May 3, 2023 • 6 min read
11 Crazy Yoga Poses for A Hardcore Practice
Published on May 3, 2023 |
Update on November 3, 2023
Yoga Expert, E-RYT 500, Certified Meditation Coach
Push your limits with these 11 crazy yoga poses! Discover most challenging yoga postures and how to get prepared for them.
Table of Contents
Many potential yogis shy away from the practice because they are convinced that they’ll have to do some of the crazy yoga poses that they see all over the internet.
While yoga is truly for everyone, it’s important to master the basics before attempting some of the most advanced yoga poses. Find a qualified, registered yoga instructor to help you enhance your flexibility, strength, and level of confidence so that you can take on more challenging postures.
The following yoga poses are advanced and not recommended for beginners or intermediates without the supervision of a registered yoga teacher. Attempting these poses without proper guidance could lead to serious injury. We strongly advise seeking the direction of a registered yoga instructor before practicing any advanced postures.
Like most advanced poses, this powerful, twisted arm balance will simultaneously challenge your strength, flexibility, and equilibrium. Astavakrasana requires a solid upper body and a strong core to balance on the hands and simultaneously twist, while keeping the legs wrapped and lifted.
Strong arms and a solid core are required for this posture, where the entire body balances on the hands. With the hips in deep flexion, the thighs wrapped around the upper arms, and the feet lifted and crossed, considerable flexibility is also imperative. An even more challenging variation, Titibasana (Firefly Pose) requires straightening the legs in the pose.
This advanced inversion offers many benefits, such as rejuvenating the body and de-stressing the mind. It must be practiced with proper alignment and engagement to ensure safety, especially for the neck. You will need a powerful upper body and core to balance entirely on the arms,with less than fifty percent of the weight on the head. Once mastered, Headstand Pose can be modified or enhanced with a plethora of variations, including the double-wrapped legs of Eagle Pose (Garudasana).
Strong legs are a key component to this intense arm balance, yet able wrists, forearms, core, and back are just as important, making Mayurasana a full body strengthener. Using props such as blocks, the wall, or a chair, can render this pose more accessible, and surprisingly, adding a lotus variation will additionally create an easier time with lifting both legs.
This challenging forearm balance with a deep backbend is a traditional Ashtanga pose requiring strength, flexibility, and confidence. Advanced practitioners often begin this pose from Sirsasana (Headstand Pose).
Named for the sage, Visvamitra, this complex pose is a combination of two other intense yoga poses: Vashistasana (Side Plank Pose) and Surya Yantrasana (Compass Pose). As it requires a combination of balance and coordination, Visvamitrasana calls for flexibility in the hips and hamstrings and strength in the arms, legs, and core.
Kapotasana is a challenging backbend that requires significant back flexibility. As it opens the whole front body, it also stimulates the abdominal organs, creating many benefits for overall health. A strong core and powerful legs will give this pose balance and stability…
This advanced posture, and quite possibly the hardest yoga move, is an intense backbend practiced while balancing in a chin stand. This challenging pose, which is part of the third series of Ashtanga yoga, requires considerable flexibility, strength, balance, and a good sense of humor.
Karnapidasana is a powerful hip-opener and a great stretch for the whole back body. You can’t be shy practicing this pose, which involves lying on the back, bringing the legs over the head, and the knees to the ears. It requires advanced flexibility in the hips, spine, and shoulders.
The beauty of this pose is in more than just its physicality: practicing Devaduuta Panna Asana represents our ability to be in a state of grace regardless of life’s challenges. Getting into this pose, an advanced variation of Parsva Bakasana (Side Crow), requires a strong upper body foundation and a solid core. It involves balancing on the hands with the head on the ground, one knee on the triceps, and the other leg extended upwards.
Eka Pada Koundinyasana is a challenging arm balance that merges Chaturanga (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) with a sideways Hanumanasana (Splits Pose). It requires significant upper body strength and core stability, as well as hip flexibility and mobility. This asymmetrical pose enhances balance, focus, and invites you to conquer your fears.
If you’re new to yoga, you might wonder when you can finally take your shot at some cool-looking yoga poses. While these challenging yoga poses are not beginner-friendly, there are some things you can do to move your practice towards them.
Many advanced postures require high levels of strength, flexibility, and balance. Committing to a steady practice will help build all of these, giving you time to explore more dynamic poses, including yoga inversions.
Simplify the hardest yoga moves with modifications, including:
Give yourself time to build up to each pose individually. As you bring your attention to the movements and nuances of that particular posture, you can modify and adjust to your most appropriate expression.
While you can significantly benefit from using a yoga app to build a practice on your own, attending a class with an experienced yoga instructor is the key to taking things to the next level.
A skillful teacher will be able to guide you through the steps to correctly enter advanced poses. They can provide feedback and adjustments to keep you safe, while advising how long to stay in a yoga pose.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
