Neck long, ears away from shouldersPubic bone presses downGaze forward, chin levelChest opens, shoulders softLegs longCobra Pose
Bhujaṅgāsana
Read what the gnome says
Cobra Pose! Lie on your belly, hands under the shoulders, elbows hugging in. Press the tops of the feet down, then lift the chest by using your back muscles, not just your arms. Shoulders away from the ears, neck long. Don't crunch the lower back. Breathe, and hiss softly like a cobra.
Works on Spinal erectors · Glutes · Triceps
How to do it
- Lie face down, legs together, hands under the shoulders, elbows hugging in.
- Press the tops of the feet and the pubic bone down and lift the chest on an inhale.
- Keep the shoulders soft, the neck long and the elbows slightly bent; hold, then lower slowly.
Common mistakes
- Don’t lift higher than the lower back is comfortable.
- Don’t shrug the shoulders to the ears.
- Don’t clench the glutes or crunch the neck.
Benefits
- Opens the chest, front of the hips and shoulders.
- Strengthens the muscles along the back.
- Counters long hours of sitting and rounding forward.
Take care: Go easy or skip if you have lower-back, neck or wrist pain, or are pregnant. Stay in the comfortable range and never force depth.
In ready-made sequences
Not medical advice. Ease off if anything feels sharp or wrong.
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