3 Reasons Why You’re Not Flying Your Arm Balances

If you’ve been pouring your heart and sweat into learning arm balances, but they still feel like an unsolved mystery, I hear you! The good news? Your struggle has nothing to do with strength, flexibility, or any other story you’re telling yourself. Instead, it comes down to three key elements, and once you crack the code, flight is inevitable!

1.) You Are Gazing Down!

Where your energy goes, your pose flows! If your eyes are locked straight down on your mat, guess where you’re headed? Yep, right there.

Instead, shift your gaze to a few feet in front of you. Think of your eyes as your GPS system which tells your body where to go. Plus, your head is like a heavy coconut: if it begins to tip down, it shifts your weight downward and sends you into a (totally respectable) face-plant.

But don’t overdo it! No extreme neck extensions needed. Just focus on a point ahead of you, like where the floor meets the wall or the top of your yoga mat. As you gain experience, you’ll have more options with your gaze, but for now, this one simple shift will set you up for success.

2.) You’re Not Shifting Forward Enough

Ever feel like you almost had it, just for a second, before your feet plopped back down? That’s a classic sign that you didn’t shift forward enough.

Think of your body as a seesaw. Your hands (or elbows, if you’re on your forearms) are the fulcrum, the pivot point of balance. The beam of the seesaw is your body (head, torso, hips, and legs) arranged in different shapes depending on the pose. For example, in crow pose, you’re in a tight ball, while in poses like peacock, your body extends into a longer, straighter lever.

At first, all your weight is on the side where your feet are. To balance, you need to shift forward, redistributing your weight toward the center. And this is where things get tricky, because as the pose gets lighter, your brain panics!

I call this the “Oh Sh*t Point” because that’s exactly what’s running through your head when you hit it! It’s that brief moment when fear kicks in because you can’t muscle your way into the pose anymore. Instead of backing off…lean in, literally! Your balance is waiting just beyond that threshold.

3.) You Are Not Activating Your Hands

Once you start shifting forward, it’s easy to get a little too excited, overshoot your balance point, and flop forward onto the floor. And while I fully support celebrating every fall (because falling means you’re fighting for your possibilities!), you also want a way to stop yourself before you taste the mat.

That’s where your hands and fingers come into play. They’re not just passive supports, they’re your suspension and brake system.

Here’s how to activate them:

• Engage Hasta Bandha (Hand Lock): Start in tabletop position, spread your fingers wide, and imagine trying to pick up the mat using just your fingers. This creates a slight lift in the center of your palm, generating an upward energy that makes your entire body feel lighter.
• Use Your Fingers as Brakes: Your fingers are your built-in control system. When you shift forward, gripping the mat stops you from overshooting your balance point, just like hitting the brakes when driving too fast.

With these two hand actions, you’ll gain way more control over your arm balances, making it easier to shift forward without crashing.

Ready to Take Flight?

Now you know: balancing on your hands isn’t about brute strength. It’s about small but powerful adjustments that completely change how your body moves.

So next time you step on the mat, keep these three game-changing tips in mind so you know exactly what to do instead of just crossing your fingers!

And if you want step-by-step guidance to finally unlock your arm balances, plus a community to inspire and support you, join Yogi Flight School. Your time to fly is now!