Tread with caution: the top 4 most difficult yoga poses in the world

Easy yoga poses for beginners can provide benefits for anybody, but more difficult poses are reserved for only the most flexible and fit individuals.

Have you tackled the basic yoga poses like Downward Facing Dog and Pigeon and think you're ready for more challenging postures? After seeing this list of the world's most difficult yoga poses, you may think again.

Strong arms and stable balance are a must for anyone interested in attempting the crane pose. Start the pose by getting into a child-like position with your hands underneath your shoulders. Place your hands on the ground and bend your elbows while leaving them close to the body. Lift up with the arms so that the legs are suspended in the air and rest the knees into the armpits. Your knees should remain at a right angle, and your head should bend towards the floor.

Typically, a headstand is balancing your body on its head with your arms resting on the ground for support. However, this pose takes it two steps further by balancing only on the head and bringing the legs together so that the feet touch in a diamond shape. To make this slightly easier, consider leaving your hands on the ground so that your weight is more evenly balanced.

Essentially a push-up with your legs suspended to one side and off the ground instead of behind you and on the floor, the eight-angle pose requires excellent concentration and strength in the forearms. To perform the pose, start in a forward bend with hands resting on the ground on either side of the feet. Next, move the right hand between the legs and bend the knees and elbows almost to the floor. Move your right leg behind the right arm. Wrap one leg underneath the right arm and the other over the top while lifting the body off the floor in a push-up position.

As if doing a handstand wasn't already challenging, this pose takes it several steps further. Beginners may want to try this pose in front of a wall so that they have additional support if needed. Start in Downward Facing Dog and move your feet as close to the hands as possible. Lift the right leg into Three-Legged Dog and bend the left knee while jumping the leg into the air. Now that you are in handstand, perform the scorpion part of this pose by bending your knees and arching your back so that the tip of the feet come to rest lightly on the top of the head.