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The word Yoga in Sanskrit is called Yoke, Yuj, or Unite. Yoga started in India before religion and belief systems existed. There are about 200 yoga poses. Today, let us learn about a yoga pose, the eagle yoga poses.
Yoga aims to bring peace between mind and body, nature and man. The one who undergoes solidarity by performing yoga is known as a yogi. Practicing yoga serves the purpose of self-discovery in one’s life. Yoga is adapted to overwhelm the regrets of life, which leads to Moksha (a state of deliverance) and Kaivalya (liberty).
Long back, yoga existed only in India, but now all the other countries have adopted it. In 2015, as over 190 countries started practicing yoga, they started International Yoga Day on June 21.
Meaning of Eagle Yoga Poses
In Sanskrit, the eagle yoga pose is called Garudasana. Garuda means eagle, which is known as the king of birds. Asana means position or pose. As per Hindu scripture, the chariot of Lord Vishnu was the eagle or the garuda.
The eagle pose bears a resemblance to the eagle’s beak. The eagle pose bears a resemblance to the eagle’s beak. One of the most mighty birds is the eagle. It also flies high in the sky without losing balance, even when there is extreme wind. The wind doesn’t ride the eagle; the eagle rides the wind.
The yogi, while performing the eagle pose, should ride the energy of the pose and stay in the moment instead of resisting it. This yoga pose requires you to balance. Through balancing opposing elements like masculine, feminine, stability, power, and motion.
Reasons Why You Should Practise Eagle Yoga Pose
The eagle yoga pose is a standing posture. This pose or posture needs much attention while practicing. It is a very knotty yoga posture. Now, we will just give you a glimpse of this eagle pose.
At first, you must bend the knees and place your right thigh over the left thigh. Then twist your right foot in a spiral manner around the left calf to lock it. Now you have to take your left hand to the right and curve your right hand over your left hand.
The right elbow should touch the opposite side of the left-hand elbow. Touch both palms. Lift your shoulders and stretch your fingers toward the roof.
Doesn’t it seem tough? This posture seems very tedious. But it’s extremely beneficial for the body. The eagle pose helps your body to balance and also tightens your muscles and upper back.
Health Advantages of Eagle Yoga Poses
We all know that practicing yoga makes your life and health better. Yoga makes you calm and helps you achieve peace of mind. Each yoga pose has different benefits for our bodies.
Today, we will learn why we should do the eagle pose. What are its benefits?
1. Strengthens Deep Breathing
In this yoga, when you fold the eagle arms with both hands and stretch them, the back part of the lungs opens up. That helps increase the capacity of the lungs. Let’s check out some boons of deep breathing.
When you start taking deep breaths, your lungs get cleaned. Your blood cells get oxygen, which helps in purification. This helps you to live an allergy-free life if you are suffering from dust allergy.
It helps to decrease your stress and blood pressure, which will control your heart rate and increase your immunity. You gain energy, and deep breathing helps with food digestion and will help you get a proper posture.
2. Helps in Balancing and Focusing
As this is a standing posture, you have to stand still while wrapping one leg around the other. However, when you perform this pose, you will focus on standing still on one leg.
The balance will improve when standing on either your right top leg foot or your left foot. The chances of falling reduce once you master the art of balancing. The focus will help you in your studies or any work that needs concentration.
3. Increases Stretching of Hip
This eagle pose stretches your hips. When you sit in a chair pose and stretch your hips, they will stretch wider. Also, when you tightly wrap your legs around, your hips will stretch deeper.
When you stretch, your body will be flexible and fit. Your hip joint is present between the femur and pelvis. These two are important bones in our body that give us strength.
As you exaggerate your hips deeper, it will improve flexibility. If your hip muscles are tight, you can’t bend much. By stretching, your hip muscles will get loose, and you can bend easily. This one benefit will help a lot for runners, cyclists, etc.
4. Help to Strengthen Your Leg Muscles
So, when you wrap either your left leg or right leg around the weight in your left thigh or right thigh, the eagle yoga pose increases the strength of your leg muscles. It will help to cope with arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease.
This is beneficial for swimmers, runners, and jumpers. It will upgrade your life and strengthen you from the inside to help complete routine tasks.
Step-by-Step Process of Eagle Pose
- Start by sitting in a chair pose. The chair pose is also called Utkasana in Sanskrit. Eagle pose can also be done by doing the mountain pose, which is called Tadasana in Sanskrit.
- Raise your left foot then curl your left thigh around the right thigh. Try to take your left thigh and lift it as much as possible over your right thigh. Hook the left foot in a clockwise manner around your right limb.
- Now you have to put your left arm below the right arm. Bend your elbows, and your fingers should be pointing up toward the sky. Then get hold of your right thumb using your left hand. Slowly lift your elbows to the shoulder height.
