How to do a Cobra Yoga Pose

Video Transcript

"GINA KENNEDY: Bhujangasana, or cobra pose, can be a difficult pose for someone who has a tight lower back, or maybe even has some problems in the low back area and experiences low back pain. So we're going to demonstrate with Faith how to come in to Bhujangasana in a safe way. And hopefully, can help eliminate some of that pain, and we're going to use a bolster, you can use a block for this but it's just a little bit more comfortable to use a bolster. So, if you have some couch pillows or something, you might try using those. We're just going to have Faith come forward, and she's going to place her hips right--yeah--to the bolster. Good. She's going to extend out and place her toenails on the ground. Good. Her hands are going to be next to her body, close into her ribs, and she's going to inhale. She's going to lengthen out as much as she can through her torso, out through the crown of her head, and then lift up, opening up through her heart. Good. She wants to make sure she internally rotates her thighs and doesn't squeeze her butt, because when you squeeze your butt, what that does is compresses your sacrum, and this is where you can get some of the low back pain. So, by using a bolster for Bhujangasana, or cobra pose, it's a really safe way to come in to the pose, and you can practice it even if you have low back pain."