#Cobra stretch how to

You'll likely wind up doing cobra pose in yoga classes, particularly during sun salutations-but you can also do it anytime you feel the need to stretch your back and open your chest (like after sitting over your computer for hours). Place the hands directly under the shoulders with palms pressing against the ground.

To enter the pose, lie down on the stomach with legs stretched out behind and the tops of the feet on the ground, with toes pointed. Cobra pose is an essential part of the traditional Surya Namaskar, or sun salutation warm-up series, that can strengthen your abdominal muscles and help align the spine. Cobra pose is a gentle backbend practiced from a face-down position that warms and strengthens the spine while opening the chest.

#Cobra stretch how to

Chiropractor and yoga instructor Emily Kiberd, D.C., notes that, in line with these ancient teachings, many people believe cobra is a good pose for the immune system-it's thought to stimulate the thymus, an organ responsible for the growth of T-cells. How to Do Cobra Pose: 5 Tips for Optimizing Cobra Pose. In traditional yogic texts, cobra pose is said to help destroy disease in the body and even awakens kundalini energy. It may hold some additional health benefits, too. Through engaging the lower body, Cobra works the glutes, too, and can even help with sciatica. This makes it effective for improving posture, plus the heart-opening aspect means it's also great for the heart chakra. As a gentle backbend, cobra pose is great for strengthening and increasing flexibility in the spine, as well as opening up the chest and shoulders. Cobra pose is a yoga pose that strengthens the muscles of the upper back and stretches the chest and abdominals.