Arm Balance
Eka Pada Koundinyasana
Eka Pāda Kauṇḍinyāsanaएक पाद कौण्डिन्यासन· EH-kah PAH-dah kown-din-YAH-suh-nuhone-legged Kaundinya's posture (eka = one, pāda = foot)
Eka Pada Koundinyasana is a twisting arm balance named for the sage Kaundinya, where the body extends long over the arms with the legs split — one forward, one back — balancing on the hands. It demands strong arms, core and a good twist, and is an advanced pose built up from its preparations.
Step by step
- 1
Warm up with a twist
Warm the wrists, then take a seated or standing spinal twist to prepare — the pose is a deep twist as much as an arm balance.
- 2
Set the hands in a twist
From a low lunge or twist, place both palms flat on the floor to one side, shoulder-width, fingers spread and pointing forward.
- 3
Load the arms
Bend the elbows to shoulder height (a chaturanga-arm shelf) and lean the torso forward, hooking the outer thigh onto the upper arm.
- 4
Extend and balance
Shift the weight forward, lift the back leg and extend it straight back while the front leg reaches forward, balancing on the hands. Lower with control.
Benefits
- Builds strong arms, wrists, shoulders and core
- Deepens spinal rotation and twisting strength
- Improves balance, focus and coordination
- Progresses your arm-balance practice
Common mistakes
- Skipping the wrist and twist preparation
- Dropping the head and collapsing onto the neck
- Forcing the balance before the strength is there
Modifications & variations
- Keep the back foot on the floor and just load the arms
- Practise the twist and arm shelf without lifting
- Build up from Eka Pada Koundinyasana II first
Related poses
Video transcriptIn this session, Sanjana Prasad breaks down Eka Pada Koundinyasana A from Bakasana, cueing center-of-gravity shifts and chest engagement to hold the balance.
Namaste, this is Sanjana Prasad, and today we're going to explore Koundinyasana A, which is the same, very similar to the B — it's just that it comes with a twist. Just visualize it like Bakasana and Parsva Bakasana, so with a twist; it's a very similar take to that.
So let's just come back into our components — we're going to remember, for Bakasana: draw the navel in, shift the center of gravity forward, so that we're able to lift the feet and our shins up. And from here in Bakasana, all we're doing is extending the legs and extending and scissoring the thighs.
Notice where my center of gravity is — it is in the middle of my navel. Again, once more: if my navel is back there, I'm going to fall out of the shape. You've got to keep the center of gravity in the middle of the position of the pose itself. And that helps by lifting up from the pelvic floor — core awareness and chest awareness as well.
When we collapse in our chest, what happens is that the muscles at the back tend to bully the muscles in the front — so check this out. So here, if I'm not using my chest — and I'm here — I'm going to feel really contracted in my neck, and my back muscles are pushing my front down if my chest muscles are not pushing my back up.
Alright, I know it's a little confusing sometimes to think about all these different components, but let's take it step by step when we practice. Just always think about where your center of gravity is. Can you move the center of gravity to the middle of the position of the shape itself? And once you're able to do that, then you're going to be able to access the shape with a little bit more ease.
One more time in Koundinyasana A. You can start with Bakasana — that's always a good place to start. Keep looking forward; if you look down, it's hard to find balance. And from here, extend the legs up, support them. Keep extending your heart forward.
Once you release the shape and your hips get heavy, then what's happening is your center of gravity is being shifted back, and that's when you're not going to be able to hold the shape much longer. Alright, so again, a lot to think about, and a lot to play with when you're on the mat the next time.
So until next time — as we stand on our hands, or stand on our heads — Namaste.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Eka Pada Koundinyasana hard?
- Yes — it's an advanced twisting arm balance. Build arm, core and twisting strength and work through the prep steps before attempting the full pose.
- What's the difference between EPK 1 and 2?
- Koundinyasana I is a twisting arm balance (legs split with a rotation), while II comes from a Hanumanasana-style split without the twist.
References
- B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga — Eka Pāda Kauṇḍinyāsana · Book — Alignment reference from the Indian Iyengar tradition.