How to Do Cobra Pose for Good Posture and a Healthy Lower Back

How to Do Cobra Pose for Good Posture and a Healthy Lower Back. A useful asana that any beginner can handle.

The cobra pose, or bhujangasana (bhujanga – snake), is a backbend in a prone position. Performing this asana requires special attention, since an incorrectly chosen range of motion with insufficient flexibility can end in back pain. At the same time, the correct execution can provide many benefits, especially for those who often sit for long periods.

Why do the cobra pose?

When performed correctly, cobra pose provides the following benefits:

• Strengthens the muscles of the arms, body and legs. To hold the pose, several muscle groups are involved at once: the triceps extend the arms at the elbow joints, the serratus muscles stabilize the shoulder blades, the extensors of the spine provide a deflection in the back. In addition, in the process of holding the asana, you need to pull in your stomach and tense your legs, so that the cobra pose will load both the muscles of the body and the back of the thigh.
• Stretches the chest and shoulders and improves posture. Shoulders pulled forward and chest held tight is a classic pose for those who are used to sitting for long periods of time at a computer, in a car, or with a smartphone in their hands. The cobra pose helps correct this, as well as strengthen the back muscles, which can protect against bad posture in the long term.
• Can be a preventative for back pain. A slouched back with a tight thoracic spine can cause lower back pain . By doing the cobra pose correctly, you can remove restrictions, strengthen your abdominal muscles, and prevent lower back pain.

Who should not do the cobra pose

The cobra pose is not recommended for people with back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, pregnancy, and headaches.

If you have problems with your lower back, consult your doctor before performing the pose, carefully read the recommendations for performing it, follow them and monitor your sensations.

How to do the cobra pose correctly

Lie on the mat on your stomach, straighten your legs and stretch them out. You can put them together or spread them hip-width apart – both options are acceptable.

Draw your knees up off the floor, pressing the backs of your feet and thighs into the mat. Place your palms under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward.

Using a circular motion, pull your shoulders back, lower them, and bring your shoulder blades together.

Lift your chest off the floor, up and forward. Try to use your arms as little as possible – just enough to support your body in the right position.

Open your chest and drop your shoulders, trying to arch your upper back more, pull your stomach in and tense your legs. Keep your neck in a neutral position, do not throw your head back.

Hold this position for a few breaths, then slowly lower your chest back to the mat and relax.

What mistakes should be avoided?

Many beginners try to bend more to achieve the results of experienced yogis. As a result, they make mistakes that can lead to back pain.

Excessive arching of the lower back

Since the lower spine is more flexible than the thoracic spine, without sufficient flexibility, attempting to deepen the cobra pose will only come at the expense of the lower back. This can create excessive compression and cause pain.

To avoid this mistake, make sure to tighten your abs and tilt your pelvis back as you bend. Try to bend more in the upper back and don’t go up too high until you’ve developed flexibility .

The video below shows the low and high versions of the cobra, and both are correct.

So don’t chase height, but rather pay attention to the form of the exercise and the comfort of performing it.

Shoulder Raises – How to Do Cobra Pose for Beginners

This mistake is often made by those who try to bend their back too much while straightening their arms.

Keep your shoulders down and your shoulder blades together, open your chest and don’t try to straighten your arms. Keep your elbows close to your body – don’t let them flare out to the sides.

Insufficient leg tension

It may seem that in the cobra pose the legs do not work at all – they just lie on the floor. In fact, the hips should be in constant tension so that the legs do not spread apart and provide solid support.

Press your feet and thighs into the floor, draw your knees in, and keep your pubic bone on the floor. Don’t squeeze your glutes — instead, imagine your hips rotating outward. This will help activate your adductors.

How Often to Do Cobra Pose

You can do cobra pose every day – include it in your workout along with other asanas or do it as part of your post-workout stretching.

Start with 15 seconds of holding and gradually increase the time to 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times with a short rest between repetitions.

After the cobra pose, it is good to do the downward facing dog pose and the child’s pose to relieve tension in the back muscles.