Cobra Stretch

oec:cobra-stretch

A prone bodyweight stretch that gently extends the spine to open the chest, abdominals, and anterior hip capsule.

Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.

Also called: Cobra Pose, Bhujangasana, Prone Cobra Stretch

How to do it

Lie face down on the floor or mat with your legs extended straight behind you, tops of your feet flat on the ground.
Place your palms flat on the floor directly beneath your shoulders, hugging your elbows close to your torso.

Press the tops of your feet, thighs, and pelvis firmly into the floor.
Inhale and gently press into your palms to lift your chest off the floor, distributing the curve evenly through your upper back.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows and draw your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears.
Hold the position comfortably for the designated duration while breathing smoothly.
Slowly lower your chest and torso back down to the floor to release.

Inhale as you lift your chest into the extension, and maintain smooth, slow diaphragmatic breaths throughout the hold.

Lifting the pelvis and thighs off the floor, turning the stretch into an upward dog.: Anchor the hip bones and tops of the feet firmly onto the mat throughout the hold.
Shrugging the shoulders upward toward the ears.: Actively depress your scapulae, drawing your shoulder blades down toward your back pockets.
Excessively hyperextending the lumbar spine or jamming the lower back.: Focus on lifting and opening the sternum upward, distributing extension evenly across the thoracic spine.

Avoid forcing backward extension if experiencing sharp pain or numbness in the lower back.

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.