Rooster pose

The Yoga Rooster pose is also called the Cockerel pose or Kukkutasana. When you do this pose you look like a rooster, hence this name for the pose. This pose helps you to develop strong and supple wrists and nourish your triceps and biceps.

You start doing this pose by sitting in a cross-legged position on a yoga mat. There are a few variations when doing this pose. You can choose whichever works out best for you. When you sit cross-legged, you need to sit in the Lotus pose (Padmasana).

In this pose you cross your legs in such a way that your foot soles are facing upwards and your legs are interlocked into each other. This is necessary as your legs should not slip back to the floor when you do the next step.

Turn your shoulders to your right and then move your arms to either side. Your left arm is in front of you and your right arm is behind your back. Place your palms flat on the mat and stiffen the muscles of your arms, and shoulders. Inhale, and as you exhale lift your buttocks off the mat along with your legs while keeping them in the crossed position.

You can try doing this pose by turning your shoulders to your left and placing your right arm in front of you and left arm behind your back.

Another variation is to place your arms by your sides. But the most typical and also the most difficult positioning of arms, is to insert both arms in between your crossed legs. To do this, you need to insert one arm at a time. You can use the free arm to help you maneuver the first arm in between your legs. But after you have inserted the first arm, you have no free arm to help you this way.

Now you will need to bend forward and push the floor down with the one arm that you have already inserted, and then lift both legs up to insert the second arm in between the crossed legs.

With both palms flat on the mat, you may stiffen the muscles of your arms and lift your crossed legs off the mat. Hold on to this position for between three to five breaths or as long as you can do so comfortably, and then lower your legs to the mat. Loosen the crossed legs and extricate your arms from in between them.

Sources:

Kukkutasana (Cockerel Pose) Variations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItZULweHi9Y

Yoga Poses : Cock Posture (Kukkutasana)

http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/serve.cgi/fun/yoga/cock_kukkutasana.html

How to Do the Kukkutasana Pose in Yoga

http://www.ehow.com/how_4451549_do-kukkutasana-pose-yoga.html

Kukkutasana - AshtangaYoga

http://www.ashtangayoga.info/practice/asana-sequences/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa/item/kukkutasana/