Fun with Fulcrums

Let’s learn about levers! In arm balances, we create a fulcrum🔺 with our elbows around which we rotate to find balance, just like a seesaw. In a pose such as Hurdler's (Eka Pada Koundinyasana II) or Peacock (Mayurasana) where one or both legs are extended behind us, we must bring the fulcrum closer to our center of gravity (just above the hip bones) in order to help us lift the legs. When first learning these balances, beginners will often find it much easier to lower the chest and raise the legs in effort to bring more weight into the front of the lever (your body). In Hurdler's, the bent knee also helps significantly in shifting more weight forward, as you can see in the video below.

You may find Mayurasana much more challenging because the aim is to hold the body parallel, with the chest and legs in line. When first learning the pose, it's common to have the chest drop down to help lift the legs -- again, rotating around the axis of your elbow fulcrum. With practice and patience, eventually you can find parallel in Peacock Pose by opening the elbow flexion to an angle larger than 90, allowing the shoulders and upper body to shift forward instead of down to counterbalance the weight of the legs and hips. 👏🏽Physics!

If you found the tips in this post helpful, you will find so much more inside our course Intro to Arm Balances!

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