Cobra Pose – Yoga Diary
- Start on your stomach with your feet hip-width apart and hands next to your ribs.
- Extend your big toes straight back and press down with all ten toenails to activate your quadriceps.
- Rotate your inner thighs toward the ceiling (to widen your lower back) while tightening your outer ankles at your midline (to prevent your feet from curling).
- Press down lightly with your hands and lift your head and chest as you roll your shoulders back and down.
- Keep your neck long and focus on lifting your sternum instead of lifting your chin.
- Move slowly and carefully as your arms extend.
- Be sure to pull your chest forward and curl your thoracic spine instead of pushing on your lower back – this is an important difference as your pelvis stays on the floor.
- Move the bottom of your shoulder blades in and up to open your chest from behind.
- Extend your arms just enough so that your shoulders are away from your ears.
- Keep at least a slight bend in your elbows to increase the pull from your lower back into your upper back.
- Look up just enough that the curve of your neck is a continuation of the curve already noted in your upper back.
- Hold for 5-10 breaths, then let them fall back onto the mat.
