Poses >> Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose
 
  • Strengthens the spine and back muscles
  • Increases flexibility of the spine
  • Stretches the chest and lungs, shoulders and abdomen
  • Opens the heart and lungs
  • Eases sciatica

1) Lie flat on the floor on your belly with your forehead on the floor. Feel the length of your neck and spine extending down through the low back and legs before you begin.
2) Place your hands on the floor mid ribcage with elbows bent toward the ceiling.
3) On an inhale, draw your shoulder blades onto your back, lift the shoulders off the floor and draw them away from the ears. Draw the elbows back and into the body while pressing the hands and fingers firmly into the floor.
4) Activate the legs, reaching back through the inner thigh and extending the feet, pointing through the toes. As you firm your thigh muscles onto the thighbones, press the tops of the feet and toes evenly into the floor until the knees lift.
5) Encourage your pubic bone down into the mat, stabilizing your back and releasing your sacrum. Explore the length of your spine with the breath.
6) On an inhale, pressing the little toe side of the foot down and lengthening the inner thighs though the inner heels, begin to lift up and forward with your chest. Reaching firmly through the legs, maintaining the connection at the pubic bone, draw your shoulders onto your back and press the shoulder blades forward toward the ribcage.
7) Avoid lifting too high first, instead concentrating on lengthening forward through the spine and neck while opening the chest on the inhale. Lift the hands to discover where the back can hold comfortably — strengthening and not straining. Replace the hands, sharing the work between arms and back.
8) Stay for five or ten breaths, expanding the chest and relaxing into the vibrant strength of the pose. Release to the floor.
9) As you advance in the pose and become more comfortable in your back you can gradually straighten the arms, lifting the front body and lengthening all four corners of the torso. Remain aware of the length of the neck and the length and strength of the lower body and the legs. Work to keep the low back long without compression by lifting the navel forward and up. Draw the tailbone toward the pubic bone and the pubic bone toward the navel. Move slowly and allow the breath to create space in the chest and back.
10) Release slowly to the ground, keeping your spine and neck long.

Video and Text by Yogamates Featured Teacher: Daniel Stewart