भुजङ्गासन
Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana lifts the chest like a cobra raising its hood. Low Cobra, using back strength rather than arm push, is a great foundation for all backbends.
- Hold
- 3–5 breaths
- Level
- Beginner
- Family
- Backbend, prone
- Focus
- Back strength and chest opening
- Works
- Back
- Chest
- Shoulders
- You’ll need
- Blanket under hips
- Found in
- Hatha, Gentle
- “Lift with the back, not the arms”
- “Elbows hug in”
- “Broad collarbones”
Step by step
How to do Cobra Pose
StartLie on your belly with forehead on the mat.
- 1
Lie on your belly, legs hip-width, tops of the feet down.
- 2
Place hands under the shoulders, elbows hugging the ribs.
- 3
Press the pubic bone and tops of the feet into the mat.
- 4
Inhale and lift the chest using your back muscles, keeping a little weight in the hands.
- 5
Draw the shoulders back and down; keep the neck long.
- 6
Rise only as high as is comfortable for the lower back.
- Out
Coming out. Exhale and lower slowly; rest with head on hands.
Breath
Inhale to lift; breathe steadily in the hold; exhale to lower.
Focus
Back strength and chest opening
Why practise it
Strengthens the muscles along the spine, opens the chest, shoulders and front of the body, and counters hours of slumped sitting. Low Cobra builds the back strength that every other backbend depends on.
Go deeper
Cobra Pose: what to know
Low Cobra vs high Cobra
In Low (or Baby) Cobra you lift the chest using the back muscles alone, with only light pressure in the hands; you can even hover the hands off the floor to test it. In high Cobra the arms straighten further and the back bends more deeply. Low Cobra is the version to practise first and the one most teachers use in a Sun Salutation, because it builds strength without crunching the lower back.
What Cobra Pose works
- Strengthens: the muscles along the spine, the upper back and the backs of the shoulders
- Stretches: the chest, the front of the shoulders and the abdomen
- Mobilises: the whole spine into extension, the opposite of the forward rounding of sitting
Cobra and back pain
Gentle back-bending lifts like Low Cobra and Sphinx resemble the prone press-ups some physiotherapists use for certain kinds of lower back pain, and many people find them relieving. Others, including people with spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis, usually feel worse with back-bending. Keep the lift small, stop if pain spreads into the buttock or leg, and ask a health professional if you have a diagnosed back condition.
Cobra in a sequence
Cobra appears in many versions of the Sun Salutation, between the lowering from Plank and the push back to Downward Dog. On its own, two or three short holds of Low Cobra followed by Child’s Pose make a simple back-strengthening routine.
Alignment
Cues & common mistakes
Aim for Elbows bent and close to the body; even curve through the whole spine.
Teacher’s cues
- “Lift with the back, not the arms”
- “Elbows hug in”
- “Broad collarbones”
Watch out for
Pushing high with the arms and crunching the lower back; lifting the shoulders to the ears.
Make it yours
Easier, harder, supported
Stay low (Baby Cobra) or try Sphinx Pose.
- Hands hovering (no-hands Cobra)
- Full Cobra with straighter arms
- Blanket under hips
In a sequence
Where it fits in a flow
BeforeSphinx Pose
This poseCobra Pose
AfterChild’s Pose
AfterLocust Pose
AfterUpward-Facing Dog
Good to know
Questions
Cobra vs Upward Dog — what’s the difference?
In Cobra the hips and legs stay on the floor and elbows bend; in Upward Dog the arms straighten and thighs lift.
How long should I hold Cobra Pose?
Three to five breaths, repeated two or three times, is plenty. Short, repeated holds are kinder to the back than one long one.
Does Cobra Pose increase height or reduce belly fat?
No. It can help you stand taller by strengthening the back and opening the chest, but it does not change your height or burn fat from the belly.
Cobra or Sphinx: which should I do?
Sphinx, on the forearms, is gentler and good for beginners or sensitive backs. Cobra asks for more back strength and spinal extension.
Can I do Cobra Pose in pregnancy?
Lying on the belly is not advised as pregnancy progresses. Cat–Cow on hands and knees is a common alternative.
Listed in the Gheranda Samhita among the 32 essential asanas.
What helps
Props that make this easier
- Non-slip yoga mat A 4–6 mm mat with good grip makes standing poses steadier. View on Amazon
- Cork yoga block Brings the floor closer in forward folds and supported poses. View on Amazon
- Cotton yoga strap Extends your reach in hamstring and shoulder stretches. View on Amazon
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More backbend poses
All backbend poses
Wheel Pose
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Cat–Cow
Marjaryasana–Bitilasana
Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana