beginner · Bhujangasana
Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
Animated Cobra Pose
Scroll to move from a neutral stand into Cobra Pose. With reduced motion, the final shape stays still.
Alignment cues
- Lie face down with legs extended and tops of feet on the floor
- Place the hands under the shoulders with elbows hugging in
- Press the tops of the feet down and lift the chest without dumping into the low back
- Draw the shoulder blades back and keep the neck long
- Lower on an exhale if the back feels compressed
Variants
- Baby cobra. Hover the chest a few inches off the floor with little arm push
- Cobra with hands forward. Walk the hands slightly forward for a gentler angle
Cobra pose (bhujangasana)
Cobra is a belly-down backbend where the chest lifts from leg and hand pressure rather than from cranking upward.
Why it helps
The NCCIH fact sheet summarizes research on yoga in general; it does not test this prone backbend on its own (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
How to do it well
Lie prone with legs extended and toenails on the mat. Set palms under shoulders with elbows hugging ribs. Press feet and thighs down, lengthen the tailbone toward heels, and peel the sternum forward on an inhale. Shoulders stay wide on the back, gaze forward, and breath should stay audible. Lower on the exhale before the low back feels pinched.
A common mistake and how to scale it
A common mistake is pushing straight arms to create height while the legs stay passive. Scale by hovering a low baby cobra: elbows bent, chest only an inch up, until you can lift from legs and mid-back together.
When to use caution
The NCCIH yoga page notes that some health conditions may call for pose modifications, including preexisting injuries such as knee or hip injuries, lumbar spine disease, severe high blood pressure, balance issues, and glaucoma (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)). Stop before sharp pain in the low back.
Practice with the atlas
Match the atlas lift for three inhales, pause halfway down for one exhale, then return to the floor and rest one cheek to either side.