Firefly Pose
Firefly Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions
Tittibhasana
If you want to feel like you can fly, then try Firefly Pose (Tittibhasana). This exhilarating arm balance fires up your core more than any other posture.
How to do Firefly Pose
Step One
Sit on your yoga mat in a squatting position. Keep your feet on the floor near your trunk. Take a breath.
Step Two
As you exhale, grab your right ankle in both of your hands and lift your right thigh up and back. Bend your torso forward and try to almost place your right ankle up near the back of your neck.
The goal here is to lift the thigh up high enough so that the back of your knee presses into the crook of your armpit.
As you stay leaning forward, go ahead and lift your left leg up by your left ankle, placing it similarly so that the back of your left knee presses into the crease of your left armpit.
Step Three
Now press your palms into the floor so that your hands stay under your shoulders. Gradually shift your weight forward onto your hands, spreading the fingers. Push your body up to balance on your hands.
Step Four
Lift your pelvis up enough behind you so that you can hold your legs up parallel to the floor. If you have more stamina, you can also lift your legs up even higher so that they point slightly upward at a 45-degree angle.
Step Five
Keep your legs straight, squeezing your thighs into your arms as your toes point forward.
Step Six
Straighten your arms as much as you can. At first, you will want to lean forward as much as possible to keep your balance and force your arms to do most of the work. Over time though, try to use more of your abdominal muscles to support your balance without leaning too far forward.
Step Seven
Lift up your head without straining and look straight ahead. Hold the posture for 15 seconds or more according to your capacity. Then exhale as you slowly release your feet back down to the floor.
Beginner's Tip:
To prepare your hips and train your arms for this posture, try the following variation while sitting on your yoga mat:
Spread your legs about 90 degrees apart. Then place a yoga block underneath each of your heels to elevate them up as high as is comfortable for you. Lean forward and press the palms of your hands into the floor in front of you. If you can go further, practice leaning forward enough to put the back of your thighs on top of your arms. Then you can experiment with pushing all of your body weight up onto your hands for a few seconds at a time to gradually build up your strength.
Firefly Pose Information
Sanskrit Name:
Tittibhasana
Pose Level:
Level 3
Contraindications and Cautions:
Pregnancy or menstruation
Recent elbow, wrist, shoulder or lower-back injuries
Firefly Pose Benefits
Deeply stretches your thighs and sacral spine
Builds strength in the arms, wrists and core muscles
Tones the abdomen