Upward Rooster · Flying Pigeon · Urdhva Kukkutasana · Galavasana
Urdhva Kukkutasana · Galavasana · 우르드바 쿠쿠타사나 · 갈라바사나
Advanced Series · Sthira Bhaga (Strength & Grace) — From Advanced A (Third Series)
Breath: 5×2 · Drishti (gaze): nose tip
Urdhva kukkutasana perches a folded lotus high on the upper arms; galavasana shelves one shin and extends the other leg back. Lotus meets arm balance — hip flexibility and wrist-shoulder support tested at once.
Alignment
- Hands — planted shoulder-width, arms perfectly straight
- Feet — the airborne lotus insteps pinned to the thighs (one foot to the arm in Galavasana)
- Knees — perched on the upper arms near the armpits
- Gaze — the floor ahead of the hands, hips rising for balance
Entering the pose
- Fold the lotus, plant the hands
- Set the knees high on the arms
- Shift forward and float
Common mistakes
- A loose lotus sliding down the arms
- Ignoring wrist pain signals
Modifications & props
- Floor entry first — sit, fold the lotus, set the knees on the upper arms, tip forward and lift: the standard learning route.
- Break the headstand entry into stages at a wall, first touching just the knees to the arms without lotus.
- Without lotus, rehearse the same trajectory with crossed ankles — and never trade knee health for the pose's name.
Benefits
- Arm balance carried on a folded lotus core
- Strong support through wrists and shoulders
- Marries hip flexibility to strength
Role in the sequence
The Advanced pair where lotus and arm balance join. Urdhva Kukkutasana floats with the lotus knees perched on the upper arms; Galavasana turns the lotus and drapes it over one arm — Primary's Kukkutasana (lifting in lotus) and Intermediate's Bakasana (knees on arms) become one body here. The traditional entry, descending out of headstand, additionally demands folding the lotus in mid-air.
Practice notes
Urdhva Kukkutasana is the upward rooster; Galavasana carries the name of the sage Galava. The first balances a lotus on the upper arms; the second hooks one leg over the opposite arm while the other stretches straight back. Both marry an arm balance to a lotus or a deep hip rotation.
The formal entry to Urdhva Kukkutasana is to fold the lotus in a headstand and lower it onto the arms. Learning alone, though, it is safer to build the lotus on the floor, set the knees on the upper arms, and lift from there. Where the knees land decides everything: the closer to the armpits, the shorter the lever and the easier the lift.
In Galavasana the hooked ankle has to be firmly set on the opposite forearm or it slides. Flex the foot into a hook, and drive the back leg long all the way to the toes. The moment the back leg loses its energy, the pose folds forward.
Two checks: are the shoulders forward of the wrists, and is the gaze fixed on one point on the floor? In an arm balance, a wandering gaze takes the body with it. A folded blanket in front lets you give yourself permission to move forward.
Side crow without lotus is the preparation.
Written by Choi Seongjin — 20 years of Ashtanga practice, currently teaching three classes a week. Last updated: .
This guide is for general information and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, or have a medical condition, consult a qualified teacher or physician before practising. Disclaimer & Legal Notice
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