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The session started with core exercises, such as surya namaskars (a series of poses that engage the core). Arm balances, while the name lends it self to working with your arms, require a large amount of core strength. This editor discovered that while you are learning to balance on your arms, the strength is much less in your arms than it is in your core and legs. 

READ MORE: Arm Balancing At Radha Yoga

The first arm balance we started with was bakasana, also known as the crane or crow pose. This balance was a good introduction to the rest of the workshop, which led to more challenging poses such as eka pada galavasana and eka pada koundinyasana. 

The final two balancing poses required more than arm strength and flexibility; strong legs and core were vital parts to each of these poses. Attaining an awareness of the body is also incredibly important for balancing poses. 

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After an intense session of arm balances and ab workouts, the session finished with a restorative pose to regain strength and return to the breath. While the workshop itself was challenging, this editor knows that she’ll be doing another when the time comes up, working to master these poses. Working on these balancing poses were not only fun and new, but they also gave a sense of empowerment to each student once they became more comfortable with the poses and their bodies, improving towards mastering the poses. 

Check back at Radha Yoga for more information on upcoming yoga classes and workshops.

Reach Associate Arts + Culture Editor Dale Chong here. Follow her on Twitter here.