose series, starting with Warrior 1 arms where arms are in the air. Clasp them together in the air like the Charlie’s Angel 1970’s show pose where they form their hands like a pistol. 🔫
Warrior 2 arms – are stretched out. One arm is in front of you and the other straight back behind you. Both are faced down. You feel protected by your ready-arm position that gets you in position for the day.
Then when you had enough, tilt back like a sundial into Sun Warrior looking up, where you can rest the back arm and hand behind you on your hamstring while the other shoots straight up in the air and palm bends slightly down to face your head. 🌞
With Warrior 3 arms, you move both arms parallel and facing each other. Let them pull and lead in front of you. This is a good pose if you want to feel like you’re a leader or directing the pack going forward.
And I saved the best for last.
Finally, when you’re in your standing position, you can windmill your arms down to your mat instead of forward fold down. It’s just a fun way to be more purposeful with your arm.
And maybe teaches us how to be a little more graceful in our day and extend grace to others.
When you wind mill your arms down you rotate one arm first forward and then the other one rotate down to the mat. It’s kinda like doing the crawl if you were swimming but the arms are straighter. Cart wheel your arms is another term you may hear in yoga class. 🤸♀️
Hope you enjoyed this article and be sure to check out more yoga and wellness tip articles at Healthy Happy Life Secrets.