Pincha - Feather ; Mayura - Peacock Asana - Pose - It is said that Forearm Balance resembles a peacock starting its dance, with his feathers raised and fanned. Guruji says in Light on Yoga page 287 - "This asana develops the body harmoniously strengthens shoulders, arms and wrists and expands the chest fully."
Preparation
Arm position for Forearm balance preparation using a chair and a block
The video below shows preparatory steps to allow your latissimus muscles to fully release, lengthen, and permit deeper movement required for a strong and stable forearm balance.
Please consult with an experienced teacher if you have shoulder pain, before proceeding.
The Yoga Journal article How to Loosen Up Tight Lats by Roger Cole provides an in-depth read on these preparation poses for Forearm Balance.
The Final Pose
Paying close attention to how the hands and forearms are, firstly, placed on the floor and secondly, the action in the arms and shoulders that is required to maintain that position are the cornerstone of the foundation for Pincha Mayurasana.
When this is intellectually understood then achieved by the body (often with much perseverance) , kicking up into the pose will be in your sights.
Please check out the video below focusing on the above foundations of Forearm balance to achieve stability in the final pose.
I will give a few variations on how to work towards the full pose in the next set of videos...stay tuned !