- Now followed by inhaling and exhaling, repeat it by changing your legs and arms. Remember, both the opposite arms and opposite legs should be used while doing the eagle pose. For example, if your standing leg calf is right, wrap your left calf over that and curl the right arm over the left hand.
Eagle Yoga Pose Should Be Avoided By,
1. People with Surgery or Injury on their Body.
Eagle pose is helpful for everyone, but sometimes you have to do it with all your strength. If you want to know when and all you have to avoid this yoga pose when you had surgery or an injury recently on your knee, hip, ankle, or elbow.
2. People with High Blood Pressure and Low Blood Pressure
If you are suffering, from low or high blood pressure, you have to avoid performing this yoga pose. Yoga is a must-do physical exercise for high- and low-BP people. But try to avoid tedious yoga poses. Instead, practice what is easy and won’t make you tired.
3. People Suffering from Arthritis
People with arthritis should not do this yoga pose because it is a standing posture. In this posture, all your upper body weight goes on your legs. Your joints in both legs and arms will be affected when you wrap them around each other.
4. People with Shoulder Pain or Frozen Shoulder
People who have capsulitis, pain, and stiffness in their shoulder. As you know, when we have to use our arms, it will affect the shoulder. This yoga can cause extreme shoulder pain.
It is better to do a yoga practice that will help you to soothe your frozen shoulder. Avoid performing risky yoga postures.
Tips for Beginners to Practice This Yoga Pose
1. Practice Hip Rotation
Even by practicing the eagle pose, your hips will get loose. But if your hip is too stiff, then swing your leg sideways. After the sideways swings, do the front and back leg swings.
Later on, rotate each leg inward and backward. All these should be done for 10–15 minutes each. These are some warmup exercises that will help you do the eagle pose.
2. Enhancing the Strength of the Leg
Practice the Baxter bell pose or dynamic goddess pose. Later, do Utakasana, the dynamic chair pose. Also, run, swim, jump, and do other activities that should help strengthen your inner thighs.
Do Baxter bell pose and dynamic chair pose at least 10 to 12 times every day.
The goddess pose is a type of squat. Both exercises help shape the structure of the thigh. This exercise provides intensive hip and thigh support internally. This exercise also helps in stretching your pelvis.
3. The Motion of the Ankle and its Range
Rotate both your ankles anti-clockwise and clockwise. This exercise will make your ankles flexible. It will also make your ankles stronger. It will help you balance correctly without falling.
This exercise will increase your ankle’s range of motion. Also, swing your ankle.
4. Practice Gomukhasana
Gomukhasana helps you stretch your arms, ankles, shoulders, and knees. This pose helps open the hips. Try to do the hip-opening pose. Gomukhasana is a hip-opening pose.
Important Tips You Need to Follow
Eagle pose variations will help you practice the eagle pose. In case you put effort into balancing on one leg and did not succeed. Just lean on the wall and do the posture.
If you are having trouble hitching your right foot or left foot to the top leg thigh, you can try it by sitting down. Then, once you get the knack, try again standing and leaning alongside the wall.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
What are the common mistakes made in this Yoga Pose?
Some beginners make common mistakes, so keep in mind that a pattern is necessary. If you are doing this pose improperly, then you may feel the pain. Before performing this posture, see a video or go to yoga classes. Be assured about your arms, feet, thighs, and legs.
At what time should you do Eagle Pose?
If you want to benefit from the positives of this posture, then the best time to practice this posture is in the early morning. You shouldn’t consume anything before doing yoga. It will affect the rest of the body.
Which arm should be on top while doing the Eagle pose?
It doesn’t matter which arm should be on top. You can use whichever arm you prefer. But remember, the arm and leg that you are using should be opposite to each other.
Can beginners be able to perform Eagle Pose?
As this is a complex pose, they should perform it slowly. Beginners have to practice slowly. They have to first go with the easy yoga poses. They then can jump to difficult ones. But beginners have to be careful, as this is a risky and knotty pose.
What are some other similar poses like Eagle Pose?
Some other similar poses are the downward-facing dog (Adho-Mukha Shavasana in Sanskrit), Child’s Pose (Balasana in Sanskrit), Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Konasana in Sanskrit), and Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana in Sanskrit), etc.
Conclusion
The eagle yoga poses improve your ability to focus and balance. Practicing yoga makes your life better. If you are a person with anger, then practicing yoga can reduce your anger.
Yoga has many benefits. Yoga can cure any disease, and it can also help you reduce weight. Don’t only focus on one yoga pose, try to do every pose. Don’t risk yourself by falling. Use a comfortable yoga mat. For better learning, go to a yoga tutor. Yoga has become a worldwide habit.
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