Cobra Pose is a foundational backbend that strengthens the back, shoulders, triceps, and gluteals while opening the chest and rib cage to promote deeper, more easeful breathing. Its gentle nature makes it accessible for beginners and an excellent preparatory pose for deeper backbends. Additionally, this pose is particularly beneficial for counteracting the effects of poor posture, such as upper chest syndrome, often caused by prolonged sitting or desk work. 

Cobra Pose is both energising and relaxing, offering potential benefits for digestion, menstrual, and spinal health. 

Unique Features of the Pose 

• Improves posture by strengthening the muscles of the back and shoulders and encouraging a natural spinal curve. 

• Opens the chest and lungs, provoking a feeling of expansiveness and improved respiration. 

• Gentle on the lower back, making it suitable for beginners or as a warmup for more advanced backbends. 

• Stimulates abdominal organs, potentially aiding digestion and alleviating menstrual discomfort. 

 
Dosha's (Balancing for) 

• Vata 

• Pitta 

• Kapha 

Chakras Stimulated 

• Solar Plexus 

• Heart 

• Throat 

How to Practice (image references and cues listed below) 

Cobra Pose Suggested Cues:   

1. Begin lying face down on your mat, legs extended with the tops of your feet resting on the floor. 
2. Place your palms under your shoulders, elbows hugging into your ribs. Your forearms are parallel to each other. 
3. Inhale, press into your hands, and slowly lift your head, chest, and upper abdomen off the mat, keeping your lower body grounded. 
4. Straighten your arms, but keep a slight bend in your elbows, drawing them into your torso for support. 
5. Draw your shoulders back and down, expanding across the chest, while lifting through the crown of your head. 
6. Gently gaze at the tip of your nose. 
7. Softly engage your glutes and thighs, pressing the tops of your feet and pubic bone firmly into the mat. 
8. Breathe deeply and maintain the pose, feeling a gentle stretch in the abdomen and a lift through your chest and spine. 
9. Try not to sink into your lower back; instead, lengthen your spine as if you’re creating space between each vertebra. 
10. To release, exhale and slowly lower your chest and head back down to the mat.
    
    

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