What are the key steps to master Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2?

Eka Pada Koundinyasana II is one of those poses people either go after hard or avoid completely. Usually because it looks complicated. But when you break it down into smaller, more digestible pieces, you realize it becomes more manageable. For example, it can be looked at as a mix of Chaturanga with your leg over your arm with Trikonasana legs. Once the body understands the actions of the arms and legs in simpler versions, this pose starts to feel accessible!

Eka Pada Koundinyasana II is a leg-over-the-shoulder arm balance. So right away, the key action is needed: The inner knee and inner thigh need to connect to the outer upper arm. Not rest there. Not slide off. Connect and stay connected. Let’s look at all the components necessary to master Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2.

Preparatory Poses for Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2:

Lizard Pose: The Bridge

Lizard is where this pose starts to feel possible.

How to:

1. From a low lunge with the hands inside the front foot
2. Walk the foot a little wider
3. Lower your torso
4. Start to bring the shoulder under the thigh
5. Press the inner knee into the shoulder
6. Bend the elbows and pull the chest forward
7. Keep the connection active

Extended Side Angle (Arm Inside the Leg): 

How to:

1. Arm inside the front leg
2. Press the knee into the arm
3. Pull the chest forward
4. Hug the leg in

Same action, slightly different shape.

Triangle + Half Moon: Teach the Legs

Now the legs need direction.

How to:

1. Start in Triangle
2. Straighten both legs
3. Reach through the heel
4. Extend through the ball of the foot

Half Moon Pose

How to:

1. Stabilize the front leg by pressing down and lifting up
2. Extend the back leg strongly behind you
3. Draw the chest forward

That back leg reaching back is key. In the arm balance, that’s usually the first thing to drop.

The Arms: Chaturanga All Day

This is where the pose either holds… or collapses. After all it is an arm balance.

How to:

1. Elbows bend straight back
2. Upper arms hug in
3. Chest pulls forward

You’re basically hovering in Chaturanga. If your chest drops your chest and legs will also follow suit.

Bring it all together

1. From Lizard or a low lunge: Get the shoulder under the thigh
2. Walk the leg high onto the arm
3. Hands down
4. Bend the elbows
5. Then draw the chest forward. (That’s the move. That shift is what creates the lift and extension.)
6. Straighten the Legs
7. Once you’re in: Front leg reaches forward
8. Back leg reaches straight back. (Same actions you’ve already practiced.)

But here’s the catch:

The legs have to apply the same actions as in Trikonasana and Ardha Chandrasana without the feedback from the floor.

Pro Tips for Mastering Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 (These Help a Lot)

• Use blocks under the hands
• Give yourself a little extra height so the chest has more room to operate above the floor
• Use a block under the back thigh
• Place a block under the back leg to support it so it doesn’t drop. It teaches the action of lifting and extending the leg without fighting gravity the whole time.

This pose looks like all strength, but it’s really just organization. When the leg connects, when the arms support, and when you’re willing to shift forward, there is the possibility for lift off. And if lift off doesn’t happen on this particular day, you know you’re on the right track, and have the steps laid out in front of you.