How to Do Bhujangasana [Cobra Pose For Beginners]

It is a beautiful and graceful yoga pose that mimics the shape of a cobra snake. It is a backbend that stretches and strengthens your spine, chest, shoulders, abdomen, and hips.

It is also a part of the Sun Salutation sequence and a common transition between other poses.

In this pose, you lie on your stomach with your legs straight and your feet together.

You place your hands under your shoulders and press into the palms to lift your chest off the floor.

You keep your elbows close to your body and your shoulders away from your ears.

You arch your back and lift your head up, gazing forward or slightly up.

Remember to inhale deeply and expand your chest as you lift your upper body off the floor, and then exhale slowly and fully as you release back down. Engage your core muscles as you lift up, to protect your lower back and create more stability in the pose.

You can either keep your hips on the floor or lift them slightly to deepen the bend.

Cobra Pose Benefits:

• It increases the mobility and flexibility of your spine
• It strengthens your spinal support muscles and can help relieve back pain
• It opens your chest and the front of your body, improving your breathing and posture
• It stimulates your abdominal organs and improves your digestion
• It energizes your body and mind, reducing stress and fatigue

Contraindications For the Cobra Pose:

• If you have wrist injury or pain, modify this pose by placing your forearms on the floor or on blocks
• If you have shoulder injury or instability, avoid lifting your chest too high or place a rolled-up towel under your armpits for support
• If you have lower back injury or pain, avoid arching your back too much or place a bolster under your hips for support
• If you have neck injury or pain, avoid lifting your head too high or gaze down at the floor

Tips for Beginners Related to the Cobra Pose:

If you are new to this pose or have tight back muscles, start with a low Cobra pose by lifting your chest only a few inches off the floor. You can also keep a slight bend in your elbows to reduce the pressure on your lower back.

If you want to challenge yourself or deepen the stretch in your spine and chest, you can practice the Upward Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva mukha svanasana) by straightening your arms and lifting your hips and thighs off the floor. You can also practice the Sphinx Pose (Salamba bhujangasana) by placing your elbows under your shoulders and resting on your forearms.

If you want to add some movement and variation to this pose, you can practice the Cobra twist (Parivrtta bhujangasana) by reaching one hand toward the opposite ankle or shin and looking over your shoulder. You can also practice the Baby Cobra Pose (Ardha bhujangasana) by lifting one leg off the floor and bending it at the knee.

Cobra Pose is a yoga posture that offers a range of benefits for your physical and mental health.

This pose can help improve your spinal health, posture, breathing, and mood, while also promoting a sense of openness, strength, and vitality in your body and mind with consistent practice.

Other beginner-friendly poses that you might want to learn and practice are: 

Plank Pose - a foundational pose that helps build strength and stability in your core, shoulders, and arms.

Downward Dog Pose - a classic yoga pose that stretches and strengthens your entire body.

Mountain Pose - a simple yet powerful pose that helps improve your posture and balance.

Tree Pose - a yoga posture that strengthens and stretches your body while also promoting a sense of stability, focus, and harmony in your being.

Bridge Pose - is a transformative pose that can release tension, enhance energy, and connect you with your inner strength. It can also improve posture, reduce back pain, anxiety, and depression.

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