Bhujangasana (cobra pose) is a form of yoga designed to open up the heart chakra. The benefits of Bhujangasana include increased strength in the muscles of the arms, chest, shoulders, and back.
Benefits of Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
For years cobra pose benefits increases the flexibility and strength of the muscles of the arms, chest, shoulders, and back. Bhujangasana is good for improving back pain, it opens the chest, increases lung capacity, supports digestion, and stimulates the kidneys and the adrenals.
This gentle backbend is believed to ignite a burning digestive fire, releasing blocked or dormant energy.
There are 3 forms or variation of bhujangasana – Cobra Pose 1, Cobra Pose 2, and Cobra Pose 3. Cobra Pose 1 is also known as the sphinx, and a deeper Cobra Pose 2 flows into Upward-facing Dog.
Introduction to Bhujangasana: The Yoga Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana is the Sanskrit word that consists of bhujanga, meaning “serpent” and asana, or “posture”. Through serpent posture, or cobra posture, we are strengthening and opening up the chest and back.
Given humans are an energy of mind and body connection made of 7 chakras, when those chakra points are in balance, the body functions as full capacity and energy flows freely. There are certain things we can do to align those chakra points in the body, like shiatsu massage, eating chakra foods, and yoga poses. It's the recipe for overall well-being! It is also important to drink water when exercising and performing yoga poses to flush out toxins.
Yoga poses help by releasing stress and energy that is bottled up, or “stuck”, so the body can cleanse and come into functional wellness and health.
Functional Wellness
Functional wellness is defined as a centered balance between internal (our response and reactions to stress, illness, medication, environment, and cultural or personal behaviors) and external factors such as (learning, adapting, managing emotional and environmental health). These factors affect health and wellness, where a change must occur to find balance again. [source]
Per Wikipedia, Functional medicine is the “root causes” of diseases based on interactions between the environment and the gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems to develop individualized treatment plans.
Cobra 1, Cobra 2, Cobra 3
Cobra Pose 1: Salamba bhujangasana, or sphinx – Cobra 1 is a less strenuous pose and focuses on the upper back and is easier to do than Cobra 1. It is performed on the forearms against the floor, and raising your chest and head.
Cobra Pose 2: Bhujangasana, adapted to Upward-facing Dog – Cobra 2 works on flexibility in the lower back, and engages more of the lower back muscles. It takes the first Cobra yoga pose a bit farther. This is also performed on the floor, with the chest and head raised using the arms, then the torso slowly lowers and lifts again with each inhale and exhale.
Cobra Pose 3: Classic bhujangasana – This form of the pose does not ask you to place your hands on the floor. It focuses on opening up the lower and upper back. In yoga classes and fitness workouts I have taken with professional instructors, I hear it similar to the “superman”, where you lay on your belly with arms overhead and lift the arms and legs at the same time like you are flying like superman. Only this version you sweep your arms back as you lower your torso and head to the floor.
Injury & Cautions
Please always consult with a doctor before exercise, or trying yoga poses, especially if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, any eye condition, back injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, headache, or pregnancy. There are also therapists that specialize in balancing the body through other methods such as massage, acupuncture, acupressure, reiki and shiatsu.
12 Cobra pose benefits
- Helps relieve stress
- Relieves fatigue and energizes the body
- Strengthens the back and spine
- Strengthens and opens up the chest, lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
- Improves and stimulates digestion
- Eases back pain
- Tones the buttocks
- Soothes sciatica
- Beneficial for asthma
- Improves male and female reproductive system
- Balances adrenals
- Increases circulation in the blood
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Resources – I am not a yoga instructor, but this article is written based sources linked, on my knowledge from the below resources, and yoga classes I have taken myself.
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