Bakasana = Crane
Bakasana (baka=crane) A lot of the poses are named after animals.
Start standing, lift your arms over your head with your hands in prayer (anjali mudra), and squat, letting your knees fall out to the side, and bring your hands to your heart. Move from squat to standing several times to warm up the hips, exhaling as you squat, inhale as you stand.
On the last squat (exhale), release your hands to the floor, inhale, and on your next exhale, move your body forward. Place your knees as high up into the armpits as possible. Pause
On an inhale, bring the body more forward, press your hands strongly into the ground until your feet come off of the floor. The feet stay together.
As the upper body goes forward into the arms, the hips must counter balance the action and move with equal energy in the opposite direction.
The arms are solid and grounded, while the body is almost weightless.