5 Tips for Getting Into Side Crow Pose

Thanks to my wonderful yoga instructor, I was able to get into a full side crow pose on my first (well, almost) try. It was incredible; something I have pinned the junk out of and wished to learn was actually attainable. Hand stands are still a hot mess that need mass amounts of work, but crow and peacock, I have locked down. 

The main reason I was able to do it, and do it well, was because of some fantastic tips Angela gave me. Let's face it, sometimes pictures and YouTube videos do not cut it. Sometimes, we need real tips from, gasp, real people who have done it before. Here are five great tips for how to get yourself into a successful side crow pose. 

Read along, look at some pictures, and you will be doing a pin-worthy pose in no time! 

1. Start from Mountain

Do a few vinyasas before getting down and dirty with your side crow. After 3-4, you should be warmed up and ready. Start in mountain, then forward fold so your hands are touching the ground. If your hands do not touch naturally, that is ok, just bend your knees till they do. 

Next, crouch down so your knees are bent and your hands are flat on the floor. 

2. Hand Positioning

Hand positioning for side crow is different than crow pose. For the left side, move your hands to the left so your left hand is next to your hip and your right hand is in front of your left knee. Again, you want to be in crouching position with palm flat on the floor and fingers spread. Every finger should have weight and be helping support that body.

3. Elbow to Hip

This is key. This is the difference between success and not-success. Position your left elbow so it is in the groove of your left hip joint. Having you elbow to hip connection right will help keep your balance when those feet come off the floor. Be sure that the right elbow is also lined up with the outside of the left knee. Both should line up so your knee and hip rest just above the elbow joint. 

4. Shoulders and Fingers

It is all in the details. Be sure that shoulders are back and arms are rotated outward. This will give you optimal strength and balance. Again, fingers should be grounded; if it helps, bend fingers so the tips are pushing into the ground. 

5. Lift Off

You are ready. Slowly shift your weight forward while keeping the right leg stacked on top of the left. Feet should be flexed and you should have some serious yoga toes going on. It may take a few tries, but slowly start to find you happy spot of balancing on your arms. Once you have lift off, hips should be stacked and knees and feet should be like glue together. If wrists hurt, come back down and continue doing wrists strengthener exercises before attempting again. 

Feet and knees should be together and tucked into the midline. The back should be straight with those shoulders staying down. If your head elevation comes down slightly, that is ok, just be sure your face does not touch the ground. 

Be sure to look 2-3 feet ahead of your on the floor. It is always better to look ahead than where you are. I think there may even be a life lesson in that somewhere ;)

Full Side Crow Pose

Once you have your balance, get ready to go into a full side crow! This may take a few tries before your are ready, but when your balance is good, give it a go!

Slowly extend the left leg out straight so that it is parallel to the floor. Be sure that your head stays even distance from the ground. Flex your foot and straighten that leg. When your balance is good here, you can begin to extend the right leg out straight behind you. In full side crow, your lower leg is the only connection to your supporting arms. Keep those arms rotated outward and your fingers grounded. And, of course, keep those hips stacked! 

For best results only try once to twice a week. We want those wrists to stay healthy! 

What Protein When?

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Ok, have you noticed that their are, almost literally, a ton of proteins out on the market these days? I mean, really. We have the whey, soy, powder mixtures, and a whole bunch of others. Each of these proteins does something different and is best used to get different results. Of course, some have milk, animal bi-product, and other allergens. 

The first thing to know about this crazy protein maze is that each protein is measured by it's biological value. Biological value, or BV, measures the amount essential amino acids in a protein. The higher this value, the better the source of protein and the leaner muscles it will produce. 

Whey Protein

Like the saying, curds and whey, whey is the watery substance that separates itself from the curds during cheese production. It is a milk by-product and therefore, has lactose. Although, some with mild or moderate lactose intolerance may be able to take whey without any unwanted side effects.

Many protein bars and shakes advertise that they use whey protein because this is the protein with the highest BV with a score of 104. This is a great form of protein for those working out to gain muscle, but should be taken at the right time and from the right source. The benefits of whey protein include reduced stress, lowered cortisol levels, lowered risk of asthma in infants, reduced risk of cancers including colon cancer, improves weight loss, and reduced blood pressure, whey has also been found to reduce the risk of allergies in children when given between birth and 6-months of age. To get all of these health benefits, be sure to take micro-filtered whey; this is they process where whey is separated from milk. 

There are two main forms of whey protein, whey isolates and whey concentrate (or just whey). Whey isolates will be absorbed into the body faster and are great to take after a workout for immediate effects for increased lean muscle production, but they lack all the other benefits. For this reason, whey concentrate is better to take throughout the day. 

As far as whole proteins go, eggs have the next highest BV with a score of 100. Beef protein has a BV of 80. 

Milk Protein

Milk protein ranks just under egg with it's BV. This protein has a BV of 100! Milk protein is also the most common form of protein found in meal replacement shakes, protein bars, and protein powders. Although, there are plenty of these products on the market that have a protein mix- most likely using both milk and whey. 

When using milk protein in protein additives like protein powder, you are most likely using a casein protein powder, the most abundant protein in milk. Casein is separated by milk through ultrafiltration. Casein protein is also slowly absorbed into the body, meaning that the amino acids will take longer to absorb, but will keep you full for longer. This form of protein also helps balance protein levels in or body over a longer period of time. 

Since casein is released slower than other proteins, it is no wonder that this form of protein is what we commonly see in meal replacement shakes because of it's weight loss benefits. Whey and casein protein combinations have also been shown to massively increase muscle performance and the growth of lean muscle when taken after a workout. 

Soy Protein

Soy protein is among the proteins with the lowest BV, at 49-74 depending on it's base. Bean based soy proteins have the lowest BV. This protein has, however, been shown to help both men and women lower the bad LDL cholesterol while keeping the good HDL cholesterol levels un-touched. Soy has also helped women balance hormone levels during menopause and helps men and women reduce the risks of osteoporosis. 

If your goal is muscle growth, soy protein is probably not your BFF.