How to Do Cow's Face Pose with a Strap

If you are already an intermediate-level practitioner of yoga, you have developed some flexibility in the upper back, hips, and hamstrings all of this will serve you will in an advanced pose, Gomukhasana, or Cow’s Face Pose. It requires that your shoulder joints are flexible and that your hip flexors are not tight. If you are a beginner, you can still benefit from the preparation work for this pose. In every case, remain sensitive to how your neck, shoulder and hip joints feel to not go past your range.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• yoga mat
• yoga strap

How to Do Cow's Face Pose with a Strap in Yoga

1. Start by standing with your feet wide apart, holding a yoga strap between your hands, the yoga strap in front of you. Check to make sure that the outer edges of your feet are parallel to the sidelines of your mat to bring your hip joints into a neutral rotation. Next bring your arms wide apart, keeping tension in the yoga strap, lift it over head and behind you. Allow your arms to turn evenly in the shoulder joints. Repeat 5 to 7 times.

2. Now bring your mat to the wall and lie down on it with both feet flat on the wall, hips-width distance apart. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh and flex the foot. Place your hands on your belly and allow the back of the right hip to feel “heavy.” You are opening the right hip join and the hamstring muscles behind the right thigh. Remain for 5 to 8 breaths. Repeat to the second side.

3. Return to the center of your mat and sit in an easier variation of Cow’s Face Pose: Sukhasana, or a comfortable, cross-legged seated position. Flex the feet so that the outer edges of your feet press into the mat, not your outer ankles. Drape your yoga strap over the right shoulder and lift your right arm straight in front of you, bending the elbow.

4. Using your left hand, lift your right elbow and see if you can place your right hand on your back. If you can, grasp the yoga strap with the right hand. Bring your left arm around behind you and grasp the bottom end of the yoga strap. Tug the strap down slightly and remain for 5 to 8 breaths.

5. Work in Cow’s Face Pose by lifting the chest, widening the collarbones and drawing both shoulder blades down towards the waist. Don’t puff the chest forward but instead draw the front ribs in towards the waist. Release and repeat the second side. After remaining in the pose for 5 to 8 breaths on the second side, rest completely by returning to Sukhasana, a comfortable, cross-legged, seated position.

Tips & Warnings

• Cow's Face Pose, Gomukhasana Pose in Ashtanga Yoga
• If you have neck, low back, shoulder or hip joint injuries, work with an experienced yoga teacher with training in injury management.

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