Bhujangasana or Cobra pose is best Yogasana for asthma treatment, strengthens spine, back, chest, blood circulation, increase quality sperm count.

It helps in increasing height, provides flexibility to spinal cord.

Bhujangasana soothes Sciatica, Asthma, Cervical spondylosis, high blood pressure etc.

How to do Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose correctly for best results

• Also known as: Serpant Pose
• Targets: Spine, chest
• Type : sitting

Definition

Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose is a gentle leaning back-bending pose that warms and strengthens the spine and opens the chest.

This pose is mentioned in Hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise.

It is the Eighth pose of the Twelve poses of Surya namaskar (Sun Salutation). It is also a sequence of Padma Asana.

Etymology and origins

Etymology

bhujanga : cobra or snake
asana : pose or posture or seat
This term is coined for its resemblance to a cobra with its hood raised.

Origins

The term “bhujangasana” comes from the Sanskrit language.

This asana is explained in the 17th century Hatha yoga text Gheranda Samhita 2.42-43.

This pose is named Sarpasana in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi.

“Sarp” means “snake” or “serpant”;
“asana” means “pose”

Thats why it is sometimes also known as Serpent Pose.

Even visually Bhujangasana resembles a serpent with its hood raised, and hence it is also known as ‘Cobra Pose’ or ‘Serpant Pose’.

Preparation for Cobra Pose/Bhujangasana

Do yoga on an empty stomach and empty bladder.

Yoga Experts and Yoga Gurus suggests, early morning is preferable time to do Yoga poses.

Since you are on empty stomach, intestine and bladder, it is easy to perform the poses comfortably.

In case you are unable to do it in morning due to some unavoidable reasons, you can do it in evening also, provided you have not taken food for atleast 4 hours earlier.

Preparatory Pose or Purva asna

• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
• Hasta Uthanasana
• Tiryaka Bhujangasana
• Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

How to do Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana correctly

Step-by-Step instructions to practice Cobra Pose

The procedure to do Bhujanagasana is very simple.
Follow the steps below without applying any jerk and stretch as much as you can in the Bhuajangasana.

Step 1.

• Rest yourself flat on the floor on your tummy (stomach).
• Keep your forehead resting on the ground.
• Outstretch your legs, with the backs of legs resting on the ground.
• Place your palms downwards under your shoulders, keeping your elbows parallel and close to your torso.

Step 2.

Press the tops of the feet and thighs firmly into the floor. Ensure that your legs are still close together.

Step 3.

• Inhale and press your palms into the floor and slowly lift your head, chest and abdomen while keeping your navel on the floor.
• Lift up only as much as till your navel and pelvis maintain a connection to the floor.
• Gently squeeze and firm your buttocks even as you keep pushing your navel center downwards.

BONUS TIP :

• If possible, straighten your arms by arching your back as much as possible.
• Tilt your head back and gaze up or a little backward, behind your head.

Step 4.

• Be strong with your shoulder blades as you engage them to open up your chest forward.
• Make sure that you are distributing the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.

Step 5.

• Keep smiling and breathing. SMILING COBRA!
• Hold the pose anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds, breathing comfortably.
• Release back to the floor with an exhalation.
• With regular practice, you can increase it to 1 to 3 minutes.

Step 6.

• With exhalation, gently bring your abdomen, chest and head back to the floor.

Post Pose or paschat asana

• Post bhujangasana pose

Modifications and Variations of bhujangasana

(a). Sphinx pose or Salamba Bhujangasana

In this pose, the forearms rest on the ground, giving a gentle backbend. This pose is used in Yin Yoga Pose.

(b). Bheka Bhujangasana

In this pose, the legs are bent at the knee but crossed beneath the thighs. This pose gives more stretch and intensifies the backbend.

Advanced Yoga practitioners may fold the legs into Padmasana.

The pose can be modified by placing a blanket under the pelvis, so that any pregnant woman could perform it easily.

Health Benefits of Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Health benefits of Cobra Pose

Below mentioned are the benefits of Cobra Pose :-

1. Strengthens the entire back, spine and shoulders
2. Improves flexibility of the upper and middle back.
3. Opens up chest and neck, heart, lungs, shoulders, abdomen
4. Tones the buttocks
5. Stimulates abdominal organs
6. Helps reduce stress and fatigue
7. Soothes sciatica
8. Therapeutic for asthma
9. The male and female reproductive system improves
10. Irregular menstrual cycle problems are rectified too
11. Improves blood circulation that gives your face, a radiant look
12. Cobra Pose improves vision and optic nerves.

Also Read : How to do Seated Forward Bend-Paschimottanasana correctly for lower body benefits

Effect on Chakras

Bhujangasana works on awakening following Chakras:-

• anahata chakra.
• swadishtana chakra
• vihuddha chakra.
• manipura chakra

Effect on Tissue formation (theory of tissue formation or Dhatu siddhanta)

Effect of bhujangasana on Dhatus:-

1. provides strength to the mamsa dhatus : it tones up our muscles especially those of abdomen and butt.
2. provides strength to the asthi dhatu : bhujangasan give strength to the bone and vertebrates.
3. remove excess meda : it helps in removing excess fat deposited in the body that reduces weight. It enhances the metabolism process and flush out the impurity from our body in the form of sweat and excreta.

Effect on Tridoshas

Effect of bhujangasana on Tridoshas (vatta, pitta, kapha)

1. stimulates the dosha subtype in chest, enhances the functionng of heart; stimultes Anahata chakra that fine tunes the respiratory and circulatory organs.
2. stimulates the pachaka pitta and samana vayu, it enhances digestion; it leads to the activation of manipur chakra related to digestive functions and flushes out toxins from body.
3. stimulates the apana vayu, Cobra Pose stimulates urinary and reproductive organs.

Safety and Precautions while doing Cobra Pose :-

Who should not do Cobra Pose?

Patients suffering from following conditions should avoid doing Cobra Pose:-

• Headache
• Back injury
• Pregnancy
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Hernia
• Abdominal Surgeries
• Fracture of Ribs and Wrists

Conclusion

Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose is useful for a healthy spinal cord. Practice this pose to make your spinal region strong & agile.

This posture can tone your body and the spinal nerves.

Cobra Pose improves digestion, kidney and liver functions as well.

Bhujangasana is an excellent asana or pose to strenghthen and increase flexibility of your lower back and spine.

This pose a “panacea for an injured spine” and it undo “slight displacement of spinal discs”

Challenge

Lets intensify this Pose for better results
This challenge applies, if you have flexible armpits and chest. If you have flexibility, you can turn Bhujangasana into a deeper back bend.

For this, take your hands a little ahead to straighten your elbows, turning the arms outward.

Now, lift up your head straight toward the ceiling.

From here, if you are comfortable, you can bend your head a little more backward.

It requires expertise or practicing under the supervision of a Yoga Expert or Yoga Guru.