Backbend
Cobra Pose
Bhujaṅgāsanaभुजंगासन· boo-jahn-GAH-suh-nuhserpent/cobra posture (bhujaṅga = serpent)
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) is a gentle backbend: lying face down, you lift the chest using the back muscles with the hands lightly supporting. It mobilises the spine, opens the chest and strengthens the back. Keep the lift low and led by the back, not by pushing hard through the arms.
Step by step
- 1
Lie face down
Legs together, tops of the feet down, hands under the shoulders.
- 2
Hug the elbows in
Draw the elbows toward the body and root the pubic bone down.
- 3
Lift the chest
Using the back muscles, peel the chest up; keep the shoulders down.
Breath: Inhale as you lift
- 4
Soften the arms
Keep a bend in the elbows; lead with the heart, not the hands.
- 5
Lower with control
Release the chest down on an exhale and rest.
Breath: Exhale as you lower
Benefits
- Mobilises and strengthens the spine
- Opens the chest and shoulders
- May ease mild back stiffness
- Improves posture
Common mistakes
- Pushing hard through the arms and crunching the low back
- Shrugging the shoulders to the ears
- Throwing the head back and straining the neck
Modifications & variations
- Keep the lift low (Baby Cobra) with hands barely pressing
- Widen the legs slightly
- Forearms down in Sphinx Pose instead
Related poses
Video transcript
Bhujangasana series — hand variations in Bhujangasana. From a prone position, place your hands on the floor just above your head, keeping the feet together. Inhale, lift the head, shoulders and chest up, look up, and keep your elbows straight. Exhale down.
Now move your palms and place them just beneath your ears. Inhale, head up, elbows straight. Exhale down. Move the palms just beneath the shoulders. Inhale, head up, elbows straight, feet together. Exhale down.
Now place your palms on either side of the chest. Inhale, head up, straighten the elbows, look up, keep the feet together. Exhale down. Bring the hands to either side of the waist. Inhale, head up, and lengthen up. Exhale down.
Finally, bring the hands to either side of the chest, lift, and sit back in Child's Pose.
Frequently asked questions
- Should my arms be straight in Cobra Pose?
- No — a gentle bend keeps the lift powered by your back muscles rather than your arms, which protects the lower back. Straight-arm work is Upward Dog, a different, stronger pose.
- Cobra Pose hurts my lower back — why?
- Usually the lift is too high or driven by the arms. Come lower, root the pubic bone and tops of the feet down, lengthen forward as you rise, and let the back muscles do the work.
Keep exploring
References
- Gheranda Samhita 2.42–43 — Bhujaṅgāsana · Classical text — Classical Hatha source describing Cobra Pose.
- B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga — Bhujaṅgāsana · Book — Alignment reference from the Indian Iyengar tradition.