Home/core/Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose

Difficulty: ⭐ Beginnercore

Home Setup

Practice on any comfortable floor surface with enough space to lie down fully extended

Yoga mat or thick towelFolded blanket for extra cushioning if needed

💡 Pro tip: Place a folded towel under your hips if you have lower back sensitivity

Gym Setup

Yoga mat in a quiet area with enough space to extend fully

Safety: Avoid if you have recent back injuries or are pregnant; keep elbows slightly bent to protect lower back

💪 Muscles Worked

Erector SpinaeRhomboidsTrapeziusGluteus MaximusDeltoids

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Cobra Pose strengthens the spine and back muscles while opening the chest and shoulders, improving posture and counteracting the effects of prolonged sitting. It also stimulates abdominal organs, increases spinal flexibility, and can help relieve stress and fatigue while energizing the body.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Sphinx Pose

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Forearms on ground create less spinal extension and require less back strength

2. Baby Cobra

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Hands lift off ground slightly, using only back muscles with minimal arm support

3. Prone Chest Lift

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Minimal lift with hands remaining on ground for full support

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Upward Facing Dog

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Legs lift off ground, arms fully straighten, creating deeper backbend with more strength required

2. King Cobra

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Deeper backbend with gaze directed further back and higher chest lift

3. Wheel Pose

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Full backbend with hands and feet on ground, requiring significant flexibility and strength

↕️ Similar Movements

Cat-Cow Pose
Complementary spinal movement that alternates flexion and extension for mobility
Child's Pose
Counter-pose that provides spinal flexion to balance the backbend
Locust Pose
Similar prone back strengthening with legs also lifting off ground
Bow Pose
Advanced backbend progression that combines elements of cobra with leg engagement
Camel Pose
Kneeling backbend that opens the chest and front body similarly

Form Checklist

✓Press pubic bone into mat to protect lower back
✓Draw shoulders back and down away from ears
✓Engage legs and press tops of feet into ground
✓Lift through the sternum rather than cranking the neck back
✓Keep elbows slightly bent and close to body
✓Lengthen through the crown of the head
✓Engage core gently to support the spine

Common Mistakes

  • •Hyperextending the neck by throwing head back too far
  • •Locking elbows and pushing too aggressively with arms
  • •Allowing shoulders to scrunch up toward ears
  • •Letting legs splay out instead of keeping them hip-width and engaged
  • •Compressing lower back by lifting too high without proper core engagement

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can hold Cobra Pose for 30-60 seconds with proper form, feeling the work in your back muscles rather than compression in your lower back, and can maintain steady breathing throughout the hold