Traditional
Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
Lie on the belly and lift the chest with the hands under the shoulders.
- Benefits
- Builds strength, mobility, and breathing awareness with steady alignment. Particularly helpful for opening to optimism.
- Props
- No-props
- Hold Time
- 5 to 8 breaths
- Cautions and Contraindications
- Practice within a pain-free range. Reduce depth or use props for knee, low back, neck, wrist, or shoulder sensitivity.
- Entering Cobra Pose
- Lie on your belly with the legs extended behind you. Place the hands under the shoulders and draw the elbows in. Press lightly into the hands and lift the chest forward and up. Take a steady inhale to create length, then use the exhale to settle into the final shape.
- Exiting Cobra Pose
- Lower the chest back down to the mat. Turn the head to one side or rest the forehead on the hands. Pause in a neutral position for a moment before continuing.