How To Do Bhujangasana-Steps, Benefits And Precautions

Meaning of Cobra pose-Bhujangasana

• Cobra pose is also known as Bhujangasana.
• Bhujangasana is a Sanskrit word.
• Bhujangasana is pronounced as ‘boo-jang-GAHS-anna’.
• Bhuja means ‘arm’ or ‘shoulder’ and Anga means ‘limb’
• Bhujanga means ‘serpent’
• Bhujngasana emulates the mechanism of a cobra. That’s why it is also known as cobra pose.
• In the article, you will get information about easy and simple explanations of doing cobra pose, benefits, precautions, breathing pattern, top facts, muscular movements, etc. in respect of Bhujangasana. 

What is a cobra pose-Bhujangasana?

• Cobra pose is one of the important prone yoga poses.
• It is called the cobra pose because of its resemblance and providing extra flexibility to the body just like the cobra.
• It works upon nerves, the spine, and especially the back muscles in a very effective way. Therefore, it is called a boon for those who have back problems.
• The pose is helpful in the prevention and management of gynecological disorders, kidney, slipped disc, respiratory problems, diabetes, etc.

Cobra pose introduction

The article is being presented before you after lots of research and discussion with many renowned yoga gurus, yoga teachers, and yoga experts. Besides this, I am also sharing my personal experience after practicing yoga for the last 20 years. You will get here to know what is cobra pose; how to do it; what are its benefits and precautions. The easily explained steps, benefits, precautions, images, and videos of cobra pose will help you to understand the pose technically right thereby extracting maximum benefits of it.

How to do cobra pose step by step

Bhujangasana is a simple and easy yoga pose. Its simpler step-by-step technique has been mentioned below.

• Lie flat on the stomach with the legs straight and toes pointed outward.
• Put your palms below the shoulders; arms should be bent with the elbows facing backward.
• Rest the forehead on the ground, relaxes the body, especially the back.
• Inhale, raise the body up to the navel and try to see the roof by bending your back backward.
• Now, keep the back and legs as relaxed as possible.
• Do inhaling-exhaling slowly and deeply.
• Maintain the pose as long as you can.
• Exhale, and bring your upper body down and come to the original position.
• This is the one round.
• Do 2-3 rounds.

Breathing Awareness and Duration

To get the best possible benefits of Bhujangasana, breathing awareness has to be taken care of. Try to focus on the body movement with the synchronization of the breath. In all these, keep one thing in your mind that the back should be relaxed and stress-free. During raising the upper body part, one should inhale. Slow and deep inhaling-exhaling should be done while holding the pose. Exhale, come to the original position. Initially, one has to maintain it for 10-15 seconds and increase the duration as per your comfort and convenience. The recommended time to maintain the pose is up to 3 minutes.

Muscular movement

It is one of the best yoga poses from a health point of view. It is said that the yoga pose facilitates benefits from head to toes. During the practice of cobra pose, various muscles experience stretching and compressing viz. back, legs, knees, chest, neck, and arms. The abdominal muscles also experience stretching. The joints, which are involved in the cobra pose are Spine extension; sacrum counternutation; hip extension, internal rotation, adduction; knee extension; ankle plantarflexion; scapula neutral (possibly upward rotation); glenohumeral joint external rotation; elbow extension, and forearm pronation.

Cobra pose to practice in different schools of yoga

Bhujangasana has some variations in steps and technique while performing by renowned yoga experts and teachers. These different techniques by different schools of yoga while practicing the cobra pose are given below. 

• Iyengar yoga: In the Iyengar school of yoga, the head is not bent backward, in fact, it is straight upward. The navel is above the surface and the pose looks like exactly a cobra.
• Vinyasa yoga: It is similar to Iyengar yoga.
• Ashtanga yoga: It is similar to the technique mentioned above.
• Baba Ramdev yoga: Baba Ramdev lifts the entire body on its palms and toes.
• Art of living: It is similar to Ashtanga yoga but the head is not so much bend backward.
• Power yoga: Main focus is given on stretching and rigor ness of the posture.
• Hot yoga: It is similar to power yoga but more strenuous in nature.
• Satyananda yoga: It is similar to ashtanga yoga.
• Bikram yoga: It is similar to the technique mentioned above in the article.

10 health benefits of cobra pose-Bhujangasana

Some of the important benefits of Bhujangasana are given below.

