Cobra pose

3 × 20-30s  ·  Equipment: No equipment, Mat

Muscle groups: Back · Legs & glutes

How to do cobra pose

1. Lie face down with your palms on the floor at chest height and elbows tucked to your body.
2. Extend your legs and squeeze your glutes and abs to protect your lower back.
3. Inhale and lift your chest off the floor pushing gently with your hands, keeping your pelvis down.
4. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and gaze slightly forward.
5. Hold for 20-30 seconds breathing, then lower with control as you exhale.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not overextend your lower back: only lift as high as you can while keeping your pelvis down and abs engaged.
• Do not shrug your shoulders toward your ears; keep them low and down.
• Stop if you feel pinching or excessive pressure in your lower back.
• Do not force the neck backward; lengthen your spine from head to tailbone.

Progression

• This is a mobility and control exercise: increase the hold time by about 5 seconds each week.
• Once you master the cobra, move your hands back and progress to Upward-Facing Dog for more extension.
• Keep improving by deepening the thoracic extension without stressing the lower back and controlling the slow lowering.