intermediate · Gomukhasana
Cow Face Pose
Gomukhasana
Animated Cow Face Pose
Scroll to move from a neutral stand into Cow Face Pose. With reduced motion, the final shape stays still.
Alignment cues
- Sit with one knee stacked over the other and both sitting bones grounded
- Lower the bottom elbow, raise the top elbow behind the head
- Walk the hands toward each other between the shoulder blades if they meet
- Keep the spine tall without tucking the chin
- Switch the crossing of legs and arms on the second side
Variants
- Strap between hands. Hold a strap with a wide grip when fingers do not touch
- Sole to floor variation. Keep the bottom foot on the floor instead of stacking knees
Cow face pose (gomukhasana)
Gomukhasana sits with knees stacked, one elbow reaching up behind the head, and the opposite hand climbing the back.
Why it helps
NCCIH states yoga is generally safe for healthy people with proper instruction; that applies to the practice overall (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
How to do it well
Sit tall, cross one thigh over the other, and inch the feet beside the hips. When the left arm reaches up, stack the right thigh on top of the left. Reach the left arm up, bend the elbow, and let the hand descend between the shoulders. The right arm reaches behind the back with the palm out, climbing up until fingers meet or hold a strap. Lift the chest and keep breathing steadily before switching the leg and arm cross on the second side.
A common mistake and how to scale it
A common mistake is curling forward to force the grip while the knees tilt off center. Scale by sitting on a blanket, keeping the bottom foot on the floor, and using a strap between the hands.
When to use caution
Release the stack if knees pinch, and ask a clinician about knee or hip injuries plus lumbar spine disease before repeating gomukhasana (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
Practice with the atlas
Hold five breaths per side, release the arms, and extend both legs into staff pose.