Cobra pose is common to just about any yoga class. Often people focus on using their arms to press their chest away from the floor and fold backwards.
But there are so many more muscles involved as you can see in this diagram from Amy Matthews.
Two areas that we often forget to use in this pose are the legs and the muscles of the back. Amy gives a detailed muscular explanation for the muscle action that should be happening. But how do you feel it in your body? Try these two tips.
First, focus on your legs (you’ll need a small ball, like a football or a rolled up towel):
- Lie on your belly. Forehead rests on the floor. Palms along side your ribcage on the floor with the fingers spread. Press firmly into the hands.
- Put the ball or rolled towel between your thighs. Before you move, squeeze the ball. Keep squeezing the ball as you press your hands into the floor and lift your chest. Squeezing the ball should cause you to use the muscles in your thighs and buttocks and you should feel your pelvis push down into the floor. Your feet can still be apart.
- Notice the difference in how your lower back feels.
Second, focus on your arms, shoulders and upper back:
- Again from lying on the floor, before you move, try to squeeze your armpits down. Keep squeezing your armpits but don’t let your shoulders creep up around your ears.
- Keep that action, and then press your palms forward. Don’t actually let your hands move, just try pushing them forward and see if your chest rises.
- Again notice the feeling in your lower and upper back.
The muscles of cobra pose and backbends
