COBRA POSE IN YOGA

Articles In This Section:

· BASICS OF ASANAS

· SETTING A TIME FOR YOGA

· %DEATH POSE IN YOGA

· RAISED LEGS POSTURE IN YOGA

· SIMPLE POSE IN YOGA

· PERFECT POSE IN YOGA

· BUDDHA POSE IN YOGA

· DIFFICULT POSTURES IN YOGA

· REVERSE POSTURE IN YOGA

· SUPINE POSE IN YOGA

· SHOULDER STAND IN YOGA

· ENTIRE BODY STRETCH IN YOGA

· STANDING POSITION IN YOGA

· STOMACH LIFT IN YOGA

· ABDOMINAL EXERCISE IN YOGA

· ARDJA-MATSYENDRASANA POSE IN YOGA

· TWISTING POSTURE POSE IN YOGA

· BOIV POSTURE IN YOGA

· COBRA POSE IN YOGA

· POSTERIOR STRETCH IN YOGA

· PLOUGH POSE IN YOGA

· HALASANA POSE IN YOGA

· HEADSTAND FOR YOGA GETTING READY

· NEXT STEP IN THE HEADSTAND POSE FOR YOGA

· HEADSTAND POSE FOR YOGA

· FINAL STEP FOR THE HEADSTAND POSE IN YOGA

At first you may find it a help to widen the space between the knees for the second part of this exercise. You may not be able to achieve elevation at first. Continue to lift as far as you can without jerking, hold this position for five seconds, relax and rest. It will help the lift if you push the knees out. Gradually you will gain elasticity. Once you have managed to raise the chest and thighs, try to reduce the space between the knees and deepen your stretch.

Therapeutic Value: The Bow Posture, together with the Cobra Pose which follows, are the two most important exercises for backward stretch of the spine. Meanwhile the abdominal region is stretched and exercised and the entire sympathetic nervous system stimulated. This results not only in physical well-being and longevity, but improved emotional and nervous control.

19. Bhujangasana, or Cobra Pose:

Method: Lie face down on the mat, forehead touching the ground, with arms bent so that the elbows point upward and the

palms rest on the ground just below the shoulders. Stretch the legs well out, keeping them stiff and straight, with the soles pointing upward. Do not allow the knees to slacken or bend. Now raise the head slowly, as high as possible, jutting the chin forward, feeling the stretch. Lift chest and torso off the ground, pressing down on the hands but letting the contraction of the back take most of the strain. Feel pressure traveling down the spine all the way to the sacral region. Make sure your body from the navel to the toes rests on the floor. When you are finally upright, like a cobra poised to strike, retain the pose for as long as possible without feeling undue strain. Increase the time gradually from a few seconds to a full minute. Then slowly return to the face-down position. Relax and rest.