Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
A gentle backbend lying face down, where you lift your chest using your back muscles while your hips stay on the floor.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) is a gentle backbend lying face down: you lift your chest a few inches using your back muscles more than your arms. It strengthens the muscles along the spine and stretches the chest and shoulders. Hold for 3 breaths, then lower, 2 to 3 times. Skip it during pregnancy or after recent back or abdominal surgery.
| Sanskrit name | Bhujangasana |
|---|---|
| Category | Poses |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Position | Lying face down |
| How long to hold | 3 breaths |
| Kneeling, floor, wrists | No kneeling · On the floor · Weight on the hands |
| Body areas | Spine, Upper back, Chest, Shoulders |
| Primary benefit | Strengthens the back and stretches the chest and shoulders |
| Muscles worked | Spinal extensors (erector spinae), Middle and lower trapezius and rhomboids, Chest (pectoralis major, stretched), Front of the shoulders (anterior deltoids, stretched), Abdominals (stretched) |
| Breathing | Inhale to lift the chest; breathe slowly through the nose for 3 breaths, then exhale to lower |
| Safe for seniors | Yes |
| Contraindications | Pregnancy, Recent back or abdominal surgery, Back pain that gets worse with arching (use a low Sphinx or skip it), Wrist pain (use Sphinx on the forearms instead) |
What is Cobra Pose?
Cobra Pose, or Bhujangasana, is a backbend done lying on your stomach. With your hands under your shoulders and your elbows hugging your ribs, you press your hips and the tops of your feet down and lift your chest. Beginners usually practice low Cobra, where the chest rises only a few inches and the arms stay bent.
Physically, most of the work comes from the muscles along the spine, which lift the chest against gravity. At the same time, the chest, the front of the shoulders, and the abdominal wall get a mild stretch. The arms help a little, but if you push up as high as possible with straight arms, the lower back takes most of the bend and the shoulders tend to creep toward the ears. A small, even lift is the goal.
In practice, Cobra appears in Sun Salutations as a gentler option than Upward-Facing Dog, and as a short backbend in floor sequences. Sphinx Pose, on the forearms with the elbows under the shoulders, is the easier version and a good way to learn the same action. Holding for a few breaths and repeating two or three times works better than one long hold.
Cobra isn't for everyone. NCCIH advises people who are pregnant to talk with their health care provider about adjusting their activity, and lying on the belly isn't practical as pregnancy goes on. Skip it after recent back or abdominal surgery. If arching your back causes pain, stay in a low Sphinx or leave it out.
Step-by-step instructions
- Lie on your stomach with your legs hip-width apart and the tops of your feet on the mat.
- Place your hands under your shoulders and hug your elbows toward your ribs.
- Press your hips and the tops of your feet down.
- Inhale and lift your chest a few inches, using your back muscles more than your arms.
- Keep your neck long and your gaze slightly forward and down.
- After 3 breaths, exhale and lower.
- Rest with your cheek on the mat, then repeat 2 to 3 times.
Easier and harder versions
Easier
Sphinx Pose
Rest on your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms parallel. Press your forearms down and lift your chest gently.
Easy on the wristsStandard
Cobra Pose
Follow the steps above and hold for 3 breaths.
Harder
Cobra with hands hovering
Lift your chest, then hover your hands an inch off the mat for a breath or two so your back muscles hold the lift. Lower your hands before you lower your chest.
Tips & modifications
- Beginner: Lift only a few inches. Try hovering your hands off the mat for a moment to feel your back muscles doing the work.
- Common mistake: Pushing up as high as possible with straight arms. Keep the elbows bent and the lift small.
- Common mistake: Shrugging the shoulders or tipping the head back. Draw your shoulders away from your ears and keep your neck long.
- Easier or harder: Sphinx Pose is the easier version: rest on your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders and lift your chest gently.
- Safety: Stop if you feel pinching in your lower back. Lower your chest and try a smaller lift or Sphinx Pose next time.
Safety
If you have any of the contraindications listed above, or a health condition, talk to your doctor before practicing. Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, or numbness. Use props and modifications as needed, especially if you are 50+ or new to yoga.