Backbend Cobra Pose

Doing the Backbend cobra pose with the help of a partner makes it easier for you to learn this rather difficult pose. This pose aims at strengthening your spine and nourishing the muscles of your back, by improving the circulation of blood around your back. It also helps in nourishing your shoulders, neck, triceps, and biceps.

This pose helps you to build immunity against spine and lower back related ailments like sciatica and slipped disc. But those who already suffer from these ailments should first consult with their physician and only then proceed to do this pose.

You start doing this pose by being on all fours and then lying down on your stomach. Your feet are placed so that your foot soles face upwards and your toes point away from you with your toenails touching the mat.

Place your arms alongside your body. Ask you partner to hold your wrists, and you too may hold on to your partner’s wrists for a better grip. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, your partner can tug at your arms, to help you to lift your chest up. Your partner can walk her feet towards your hips and in the process also pull your arms along. This helps you to lift your hips further up. Your partner lengthens her arms and rolls her shoulders behind to increase the stretch.

As your partner pulls your arms behind, you come into a chest and heart opening pose. Curve your neck and hold your face up. This move also stretches your spine. Your partner too comes into a chest and heart opening pose. Hold at this position for some time and then ask your partner to lower your chest to the mat. You may inhale, as your partner lowers your chest to the mat.

Pause for some time, after which you may repeat the above process for between three and five times, or as long as you are comfortable. You can co-ordinate the inhalation and exhalation with the physical movements, in a way that works out best for you. The advantage of doing this pose with a partner is that you can leverage on your partner’s ability to pull your chest up. If you are doing it alone, you can only lift your chest on your upper arms and there is a limitation to the height to which you can raise your chest this way. Herein lies the advantage of partner yoga.

Sources:

Partner Yoga Guide : Bhujangasana with Backbend Cobra Pose in Partner Yoga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ-13z-RPEw

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

http://www.myyogaonline.com/poses/back-bends/bhujangasana-cobra-pose

Bhujangasana: The Cobra Pose

http://www.yoga.com/ydc/enlighten/enlighten_document.asp?ID=501&section=9&cat=149

Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

http://www.ihanuman.com/journal/bhujangasana-cobra-pose/