Cobra pose yoga and its health benefits

Cobra yoga poses are also known as Bhujangasana. It’s a great pose which stretches the muscles of the entire upper body and can provide relief against various disorders. The word Bhujanganasana means cobra stretch. It even helps to melt your stress instantly. Let’s find the various aspects of the asanas and their benefits for health. Read also: Workouts To Build Up Strength And Stamina

What is the cobra pose in yoga?

Cobra pose is a heart-opening backbend that stretches the entire upper body and can help to provide relief if some person is suffering from back pain along with tightness in the shoulder. Upper body soreness can also be treated. While in cobra pose try to move slowly as fast movements can strain your muscles.

How to do cobra pose

• In order to perform the cobra pose, lie down on your belly.
• Part your feet and legs.
• Point your toes so that top of the feet is on the floor.
• Now bend your elbows and place down hands on the floor. The position should be close to the ribs by stacking the wrist and elbow.
• Inhale down and move your chest away from the floor, by lifting your spine up.

Variations of cobra pose

There are 3 to 4 types of cobra poses that could be practiced. The reason for choosing different variations is to involve different muscles of the body so that better performance is achieved.

• Teaching cobra pose
• Cobra with support under hips
• Low cobra
• Full cobra

Benefits of Cobra Variations

• Cobra pose variations help to strengthen and stretch the body. it helps to tone the lower back and glutes.
• The backends add flexibility and the deeper cobra pose helps to form the base of the cobra pose.
• Cobra poses help to focus on concentration and provides a relaxed mind.
• The alignment and posture can be greatly corrected by cobra variations.
• Different cobra variations help to energize and destress the body.
• Muscles of the body relaxes on practice with different cobra variations.
• It even helps to clear digestive issues along with flatulence and constipation.

Cobra pose health benefits

Cobra pose is performed along with a series of yoga asanas so it’s not considered a a single exercise in itself. Here are the following benefits which count as benefits of yoga but do not point out yoga pose separately.

1. It may help in reducing symptoms of depression

A study performed in 2017 showed that people who were experiencing mild to moderate depression symptoms showed Signiant improvement after practicing yoga. In this yoga weekly, the cobra pose was performed twice a week. Since yoga pose lengthening is involved much it has been associated with the feeling of upliftment and elevation.

2.May relieve lower back pain

According to 2020, many numerous studies showed results that on practicing yoga significant improvement was found in lower back pain. Studies also showed that in yoga, the cobra pose was practiced over 12 weeks which helped to overcome lower back pain and anxiety. Cobra pose is an cost-effective alternative to physical or pharmacotherapy.

3. May improve self-esteem

Many people have practiced yoga in order to reduce stress, but there is a significant improvement in improving self-esteem as well. According to the 2020 study, yoga has been particularly helpful in adolescents and young children as they are experiencing high levels of depression and loneliness.

4. May reduce inflammation

Inflammation is a common by-product of chronic health conditions such as cancer and arthritic disorders.In a 2014 study where 200 breast cancer patients showed significant improvement after attending 90 minutes of yoga. This yoga pose included the cobra pose twice in 12 weeks.

5. May improve sleep

According to numerous studies people experience improvement in sleep quality after performing yoga poses on a daily basis. In 2014 study 18 weeks of practicing yoga which included yoga poses helped menopausal women in experiencing better sleep quality.

6. May improve posture.

Posture suffers badly as we often look down to use gadgets or sit for a long time to work. Regular practicing of spinal extension poses like the cobra pose will help to overcome posture problems such as spinal head posture.

Cobra pose and calorie burn

Since the cobra pose stretches chest muscles and strengthens the spine and shoulders, more calories can be lost every week as it forms a connection between the body and yoga. In this style of yoga poses have to be held for a longer duration that burns calories per minute. It also engages major muscle groups of the body which engages the abs shoulders and glutes. Read more: Best Stair Exercises for Weight Loss

Is cobra pose safe during pregnancy

Cobra pose helps to strengthen the spine and provides relief and free from stress. The reason to avoid this posture during pregnancy is a person needs to lie on stomach with legs stretched back. Also hands are kept under shoulders with face upwards. This pose puts a pressure on abdomen which is not good for foetus. When belly is compressed it potentially decreases the blood circulation or can compress blood vessels and nerves that connect to uterus. So definitely it should be avoided in pregnancy.

Can cobra pose causes back pain?

Although cobra pose is known to stretch the spine and chest throughout the day. But it can also cause back pain if the posture is not practiced correctly in itself. The cobra pose is a back-bending pose and its actually known for keeping back healthy. In fact it was a relief for people who were actually prone to back pain. On wrong  practice negative sides can be seen.

Can cobra pose increases height?

According to yoga experts there are 5 asanas which upon practice can help to increase height. Among all of them cobra pose is one. The result can be noticed within a period of 3 months. Its one of the most famous yoga pose which works on abs, upper back and lower back muscles. It helps to cut the bad fat around stomach too. Its even great for increasing height as well as stretching is involved in it.

Striking yoga cobra pose

Striking cobra yoga pose is a pose which involves two yoga poses. One is Balasana Child pose in which arm is stretched and other is Bhujangasana. Its considered as warm up yoga pose which prepares the body for intense pose. It also helps to boost blood flow. This pose helps to focus on back and digestion. The muscles which are involved in this yoga  pose are arms and shoulders, lower back, upper back, biceps and triceps, glutes, chest and knees.