How to Do Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana) in Yoga: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes

A forearm stands in yoga, also known as the Pincha Mayurasana, is one of the most advanced and complex poses that requires a certain amount of stability, strength and balance.

It can be considered a balancing inversion that has been gaining popularity for its plethora of benefits.

Pincha Mayurasana targets various muscles in the body, including the shoulders, arms and core region. It also helps in preparing for advanced arm balances and backbend poses.

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How to Do a Forearm Stand or Pincha Mayurasana in Yoga

• Position your body on all fours while facing a wall. Keep your hands close to the wall.
• Place your palms and forearms on the floor while bending your elbows. Make sure to angle your upper arms perpendicular to the forearms while keeping your gaze in front and below.
• Twist your toes underside while raising your hips towards the ceiling and positioning your legs. This is also referred to as a downward facing dog pose or dolphin pose.
• Bring your feet as close to the elbows as possible. Ideally, the hips should be positioned above the shoulders.
• Raise your dominant leg in the air to the position of a Down Dog lift. Hop the bottom leg above by bending the knee of the same leg and kicking the lifted leg. Make sure to land both feet gently on the wall and keep your head off the ground while keeping your gaze in between your hands.
• Engage your core effectively, and remove your feet from the wall to balance independently and without the support of the wall.
• Hold the forearm stand or the Pincha Mayurasana pose for a few minutes.
• Lower your body back to the ground, and rest for a few moments.

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Tips and Techniques for Forearm Stand

Follow these tips and techniques for performing a forearm stand in yoga or Pincha Mayurasana to maximise the benefits of the pose.

Shoulder blades – Make sure to keep the shoulder blades raised while coming down from the pose rather than sinking them.

Safe forearm balance – Do n'tbe in a hurry to come into the pose of the Pincha Mayurasana. Slowly and steadily come into the upward position with the proper stance and appropriate technique.

Warm-Up – Warm up with some of the yoga poses, such as boat pose and child pose to effectively prepare your body for performing the Pincha Mayurasana or forearm stand. That will help in ensuring that proper posture is maintained throughout the movement of this pose.

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Health Benefits of Forearm Stand

Regularly performing a forearm stand of yoga can provide a plethora of benefits. These include:

Improved Balance

The forearm stand of yoga tends to be a challenging posture that requires a great deal of balance and concentration to stay up. The muscles used for the posture helps in having better balance along with the utilisation of the neglected muscles. That also helps you do the activities in daily life better.

Upper Back Strength

The Pincha Mayurasana is renowned for strengthening the upper back muscles and shoulders. With the correct posture and regular practice of the forearm stand, it can help in providing grounded support and strength.

Better Arm Strength

Through the upward movement of this yoga pose, the muscles in the upper arms are strengthened. The Pincha Mayurasana also helps in building the weight bearing base for the lower arms.

Improved Focus

Doing the forearm stand requires a great deal of focus and concentration to maintain balance. If you lose your focus even for a second, you'll lose the pose. Therefore, this pose can help in building your focus, which can be applied to other aspects of life as well.

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Common Mistakes While Performing Forearm Stand

Avoid these common mistakes while doing the Pincha Mayurasana or forearm pose in yoga.

Body posture – Due to the restricted flexing ability of the shoulder joints, your back and core tend to compensate for it, which might result in a backbend. You can warm up your body with a few yoga poses to efficiently prepare your shoulders, and adopt a good stance for this pose.

Splayed elbows – You should ensure that your elbows are lined with your shoulders, and you do not splay your elbows outwards to the body.

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Bottom Line

Incorporating a forearm stand or Pincha Mayurasana in your training regime can provide several health benefits. The advantages also include better balance and body stability.

However, be cautious of performing this pose if you are suffering from an injury to the back or neck, or you have a headache or heart condition. In that case, check with a doctor if this pose is safe for you.