Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana is one of the most important Yoga poses. It is also referred to as the 'Cobra Pose'. The asana concentrates on strengthening the back and arms, by stretching the spine. A backward bending asana, it is beneficial for the chest and the heart, apart from having many physical and psychological benefits on the health. On the completion of the asana, the person doing it appears like a hooded cobra, with a raised trunk, neck and head. Read on to get complete information on the technique to do Bhujangasana, its health benefits and the people who should not attempt to do this asana.

How To Do Cobra Yoga Pose

• To start the pose, lie down on your stomach, on a flat surface, say, floor. Make sure you relax all the muscles completely. Rest your forehead on the floor.
• Now, put your legs together and position your arms below the corresponding sides of your shoulder, close to your body. The hands should be placed beside your chest.
• Now, start inhaling slowly. Keep inhaling and then raise your upper body (trunk), including your chest and head, to the maximum extent possible. Raise your trunk slowly, without creating any jerk. Do this just as a cobra raises its hood.
• By doing the above step, you will gradually feel the bending of the vertebrae one by one and feel the pressure traveling downwards from the cervical, dorsal and lumbar regions and lastly to the sacral regions.
• While doing this, your head and chest should be positioned upwards.
• In order to attain the full form of Bhujangasana, known as Poorna Bhujangasana, raise your legs, bent at the knees, backwards and try to touch the toes to the back of your head.
• In order to release the posture, get back to the original position, by exhaling slowly and bringing down your trunk smoothly down to the floor.
• You may repeat the exercise for five times.
• For the beginners, taking the help of their arms to raise the upper body is beneficial.

• Relieves muscular tensions
• Stimulates the endocrine system
• Strengthens and increases the flexibility of spine
• Tones up superficial muscles of the back
• Relieves pain in the back
• Strengthens the abdominal muscles
• Effective in curing constipation
• Tones up the abdominal viscera
• Gives good appetite
• Effective for women in toning up their ovaries and uterus
• A natural remedy for amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, leucorrhoea and various other utero-ovarine troubles

• Bhujangasana is strictly not recommended for pregnant women.
• People suffering from hernia, intestinal tuberculosis or hyperthyroidism should not perform this asana.
• People suffering from peptic ulcers should avoid doing Bhujangasana.