Cobra Pose Defined

What Is Cobra Pose?

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) comes from bhujanga, meaning serpent or snake. Like a cobra lifting its head and spreading its hood, the pose involves lying face-down and lifting the chest using back muscles, with hands providing light support.

Cobra appears in nearly every sun salutation sequence (Surya Namaskar) and serves as an accessible introduction to backbending. Unlike its more intense cousin Upward-Facing Dog, Cobra keeps the legs and pelvis on the floor, making it gentler on the lower back while still opening the chest and strengthening the spine.

The pose is both energizing and therapeutic—counteracting the forward-hunching posture that comes from desk work, driving, and phone use. It asks you to open your heart forward, reversing the protective curling we unconsciously adopt throughout the day.

How to Practice

1. Start prone — Lie face-down with legs together (or hip-width), tops of feet pressing into the mat
2. Place your hands — Position palms flat beside your lower ribs, elbows bent and hugging close to your body
3. Engage your legs — Press the tops of your feet down, firm your thighs, and gently engage your lower belly
4. Lift with your back — On an inhale, use your back muscles (not arm strength) to peel your chest off the floor
5. Keep shoulders down — Draw shoulder blades together and down your back, away from your ears
6. Find your edge — Lift only as high as feels sustainable without straining your lower back
7. Breathe here — Hold for 3-5 breaths, maintaining steady engagement
8. Release slowly — Exhale as you lower your chest back to the floor

Variations

Baby Cobra

Keep the lift very low—just a few inches off the ground. Hands might even hover above the mat. This variation is excellent for beginners, those with lower back sensitivity, or as a warm-up for deeper backbends.

Low Cobra

Lift halfway, keeping elbows bent and close to the body. This is the variation most often used in sun salutations. The pubic bone stays firmly grounded.

Full Cobra

Arms straighten (but don't lock), chest lifts higher. This approaches the intensity of Upward Dog but maintains more back engagement since the legs stay down. Only go here if your lower back is happy.

Benefits

• Spinal flexibility — Increases extension through the thoracic spine (upper back)
• Back strength — Builds the posterior chain muscles that support posture
• Chest opening — Stretches the front body, counteracting hunched postures
• Shoulder mobility — Opens the front of the shoulders while strengthening the upper back
• Energizing — Backbends typically have an invigorating, uplifting effect

Common Misalignments

Cranking the Neck

Keep the back of your neck long. Look forward or slightly up—not at the ceiling. The curve should be evenly distributed through the spine, not jammed into your neck.

Collapsed Shoulders

Lift your shoulders away from your ears and draw the shoulder blades together. This creates space across the collarbones and prevents crunching in the upper back.

Overarching the Lower Back

If you feel pinching in your lower back, you've gone too high. Lower down, engage your core slightly, and lengthen your tailbone toward your heels before lifting again.