Malasana to Bakasana Transition: A Complete Guide to Entering Crow Pose from a Deep Squat

Quick Intro

Malasana to Bakasana Transition (Garland Pose — Crow Entry in English) is a yoga exercise performed from a deep Malasana squat, planting the hands shoulder-width on the floor, tipping the knees onto the backs of the upper arms and shifting the weight forward to lift into Bakasana.

Equipment Needed

No equipment is needed to perform Malasana to Bakasana Transition. A yoga mat is optional, useful mainly for a secure grip under both the hands and the feet through the transition.

Why Malasana to Bakasana Transition Matters

This pose links Malasana (Garland Pose) and Bakasana (Crow Pose), and it asks for both at once. The inner thigh (adductors) and hip flexors (iliopsoas) carry over the deep-squat opening from Garland Pose, while the deep core (transverse abdominis) and back of the upper arm (triceps brachii) take on the arm-balance load of Crow Pose as the feet lift. The shoulder blade stabilizer (serratus anterior) keeps the upper back broad under that new load, and the seat (gluteus maximus) helps drive the hips up and back during the shift.

Flexibility is the main demand, with coordination and balance next as the weight tips from the feet onto the hands.

When to Do It

Malasana to Bakasana Transition works well once both component poses feel independently reliable, since a shaky squat or an unstable crow both make the transition between them considerably harder than either pose on its own. Most sessions built around arm balances can include it once the wrists and hips are warm.

• A stable, comfortable deep squat that no longer needs correction. The squat is the launching platform here, and an unstable one undermines the transition before it starts.
• A Crow Pose hold that’s already been practiced from a standing entry. This transition adds a new entry point to a balance that should already feel somewhat familiar.
• Wrists and shoulders already warmed by earlier poses. The transition loads the hands directly the moment the weight shifts forward.

For most people, this transition takes repeated practice specifically on the shift itself, and it exists as a bridge between a mobility pose and a strength pose, not a shortcut into either.

Getting Ready

A few slow squats and wrist circles prepare the hips and hands before combining them into one continuous movement. Practicing the deep squat alone first, checking that the heels stay grounded, confirms the base this transition depends on.

Keep the hips low and the elbows bent as the knees find the upper arms. Trying to lift off from a half-standing squat instead of the full deep squat makes the transition far harder than it needs to be.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The squat. Settle into a deep Garland Pose squat, feet wider than hip-width.

2. The plant. Place the hands shoulder-width apart on the floor in front of the feet.

3. The tip. Bend the elbows and tip the knees onto the backs of the upper arms.

4. The shift. Lean the weight forward, gaze slightly ahead of the hands, until the feet lift.

5. The release. Set the feet down with control, settling back into the deep squat.

How Many, How Often

Malasana to Bakasana Transition is dosed by breath count, since a steady breath supports the weight shift that links the two poses together.

Committing to the full deep squat before attempting the shift matters more here than how quickly the feet lift, since starting from a shallow squat removes the exact platform this transition depends on.

Modifications and Variations

Malasana to Bakasana Transition sits at the more demanding end of its own progression, with a clear easier step below it and no harder step beyond it.

For an easier entry point, Malasana stays in the deep squat alone, without the arm-balance transition, keeping the same hip opening at a lower overall demand.

Progression path: Malasana — Heels on Support → Malasana → Malasana to Bakasana Transition

Build a stable deep squat, held for a full breath count with no correction needed, before attempting to launch out of it into an arm balance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Starting from a half-standing squat instead of the full deep one. This removes the exact platform the transition depends on. Settling all the way into the deep squat before placing the hands is the fix.

Looking straight down instead of slightly ahead. This shifts the weight backward at the exact moment it needs to move forward. Keeping the gaze slightly forward supports the shift the transition depends on.

Placing the knees too close to the wrists on the upper arms. A shelf built that low leaves the legs without anything solid to rest against. Tucking the knees higher, closer to the armpits, creates a stable shelf.

Hesitating on the weight shift out of fear of falling. A cushion placed just ahead of the head removes most of the risk. Committing to the shift, attempt after attempt, is what builds it.

After Your Set

Lowering the feet down and sitting back into a wide-kneed child’s pose releases the hips, wrists and shoulders together. A few slow wrist stretches ease the wrists specifically after the sustained weight-bearing.

Going Deeper

This transition is usually trained once both component poses feel independently reliable, treated as a bridge between a mobility pose and a strength pose. The most common way it stalls isn’t a lack of squat depth or arm strength alone, but attempting the shift from a squat that isn’t settled yet, which undermines the transition before the weight even moves forward. Building a truly stable squat first, every single attempt, is what makes the shift itself reliable.

Someone comfortable with both component poses generally manages a brief lift within the first two to three weeks of combined practice, and reaches a controlled 3-breath hold somewhere in the six to nine week range.

How to Know You’re Improving

1. A deep, stable squat held with no correction before the hands even plant
2. A confident forward weight shift with the toes staying on the floor
3. A brief lift of both feet from the squat, even for a second or two
4. A controlled 3-breath hold with a stable knee shelf on the upper arms

A stable squat feeding directly into a confident shift, not how long the feet stay lifted, is what progress looks like here.

Muscles Worked

• Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, stretched in the squat then clamped against the arms for the lift)
• Iliopsoas (the hip flexor group at the front of the hip, drawing the knees up onto the arms)
• Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, taking over the moment the feet leave the floor)
• Triceps Brachii (the back of the upper arm, accepting the body weight as it tips forward off the squat)
• Serratus Anterior (a muscle along the side of the ribcage, spreading the blades to build a base for the balance)
• Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, lengthened in the deep squat the transition starts from)

FAQ

Do I need to master Crow Pose from standing before trying this version? Some familiarity with the arm-balance shape helps, but this squat-based entry is an easier way in for many people, since the deep squat already places the hips close to the arms before the shift begins.

Why does the squat version feel more natural to me than a standing entry? Starting already low removes a big part of the distance the hips have to travel to reach the arm shelf, which is exactly why this transition works well as its own entry point.

What if my feet only lift for a fraction of a second? That’s a completely normal starting point. A brief, even instantaneous lift is progress and the natural first stage before any sustained hold develops.

Is this transition necessary if I can already do Crow Pose from standing? No, it’s a separate skill worth practicing for its own value, not a requirement for anyone who already has a reliable standing entry.

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Next in this series: Malasana, the deep squat this transition launches from, and Bakasana, the arm balance it leads into.