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Astavakrasana

Eight-Angle Pose

named after the sage Ashtavakra

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 20 September 2026

The eight-angle pose — the body folded into a side-bent balance on the hands, named for the sage who taught crookedness itself.

Family
Arm balances
Level
advanced
Lineage
modern
Works on
wrists · core · hips

The yogic view

Astavakra means eight crooks: the sage was born bent in eight places, mocked at court, and then taught the king the highest truth — that the Self is never bent, whatever the body does. The pose honours him exactly: the body bends at hip, knee, and elbow into eight angles, and floats. The modern arm balances are the descendants of the classical mayurasana lineage — strength and stillness fused — and this one adds the sage''s lesson: what looks broken can fly. It is practised as much for the story as for the shape.

How to practise

  1. Sit and hook the right leg high over the right shoulder, pressing the thigh onto the upper arm.
  2. Plant the hands on the floor beside the hips, shoulder-width apart.
  3. Cross the left ankle over the right, squeeze the thighs onto the right arm, and lean forward.
  4. Bend the elbows like chaturanga, extend the legs to the right, and float the hips.
  5. Hold for a few breaths, sit down, and change sides.

For seated or floor-based work, use a clean, stable surface. Our natural cork yoga mat offers a grounded 5 mm surface for regular practice.

What research shows

Eight-angle pose combines a deep hip twist, a strong core contraction, and a bent-arm balance — among the most complex coordination demands in the posture repertoire. Training value concentrates in the obliques, hip flexors, wrists, and shoulders. The risk profile matches: wrists and the compressed hip are the vulnerable points, and the pose is best learned through its preparation stages, which deliver most of the training effect long before the full balance succeeds.

Questions about Astavakrasana

+ How long should you hold Astavakrasana?
Arm balances are held briefly. Aim for three to eight breaths, or a few controlled seconds at first, and repeat two or three times with rest between rather than straining to extend a single hold. Where the posture is one-sided, practise both sides for the same length of time. Let the breath decide: if it becomes short, held or noisy, you have stayed too long or gone too deep.
+ Is Astavakrasana suitable for beginners?
No — Astavakrasana is an advanced arm balances posture. It asks for strength, range and control that take a long time to build, and it is much better learned with in-person guidance than from a page. Work through the preparatory postures listed below first, and treat the full shape as a long-term project rather than a goal for this month.
+ What are the modifications for Astavakrasana?
Work with the shape rather than around it: reduce the range, shorten the lever by bending the nearest joint, and raise the floor toward you. Three adjustments apply to almost any posture: raise the hips on a folded blanket or cushion in seated work, bend the knees in anything that loads the back of the legs, and use a wall, chair or block to take weight and remove the fear of falling. A supported version practised often produces more change than a deep version practised rarely.
+ Who should avoid or modify Astavakrasana?
For Astavakrasana specifically: wrist injury; shoulder injury. More generally, modify or skip it if you have an acute injury or recent surgery in the area it loads, if you are pregnant and have not been given individual guidance, or if the shape produces sharp, pinching, radiating or electric sensation. Numbness, tingling or pain travelling down a limb is a nerve signal to stop and be assessed, not to breathe through. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
+ What should you practise before and after Astavakrasana?
Prepare with Bakasana (Crane (Crow) Pose), Parsva Bakasana (Side Crane (Crow) Pose). Release afterwards with Balasana (Child's Pose). Both lists are links on this page, and either can be shortened when time is limited — but do not skip preparation for a posture that loads a joint at end range.
+ What does Astavakrasana mean in Sanskrit?
Astavakrasana translates as eight-angle pose — named after the sage Ashtavakra The name follows Sanskrit convention, but the posture itself is modern and is not described in the classical texts.

Prepare with

Release with

Cautions

  • wrist injury
  • shoulder injury

More arm balances

Keep reading

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.