Advanced Cobra Pose Variation To Improve Posture and Back Health
Cobra Stretch, also known as Bhujangasana in Sanskrit, is a fundamental yoga pose that targets the muscles in your back and helps improve spine flexibility. It’s an excellent posture for strengthening the lower back and relieving tension.
Variations Of Cobra Stretch Pose:
1. Reverse Shoulder Stretch
The Reverse Shoulder Stretch is a rejuvenating yoga pose that releases tension in the shoulders and chest.
Equipment: No equipment
Level: Beginners to advanced
Works on: Shoulder and chest muscles
How to Perform Reverse Shoulder Stretch?
Steps:
- Lie face down on the mat.
- Interlace your hands behind your back, palms facing each other.
- As you inhale, lift your chest off the mat.
- Hold the pose for 3–5 seconds.
- Release your arms back to the beginning position as you exhale.
Benefits: Improves shoulder flexibility, relieves upper back and neck tension, and promotes better posture and openness.
2. Elbow Back Cobra Pose
Elbow Back Cobra Pose is another variation where you start in Cobra Pose but place your elbows under your shoulders for a deeper stretch and backbend.
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Equipment: No equipment
Level: Beginners to advanced
Works on: Back and Shoulders
How to Perform Elbow Back Cobra Pose?
Steps:
- Lie face down on the mat.
- Interlace your hands behind the back of your head.
- Inhale, and lift your head and chest while pushing the elbows back.
- Stay in the pose for 2- 3 breaths.
- Return to your starting position as you exhale.
Benefits: Provides a deep spine stretch, ideal for tight back muscles, and encourages spinal flexibility and alignment.
3. King Cobra Pose
King Cobra Pose, or “Raja Bhujangasana,” is an advanced cobra stretch where the practitioner arches their back, lifts their chest, and holds their ankles, resembling a raised cobra.
Equipment: No equipment needed
Level: Beginners to advanced
Works on: Spine, lower and upper back
How to Perform King Cobra Pose?
Steps:
- Begin in the Cobra Pose.
- Inhale deeply, pushing your chest even higher.
- Bend your knees and reach back, holding your ankles.
- Lift your thighs and chest higher, arching your back further.
- Breathe and enjoy the deep stretch.
Benefits: Provides an intense backbend and heart opener, strengthens the entire back (including the lower and upper back), and improves spinal flexibility and posture.
