The Cobra (Bhujangasana) Pose
Focus: Spine
Total Time: 15 to 30 seconds
Contraindications: headache, pregnancy, carpal tunnel, back injury
The Cobra
- Begin by lying on your stomach with your face down, your legs straight out behind you, and the tops of your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands under your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body. Press your pubis, thighs and feet into the ground.
- Breathe in, raise your chest off the ground by straightening your arms and pushing your torso up to a comfortable height. Press your tailbone into your pubis and raise your pubis toward your belly button to shorten your hip points. Slightly tense your hips.
- Tense your shoulder blades across your back as you extend your ribs ahead. Raise yourself through the top of your chest. Ensure that your backbend is even throughout your entire spine.
- Stay in this position for 15 to 30 seconds while you breathe normally. To release yourself from this position, breathe out and lower your body back to the ground.
Benefits
- Strengthens the spine
- Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
- Firms the buttocks
- Stimulates abdominal organs
- Helps relieve stress and fatigue
- Opens the heart and lungs
- Soothes sciatica
- Therapeutic for asthma
- Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini.
The Cobra (Bhujangasana) Pose Focus: Spine Level: BeginnerTotal Time: 15 to 30 seconds Indications: asthmaContraindications: headache, pregnancy, carpal tunnel, back injury The CobraCobra (Bhujangasana) PoseThe cobra focuses on building strength in your spine while simultaneously opening your shoulders, abdomen, lungs, and chest. It is great for opening up your lungs and heart, making it very therapeutic for individuals who suffer from asthma. Those who have a headache or who are pregnant should avoid this pose, as should people with carpal tunnel syndrome or a back injury.Begin by lying on your stomach with your face down, your legs straight out behind you, and the tops of your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands under your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body. Press your pubis, thighs and feet into the ground. Breathe in, raise your chest off the ground by straightening your arms and pushing your torso up to a comfortable height. Press your tailbone into your pubis and raise your pubis toward your belly button to shorten your hip points. Slightly tense your hips. Tense your shoulder blades across your back as you extend your ribs ahead. Raise yourself through the top of your chest. Ensure that your backbend is even throughout your entire spine. Stay in this position for 15 to 30 seconds while you breathe normally. To release yourself from this position, breathe out and lower your body back to the ground.BenefitsStrengthens the spineStretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomenFirms the buttocksStimulates abdominal organsHelps relieve stress and fatigueOpens the heart and lungsSoothes sciaticaTherapeutic for asthmaTraditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini.
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