Three types of arm balances and their characteristics

When I was in my twenties, I remember participating in an Arm Balancing class series. Over the course of several weeks, we worked tirelessly toward poses like Handstand and Scorpion. I even remember balancing in Scorpion all on my own for a few glorious seconds. There was a young and very pregnant woman in the class who was determined to master the Handstand before delivery. The teacher didn’t seem to mind.

Many twenty-somethings go through this stage of infatuation with arm balances when they get into yoga. It’s not surprising – those types of poses give you a good physical challenge, and mastering them makes you feel strong and capable. There are a few things to be aware of, though, when it comes to arm balances, no matter your age. So today we will compare three types of arm balances and the challenges that they place on the body.

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Check out this full yoga practice that allows you to experiment with arm-balancing postures from each category in an accessible way.

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