Beyond the Basics
You've mastered Sun Salutations. Downward Dog feels like home. Your Warrior II is solid. Now what?
Advanced yoga isn't about extreme flexibility or Instagram-worthy poses. It's about deepening your understanding of movement, breath, and body mechanics. These 7 poses will challenge you physically while teaching you something new about your practice.
"Advanced yoga is not about doing difficult poses. It is about doing simple things with extraordinary awareness." — Jason Crandell
1. Eka Pada Koundinyasana II (Flying Splits)
Targets: Core, hip flexors, hamstrings, arms
This arm balance combines the hip opening of a lunge with the upper body demands of Chaturanga.
How to approach it:
- Start in a low lunge with hands framing the front foot
- Hook the front leg's outer thigh over the back of the same-side arm
- Lean forward, shifting weight into your hands
- Extend both legs — front leg forward, back leg straight behind
- Hold for 3–5 breaths
Key insight: The balance point is further forward than you think. Trust the lean.
2. Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand)
The forearm stand is a gateway to deeper inversions and one of the most satisfying poses to unlock.
Preparation:
- Dolphin pose — build shoulder endurance
- Wall work — kick up with the wall 30cm behind you
- Core engagement — ribs knit in, tailbone reaches up
Common mistake: Banana back. Fix it by engaging your core and reaching your tailbone to the ceiling.
If you're still building confidence in headstand, master that first before progressing to forearm stand.
3. Astavakrasana (Eight-Angle Pose)
Targets: Obliques, hip flexors, arms, wrists
This twisted arm balance looks impossible but is surprisingly accessible once you understand the mechanics.
The entry:
- From seated, thread the right leg over the right arm
- Cross the ankles
- Plant hands, lean forward, and squeeze the legs to the right
- Straighten the legs out to the side
This builds on the same skills used in Crow and Flying Pigeon.
4. Hanumanasana (Full Splits)
Full splits require patience — often months or years of consistent practice.
A progressive approach:
| Week 1–4 | Half splits + low lunge (2 min holds) |
|---|---|
| Week 5–8 | Supported splits with blocks |
| Week 9–12 | Gradually lower, removing support |
| Ongoing | Full expression with square hips |
Yin yoga is your best friend for this pose — long holds allow connective tissue to slowly release.
5. Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose)
Targets: Thoracic spine, shoulders, hip flexors, entire front body
This deep backbend is essentially dropping from headstand into a wheel. It requires extraordinary thoracic mobility.
How to build up:
- Bridge pose with interlaced fingers
- Wheel pose with comfortable holds
- Forearm wheel (lowering from wheel to forearms)
- Finally, the full expression
6. Tittibhasana (Firefly Pose)
Targets: Hamstrings, inner thighs, core, wrists
Firefly requires both deep hamstring flexibility and strong arm strength — a rare combination.
Key tips:
- Start from a deep squat with hands behind the heels
- Walk the upper arms behind the thighs
- Lean back, lift the seat, straighten the legs
- Spread your toes — active feet help with balance
7. Natarajasana (King Dancer Pose)
Targets: Balance, backbend, shoulder opening, focus
King Dancer is the pinnacle of standing balances. The full expression catches the back foot overhead with both hands.
Progressive approach:
- Phase 1: Standing quad stretch, catching the foot behind you
- Phase 2: Hinge forward, extend the back leg up
- Phase 3: Reach the top arm overhead, catch the foot
- Phase 4: Both hands catch the foot overhead
This pose demands the breathwork skills you've built — steady Ujjayi breath keeps you grounded.
The Advanced Mindset
Advanced practice isn't about achieving poses. It's about:
- Listening to your body over your ego
- Breathing through challenge instead of around it
- Surrendering the need to "achieve"
- Returning to basics regularly — even the best yogis need morning routines
Practise These at Yoga Me Yoga You
Our Stop, Drop, Flow class includes advanced variations and transitions. Our Breath and Flow class offers a more measured approach to building strength. Chat with Kakia about which advanced poses you're working toward — she'll guide your journey.
Ready to level up? Book a class and tell us which pose you're chasing. We'll help you get there.
