Eka Pada Koundinyasana Strengthens the Arms and Wrists, Tones the Belly and Spine

Eka means “one,” Pada “leg,” and Koundinya “name of the Sage” in Sanskrit. Sage Koundinya was a brilliant scholar who had self-confidence. Koundinya’s tale is a testament to faith and conviction. Even when the Buddha departed from Koundinya’s teachings, his faith and confidence in Siddhartha remained unwavering.

Arm balances known as Eka Pada Koundinyasana (the poses honoring Koundinya) place more of a focus on leverage than strength. To execute this pose, we must have the same confidence in ourselves as Koundinya and strike the ideal harmony between effort and ease.

Students can achieve the Twisted One-Legged Arm Balance Pose (Koundinyasana I) by becoming more aware of their breathing, feeling grounded and humble while in the pose, and improving their understanding of their bodies. A twisting pose engages the abdominal muscles and is practiced to prepare the body for difficult inversions. Experienced students can move from Tripod Headstand Pose (Sirsasana Ii) in a vinyasa flow to achieve better shoulder and hip alignment.

Steps for Eka Pada Koundinyasana I

1. Step your feet to the back of your mat while bringing your hands to the front. Lift your hips and back while tucking your triceps under and pressing them into your hands.
2. Extend one leg toward the sky, bending the knee to widen the hip.
3. As you connect your raised inner thigh to the outside of your tricep, slowly advance.
4. By bending your arms, you can create a shelf for your raised leg and move your weight to your fingertips.
5. Raise the other leg off the floor.
6. Extend your bent leg to complete the pose and direct your gaze downward or slightly forward.

Steps for Eka Pada Koundinyasana I

• • Strength and Power:

Koundinyasana I is an arm balance pose that works the trapezius, shoulders, deltoids, triceps, and biceps, as well as other muscles in the upper body. Flexing the wrists and elbows while holding the bent leg helps increase the arm joints’ mobility. Although a sense of power is attained, being grounded and humble has more positive effects, including calming the nervous system. The core muscles that support the body during lifts and twists are the most active ones.

• • Balance and awareness:

Maintaining balance while the body is in a twist requires greater awareness of the body. This awareness strengthens and stabilizes the body, preparing it for deeper inversions.

• • Energy and Confidence:

Students who practice Koundinyasana gain confidence, giving them an extra burst of energy and inspiration when flying. Students gain the confidence to attempt other arm balances or inversions due to their exhilarating sense of accomplishment. However, all of this is contingent upon having balance, awareness, and focus.

• • Twist and Stimulation:

Twisted One-Legged Arm Balance Pose I apply pressure to the upper torso, particularly the chest and abdomen. The twisting stimulates the abdominal organs, which aids in the excretion of extra waste. As a result, it aids in detoxification and maintains a healthy, fresh body.

• • Preparatory Pose:

This pose is an excellent way to prepare the body for more difficult poses like Astavakrasana (Eight Angle Pose), Flying Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Galavasana), and others.

• • Right and Left Side:

A student who completes both sides will discover that one side is simpler than the other. There may be several causes for this imbalance, but once it is acknowledged, the student can concentrate on holding the preparatory twists longer on the weaker side. This pose promotes overall health by balancing the right and left sides of the body.

Eka Pada Koundinyasana I Contraindications:

• Students should have a good understanding of their bodies to enable a smooth transition into the twist. Lack of awareness can lead to overstretching and moving outside of one’s range of motion, both of which increase the risk of injury.

• Even if the injury is very old, students with a history of hip joint injury should avoid practicing Koundinyasana I because it twists the hips. The hip could move out of place; there could be pain or inflammation.

• • It’s important to exercise caution when letting go of the posture.

Any jerk when exiting this twisted arm balance can harm the wrists and shoulders because the body’s weight is not evenly distributed on the wrists and elbows.

• • Students who are strong and flexible students with migraines and asthma history should be careful when twisting.

Twists can make breathing uncomfortable after exiting the pose because they sometimes force one to hold their breath in the chest and abdominal region.

Therefore, caution should be taken to move slowly and to pay attention to breathing.