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Step 1
Lower yourself down into a half-squat with your upper legs parallel to the ground and your heals pressed as near to the ground as possible. Place a thick bolster horizontally in front of you, about 1 foot beyond your toes.
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Step 2
Extend your arms and turn your torso slightly to the left, placing your left elbow on the outside of the right thigh. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, draw your lower left ribs towards your right leg, relaxing your abdominals to help.
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Step 3
Slide your left arm down your outer right thigh, drawing your armpit as close to your leg as you can. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, rotate your right shoulder back and extend a bit further into the twist. When ready, squat down so that your buttocks are floating above your heels and place your palms on the ground, your left palm on the outside of your right foot.
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Step 4
Press your outer right leg and left upper arm together tightly and lean forward, placing your weight into your palms. Lift up onto your toes and find your balance. At this point, as you gain strength, flexibility and coordination, you can lean forward until your forehead rests on the bolster. As soon as you are ready, lift into the pose without the added support; however, this may take time, so be patient.
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Step 5
Lift your feet off of the ground slowly and gently and hold the pose for as long as you can. Eventually, begin working on straightening your arms, increasing the lift, removing your forehead from the bolster and holding the side crane pose for up to a full minute.
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Step 6
Release the pose slowly as you exhale, lower the feet and gently untwisting. Rest in a kneeling position and then repeat on the opposite side.
