How to get into the cobra pose

Yoga Pose

Discover these 5 simple steps to get into the cobra pose and strengthen your spine, gluteal muscles, thighs, arms and shoulders.

Cobra pose – Bhujangasana in Sanskrit – explores the movement of a cobra. This pose strengthens the spine, gluteal muscles, thighs, arms and shoulders. It also helps to open and release tension in your chest area, shoulders and neck.

Here’s how to get into the pose:

  1. Lie face down, legs together, tops of your feet resting on the floor, soles facing skywards. Place your palms flat on the floor, underneath your shoulders, keeping your fingers pointing forwards and your elbows close to your body.
  2. Take a moment here, breathing in and out. Tune into your being and imagine what it might be like to be a cobra slithering along the earth. Lengthen your spine and crown of your head forwards, while pressing your pelvis and legs earthwards.
  3. To raise your cobra skywards, on an in-breath, engage your core stomach muscles to lift your upper torso forwards and upwards to a position that does not strain your back. Only come up as far as feels comfortable and keep pressing into the earth with your legs and pelvis.
  4. Open your chest and broaden your collarbone, lifting and rolling your shoulders back and down. Keep your elbows slightly bent, hands supporting you on the ground. Feel the lovely elongation of the spine and opening of the chest area. Continue to press down into the earth with your lower body.
  5. Take a few breaths here, then slowly sink back down to the ground. Observe the different sensations that flow through your being when you’re an earthbound cobra and facing skywards.

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