Article by: Megan Stremick
Pose: Cobra
Your on the floor playing with the kids, lying on your belly while they push around the blocks or show you how well they can open and close their favorite pop up book (for the millionth time), so why not do a little something good to strengthen your back and your arms while you’re there. This pose is simple enough in the execution but delivers big results from repeated use.
Cobra Benefits:
Promotes blood circulation and strengthens the spine
Opens the heart and lungs and stimulates the abdominal organs
Tones upper arms and buttocks
Stretches the chest, shoulders and abs
Cobra How To:
- Lie flat on your stomach, top of your feet flat on the mat and your hands at the sides of your chest right next to your front ribs.
- Keep your elbows in the frame of the body (imagine there is a string attached to each elbow holding them in next to your body)
- Push through the hands, lifting the chest, and pressing the pubic bone into the earth.
- Keep a soft bend in your elbows (elbows pointing straight back not out to the sides) and look straight ahead
- Hold here for three deep breaths then push back to child’s pose.
Cobra Caution:
Pregnant women should avoid this pose as well as any women who have serious back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome or suffer from a hernia.
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