A cobra pose is a back bend that stretches the muscles in the front of the torso, arms, and the shoulders.It is a great pose to increase flexibility of the spine and reduce back pain.The sun salutation sequence of a yoga routine includes cobra pose.
Step 1: Lie on your mat.
The top of your feet should be flat on the floor, with your palms on either side of you.Make sure your fingers and toes are pressing into the floor.You should not put your toes under this pose.
Step 2: Press into the floor with both hands
The tips of your fingers should be close to your shoulder muscles if you want your palms to be slightly lower.Press your palms into the floor.At this point, your spine is mostly straight and you will only be a few inches off the floor.Keep your elbows close to your body, pointing behind you instead of out to the sides.
Step 3: Take your shoulders back and away from your ears.
Step 4: Draw your belly button towards your spine to engage your abdominals.
You want to protect your back.If you want your thighs to stay on the ground as you bend upwards, keep your muscles engaged throughout the exercise.If you feel your hips lifting up from the floor, use your abdominals to push your pelvis back towards the ground.
Step 5: Lift into a low cobra pose by using your abdominal muscles to bend your back backwards.
Lift your upper torso by keeping your hands, hips, and the tops of your feet firmly planted on the floor.If you lifted your chest toward the ceiling, you exposed your heart to the sky.Your chest should be less than 12 inches from the floor.You can use your hands for support, but don't put too much pressure on them.Try to let your back and abdominals do most of the lifting.Keep your neck straight and look at the floor if it feels uncomfortable to tilt your chin up.Your head should be comfortable.
Step 6: Hold the pose for a while.
Try to hold cobra pose for five full breaths before releasing to the floor or stretching back further.Release the pose if you start to feel pain in your back.
Step 7: You should push yourself higher with each exhale.
Use your arms, abdominals, and back together to deepen the stretch.As you exhale, make sure to bend back a few more centimeters.Control your breathing, stretch for 1-2 breaths, then push back to get a higher cobra pose.Depending on how long your arms are, you may or may not be able to do this pose.Keep a slight bend in your elbows if your pelvis begins to lift off the floor.Keeping your lower body still is more important than going back further.
Step 8: Proper form is more important.
The better your form, the more beneficial the pose will be.The attached videos show how each muscle and joint seems relaxed and in line.To review, keep the tops of your feet, thighs, hips, and palms firmly on the floor.Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears.Your fingers and toes should be splayed for balance, but still light and loose.Take deep, controlled breathes as you move slowly.Contract your abdominal muscles to help move, focus on a solid core.
Step 9: Begin with a basic mountain pose, with your feet close together.
Your hands will always be by your side.Drop them to the ground as if you were touching your toes.If you can't touch the ground yet, bend from your hips.
Step 10: As if you were doing a cobra, place both palms on the ground.
If you must, you can bend your knees.You want your hands to be under your shoulders.Your hands should be close together.
Step 11: Put your knees on the ground, kick back both feet, and you are in a push-up position.
You'll be in a plank with both palms on the floor.If you don't hurt your ankle, you can rest on the top of your feet.The knees should be on the ground.
Step 12: Leave your butt the highest point up by lowering your chest.
Your butt is in the air as you form a zig-zag with your feet and chin down.The position is a short one.
Step 13: Pull your chin up as you lower your hips to the floor.
The cobra movement involves your head coming up and your lower body hitting the floor.You should be in a cobra pose when finished.Drop your butt down so that your hips are on the floor if this motion is hard at first.You can make sure that you're in cobra by adjusting your hands and feet.
Step 14: To exit cobra, lower your chest to the floor.
From here, you'll transition into a downward dog.Your entire body is lying on the floor if you lower down.
Step 15: Roll your feet back so that you can walk.
This will feel similar to a push-u position.
Step 16: To enter the dog, push backwards and up from your hands.
With your butt high, push up first.Keep moving until your legs are straight.Your palms and soles of your feet should be planted firmly on the ground, with your butt in the air.Take care of your toes and fingers.You should be able to wiggle all the digits.You arms and legs should be straight, with a slight bend in the knees and elbows.
Step 17: Don't let it go too high.
If cobra pose is difficult for you, take it slowly and bend your back very gently.Staying in a very low cobra pose is fine if you want to advance to a high cobra.If your back is not comfortable, you should not bend it.Try resting your forearms on the floor with your elbows under your shoulders for sphinx pose if you feel uncomfortable in your back.You can perform cobra pose standing up by putting your hands against a wall and pushing them down, just as you would do in a traditional cobra.Pull your shoulder blades towards each other and tilt your head back as you open your chest.If you are pregnant, this is a good choice.
Step 18: The pose needs to be more challenging.
Adding new variations to cobra pose will help you improve your strength, flexibility, and balance.If you want to challenge your balance in cobra pose, grab your ankle with your right hand and bend your knee.Relax, hold for five breaths, and repeat on the other side.Grab for your ankle with your other hand.If you want to get a deeper back bend in cobra pose, place yoga blocks under your hands.Lift your hands off the floor in order to challenge your balance and strengthen your back muscles.
Step 19: You can choose a deeper bend.
If cobra pose is easy for you, you should progress to a deeper back bend.The cobra pose has a deeper back bend because the hips and upper legs are lifted off of the ground.Many people are confused by cobra pose and upward facing dog.If you are doing cobra pose, your hips should be planted firmly on the ground with minimal weight in your hands.There are many other options for back bends, including wheel pose, bridge pose and camel pose.Try all of them or choose the one that works best for you.
Step 20: cobra pose can be incorporated into other vinyasa flows.
Practice cobra pose as part of a sequence of poses.This is how you will practice cobra pose in yoga classes.A vinyasa flow involves a transition from cobra pose to chaturanga, which is a yoga push up, and finally to downward facing dog.This sequence can be repeated many times throughout class.Most sun salutations involve mountain pose and a standing forward bend, followed by a flow of water.Warrior I, warrior II, and warrior III pose are common in sun salutations.
Step 21: Make sure the cobra pose is for you.
If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other wrist injuries, or have recently had surgery, you should avoid cobra pose.If you are pregnant, you should avoid lying on your stomach for this pose, but you can modify it by standing up with your hands against a wall and bending your spine the same way you would for the traditional pose.If you haven't practiced yoga before, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor to make sure you're healthy enough to start practicing.
Step 22: It's good to dress appropriately.
You should wear clothes that will allow you to move freely and not distract you during yoga practice.If you begin to sweat, you may want to put a small towel under your hands to keep them from slipping on your mat.
Step 23: There is a comfortable space.
If you are practicing outside of a yoga class, try to find a quiet space that is free from distraction.If you want to extend your arms in all directions without hitting anything, you should have enough room to lay out your yoga mat.
Step 24: Start slow.
Depending on the flexibility of your spine, you can take cobra pose to a few different levels.Start off with a gentle back bend, no matter how flexible you are.Try not to compare yourself to others in order to get the most out of your practice and avoid injury, and make sure to stick to your own limits.If you are taking a yoga class, your instructor will probably have you do a low cobra or baby cobra at the beginning, and later allow you to work up to a high cobra if this works for you.You can warm up your spine with this progression.