Praying Mantis Pose in Hatha Yoga

Tittibhasana: Praying Mantis Asana

Among asanas, the praying mantis pose in Hatha Yoga is not very fortunate because, by changing one letter in “tittibhasana” to “tittibhasana”, it became known as the firefly pose. There are other names for this asana: lapwing and little water bird. The original version was performed lying down: holding the big toes of widely spread raised legs with hands. Later, the exercise was performed with support on the hands.

Benefits of Tittibhasana

The mantis pose in Hatha yoga is one of those associated with maintaining balance. To perform it, a good level of flexibility and stretching is required, as well as excellent body control. Although it is not among the most difficult asanas, beginners are advised not to attempt it until they have a certain level of physical fitness. The pose looks like this: the person stands on their hands, legs extended upwards.

The benefit of this body position is that all muscles and bones in the skeleton become stronger. Since the focus is on the hands, the wrists are particularly strengthened and the arms become stronger. As this is a balance exercise, the sense of balance is developed, the vestibular system is improved, and the person becomes more confident. The tension of the whole body stimulates all the abdominal organs.

Technique for Performing the Asana

1. The exercise should begin with the fundamental Mountain pose.

2. Then, squat down and, bending as low as possible, straighten your legs and lift your hips.

3. The hand should be brought behind the knee. Keep the palms pressed firmly to the floor.

4. While continuing to press your palms firmly against the mat, slowly begin to transfer your body weight onto your hands. Meanwhile, the legs gradually lift off the floor.

5. On the exhale, straighten your legs as much as possible and, while tensing them, try to squeeze your arms with them.

6. Slowly straighten your arms.

7. To maintain balance, it’s essential to distribute the weight evenly across the edges of the palms. Ensure the weight does not shift to the outer parts of the arms by pressing the bases of the thumbs and index fingers to the floor.

Possible Mistakes When Performing Tittibhasana

The following mistakes may occur during the exercise:

1. At the start, the forward bend is not low enough. This will prevent the exercise from continuing effectively.

2. In the fourth stage, the hands are not positioned close enough to the shoulders. This will hinder the proper transfer of body weight onto the hands.

3. In the seventh stage, the bases of the thumbs and index fingers are not sufficiently pressed to the floor, causing the weight to shift to the outer parts of the hands, which will prevent maintaining the pose for the required time.