Yoga isn’t competitive, but it does feel good to be one of the few in class who can complete a challenging asana.

Crow (or bakasana) is one of those poses that will earn you instant studio cred.

The secret to “winging” it is focusing on your abs more than your arms, says Sara Ivanhoe, an instructor at Yoga Works in Santa Monica, California.

-Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, squat low, and place hands on the floor several inches in front of toes, fingers wide.

-Focus on a point on the floor about three feet in front of you and rest your knees on your upper arms, just below your armpits.

-Pull your abs in, keep your tailbone pointed down, and visualize drawing your inner thighs together — this helps stabilize your core.

-Get comfortable, then slowly raise one foot, toes pointing behind you. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch feet. Work up to raising both feet at the same time. [source: Shape]