1. Weight Loss: The cobra pose can play an effective role for weight loss management by burning the belly fat and extra fats range from head to toes as the pose provides adequate stretching to the entire body. It has the capability to make your stomach flat.
2. Sexual disorders: It is said that all women should perform the cobra pose because it is helpful to many women’s health-related issues. It is beneficial in case of gynecological problems like leucorrhea, dysmenorrhea, syphilis, amenorrhea, etc. It is also good for the health of the ovary and uterus, and for a smooth menstrual cycle.
3. Back pain: It is a panacea for those who are having back pain. The asana has the power to completely eradicate back-related issues. The practicing of the yoga pose provides suitable stretch and increases flexibility to the back muscles and entire vertebral column, thus gives relief from backache, and pains related to the spine and vertebral column.
4. Kidney health: The asana helps the kidneys to purify the blood. The asana compressed the kidney thereby removing stagnant blood. Thus the cobra pose enhances the efficiency of the kidneys.
5. Thyroid disorders: It shows beneficial impacts upon thyroid and parathyroid glands. If the asana is practiced therapeutically, it helps to release thyroxin hormone, which helps to give relief from the symptoms of thyroid problems. Neck pain also gets relief.
6. Chest expansion: The regular use of the asana ensures chest expansion and better exchange of oxygen-carbon dioxide thereby helpful in treating respiratory congestion and asthma-related problems.
7. Sciatic: If the sciatic patients practiced the asana in the presence of a yoga therapist, the condition of sciatic can be solved permanently. It is also good for slipped discs.
8. Pelvic health: It ensures smooth blood flow to the pelvic region thus good for pelvic health.
9. Kundalini activation: The practice of the asana develops better coordination among plexuses, nerves, and muscles thereby stimulate Kundalini.
10. Rheumatism: The cobra pose ensures the secretion of cortisone, which is found to be effective in curing rheumatism.

Cobra pose contraindications

Some of the few precautions/limitations of Bhujangasana are:

• Pregnancy
• Peptic ulcer
• Intestinal tuberculosis
• Hyperthyroidism
• Fracture ribs
• Wrists problems
• Abdominal surgery
• Hernia
• Headache
• Sever back pain
• Migraine
• Shoulder and elbow injury

Beginner’s tip

Initially, one shouldn’t start to perform the pose as mentioned above. In the beginning, stage, raising your head and chest as per your comfortability. Gradually, moves towards the advanced stage considering the flexibility of your back. Before performing the advanced pose, practice the simpler version at least for one month.

Cobras pose sequence

Preparatory pose

• Tadasana
• Stickasana
• Triangle pose
• Shalbhasana

Follow-up / counterpose

• Ardha halasana
• Setu Bandhasana
• Pawanmuktasana

Top 10 facts of cobra pose

Here, we will mention the point to be remembered, tips, and mistakes to be avoided during practicing the yoga pose.

1. Try to keep the navel in contact with the ground; if the navel is raised too high then the bend tends to be at the knees and not the back.
2. Try to keep your facial muscles relaxed
3. The mouth should be closed.
4. If somebody feels a soothing painful sensation in the lower back; it means you doing the asana correctly.
5. The abdomen shouldn’t be off the ground.
6. The hands should be placed beside the shoulder.
7. Hold your head as far back as possible.
8. Don’t push your back to make the arch. Perform the asana with relax body and mind.
9. The feet should be firmly on the ground and the toes should be pointed outward.
10. Patients with slipped disc and sciatica should practice it always under the supervision of yoga experts.

The science behind cobra pose

The adrenal glands on the top of the kidneys receive a good massage thus enhances their efficiency. The hormones produced by these glands balanced our mind and body thus good in relieving tension. Cortisone hormone secreted by the adrenal glands is found helpful in rheumatism. The asana helps to squeeze out stagnant blood thus tones up the nerves and muscles of the back region.

Instructional video of cobra pose

• The video of Cobra pose has been made in a very simple and easy way to help to understand the practitioners.

• It has been developed after the discussion with many yoga experts and teachers.

• Extensive research has also been carried out while making the video.  

• A glimpse of my vast year’s experience can also be seen there.

Modification and variations

• Cobra pose (Saral Hasta Bhujangasana
• Curved hands cobra pose (Vakra Hasta Bhujangasana)
• Ardha Bhujangasana (Half cobra pose)
• Cobra pose with raising palm