Cobra posture in yoga: benefit and harm

Bhujangasana, or cobra posture, is classical in yoga and is mentioned in ancient texts as asana, which Mahatma Gandhi himself admired. The fourth most important posture has not only positive features, but also negative ones. The article will tell in detail about the usefulness and harm of the cobra posture in yoga, and also introduce the asanas that should be performed after it.

Benefit

Bhujangasana has a really strong curative effect on the human body, in particular, on the kidneys. The cobra posture in yoga activates the work of the endocrine glands, strengthens the abdominal muscles, increases the lung volume, stimulates the parathyroid and thyroid glands, and also activates the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, this exercise charges the body with energy, develops inner strength, ingenuity and a sense of self-confidence. Cobra posture in yoga is especially beneficial for people suffering from scoliosis, kidney stones, all kinds of kidney diseases, and also adrenal glands.

Asana restores the position of the spinal disc, if it falls, and also eliminates the pain in the back. The cobra posture in yoga for straightening the spine fits perfectly. A clamped and not quite flexible spine puts an obstacle on the way of passage of nerve impulses from the brain to the body, and when the back arches the person feels the blood supply and stimulation of the nerve endings, which has a positive effect on the functioning of the organism. In yoga, the spine is given a lot of attention, because exactly on it everything keeps.

The cobra posture in yoga is useful for women in that it significantly improves the condition of the uterus and ovaries, eliminates menstrual disorders and other gynecological problems.

Bhujangasana stimulates appetite, has a beneficial effect on the digestive organs and eliminates constipation. When it is performed, the liver and kidneys undergo a good massage, which improves their performance.

If you look at the asana from the point of view of the pranic body, then its fulfillment has a very strong beneficial effect on absolutely all organs that have some connection with the energy centers of the body (Anahata, Svadhisthana, Vishuddhi chakra, and also Manipura).

Cobra posture in yoga: contraindications

Despite many positive features, asana can harm human health. The cobra posture in yoga has the following contraindications:

• Peptic ulcer;
• Hyperthyroidism;
• hernia;
• Intestinal tuberculosis.

If you have at least one disease, you can perform asana only under the guidance of a doctor. In addition to these points, it should also be noted contraindications, in which the posture of cobra in yoga for the spine is categorically forbidden:

• Infringement of disks;
• Acute stage of sciatica;
• Displacement of vertebrae;
• pregnancy;
• Acute conditions of the organs of the abdominal region.

Technique of execution

Asana is performed quite simply, because it does not need to have a smart stretch or have strong muscles. Having looked at the photo of the cobra posture in yoga, which are provided in the article, almost everyone will be able to perform it from the first time. But still, in order to protect yourself from injuries, beginners should do it according to the instructions:

1. Lying on the floor face down, you should stretch your legs, while pressing your feet to each other and straining your knees. The hands should be located on both sides of the chest with their fingers forward.
2. After exhaling and palms resting on the floor, you need to smoothly lift the body until the pubis touches the floor. In this case, it is necessary to distribute the body weight evenly, so that it falls on both feet and palms.
3. Cut the buttocks, and pressing the legs to each other, you need to pull the chest forward and upwards simultaneously, pulling the shoulders back and down. In this position, it is recommended to stay for 20-30 seconds, then bend your arms in the elbows and just as smoothly fall into the starting position. Asana should be repeated about 2-3 times.

It is important to remember that when the trunk is raised, the pubic bone should remain on the floor all the time, and the navel should be raised about 3 centimeters. If you raise the navel higher, then the back will not bend, but your knees. Having arched your back, hands do not have to be completely straightened, because it depends on the flexibility of the back.

End position

Bhujangasan's posture has two variants of the final position:

1. Having bent your back, you can stay in the final position exactly as far as it allows to make a feeling of comfort.
2. For the more active, you can take advantage of a dynamic option: reaching the end position, you need to hold your breath for a few seconds, then lower it to the floor and repeat the asana several times.

Being in the final position, you should pay attention to the shoulders - they should not be raised. Asana will be properly performed only if the shoulders are lowered and turned back, and the chest is raised and straightened.

Leaving the pose

Having made an exhalation, it is necessary to slowly lower the head along the line forward-downwards, simultaneously bending arms, lowering the navel, then the chest, shoulders and forehead to the floor. Then you need to relax your back muscles, in particular, the lower back. This is considered one cycle, and, as already mentioned above, there can be only a few cycles if you choose a dynamic variant of performing asana.

Tuning

The cobra posture in yoga will be correctly performed only if the following rules are observed:

• The palm should be pressed completely to the floor and should not be placed shoulder widths;
• Shoulders should always be laid back and down;
• The chest should be maximally expanded and opened;
• The neck needs to be stretched and lengthened while performing the cobra posture;
• Legs are categorically forbidden to relax and move apart;
• The knees should be stressed during the lifting of the trunk and in the final position;
• Reaching the highest point, the buttocks are required to squeeze and do not relax until the very omission of the body.

Fineness of execution

At the initial stage of asanas, it is necessary to lift the trunk solely at the expense of the muscles of the back, while not helping the hands, which will save the vertebrae of the lumbar from excessive compression and put the thoracic department into work.

Throwing your head back, you activate the thyroid gland. You should not relax the neck, thereby experiencing it. Experts recommend performing a part of the asana with the head thrown back, then lowering the chin and pulling the crown up, while simultaneously increasing pressure on the lower abdomen. This contributes to the activation of the kidneys, as well as the adrenal glands.

In Bhujangasan, there are several ways to work with attention:

• Collect all attention on the thyroid gland, with an inspiration moving it to the coccyx along the line of the spine, and with an exhalation return back along the same trajectory;
• Concentrate attention in the area between the eyebrows and at the same time observe the condition of your own body.

Particular attention should be given to breathing. To lift the body is required only on inspiration. Having reached the end position, breathe normally, or hold your breath (with dynamic performance). When the body is smoothly lowered, it is necessary to exhale.

At a time, specialists are allowed to perform about five cycles, while it is recommended to gradually increase the time spent in the final position. In this case, it is not a dynamic version at all, because here in the final position it is allowed to breathe freely.

Common Errors

Performing Bhujangasan, people often make mistakes, because of which it not only does not bring sufficient benefit, but can also contribute to trauma. The most common mistakes are:

• Not fully revealed thorax;
• Do not go out to do the right and uniform deflection;
• Overloaded and the waist is compressed.

Complication of asanas

For people who have been practicing yoga for a long time, the classical cobra posture often gets boring, so they are looking for variants of its modification. To complicate the asana, you can do this:

1. First, an ordinary Bhujangasana is done, legs are crossed, and after a while the crosshairs change and the posture repeats again. If a person suffers from scoliosis, the sensations when crossing the legs will be different, so one should find the position where the asana is more difficult to perform and stay there for a bit longer.
2. After completing the classic cobra posture, you need to inhale the body of the body to the right, looking at the left heel and holding your breath. On exhalation, you should return to the starting position, and then take a breath and repeat the same in the other direction.
3. Having made the final version of the asana, you need to give the chest slightly forward, while lifting it even higher, while strengthening the deflection and taking the head back as much as possible. Carrying out this variant of the cobra posture, it is necessary to distribute the tension evenly throughout the body (starting from the feet connected together and up to the top of the head).

Postures before and after cobra

As it was said at the beginning of the article, Bhujangasana is the basic pose, and therefore, it can be performed every day. If in addition to it there is a desire to experience other asanas, then the cobra posture should be done before or after the poses with an inclination forward. For example, Bhujangasana can be performed after Pashchimotanasana, which will help her to show maximum benefit.