This variation of cobra pose (Bhujangasana) focuses on stretching the chest, arms and shoulders. It has the added benefit of taking pressure off your wrists and creating a much smaller backbend which can be gentler on the spine.
How to do it:
- Start on your belly with your legs and feet about hip-width apart.
- Stretch your arms out in front of you on the floor.
- Flex your wrists down and place your finger-tips on the floor.
- Tighten your leg muscles (try squeezing your buttocks or pushing the top of your feet down into the floor).
- Keep looking at the floor so the back of your neck is long – avoid tension or strain in your neck.
- Then press down into your finger tips and gently press your armpits down or try tightening your armpits. This will create a slight lift in your chest – and you should feel a stretch through your chest, shoulders, and upper back.
- Then relax and release your body back to the floor.
Even though this is a mild backbend, it is still a backbend and it will feel good to counter the movement in your spine by rounding or bending forward simply in child’s pose.
This variation of cobra was inspired by the Yoga Synergy style. For another variation to take the pressure off your wrists, but keep the backbend see how to do sphinx pose.
Cobra pose variation takes the pressure off your wrists and changes the stretch
