How to Complete a Cobra Yoga Pose
Yoga instructor Marissa Rykiss demonstrates the Cobra Pose: a great yoga exercise to work on your back muscles and spine.
Cobra Pose is a yoga position that’s really good for waking up the spine muscles that help us stand upright. This pose is also helpful in opening up the chest and shoulders. Yoga instructor, Marissa Rykiss, shows us how perform this pose properly, to avoid injury and reap the most benefits.
Step 1: Lay on Your Mat
Firstly, lay down on your mat, on your belly, with your legs straight out behind you. Your forehead should be parallel with the mat, and your hands should be on either side of your chest, with palms flat on the mat. Your feet should be either together or hip-width apart, with your toenails pressing deeply into the mat.
Step 2: Inhale
As you inhale, press your palms into the mat, and subsequently, peel your chest off the floor.
Step 3: Exhale
As you exhale, move your shoulders back and down, pressing your feet and hips down to get your chest a little higher. Lift your chest and head higher with each deep breath in and out. At this point, your face should be facing straight ahead, rather than down at the mat.
Step 4: Return to the Mat
Once you are ready to come out of the pose, lower your chest slowly down to the mat as you exhale, look to one side, and relax your arms.