BHUJANGASANA

·               Bhujanga means serpent or snake, and since cobras are common in India, the English name for this pose is Cobra Pose. The shape of the pose sort of resembles a cobra flaring its hood.

·         Symbolically, bhujanga represents kundalini or shakti. Lord Shiva is often depicted wearing a cobra around his neck, said to represent the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Bhujangasana Quick Facts

Sanskrit	Bhujangasana
English	Cobra Pose
Pronunciation	booj-ahn-GAH-sah-nuh
Meaning	Bhuj means curved. Anga means body or limb. So the name can translate as curved body pose. Bhujanga means serpent or snake. Cobras are common in India, ergo Cobra Pose.

 

Bhujangasana Benefits

Note: I only include the scientifically supported benefits of Bhujangasana here. Plenty of claims about other supposed benefits (from the plausible to the magical to the ridiculous) have been made. To me, pseudo-scientific claims only serve to harm the yoga community, so I choose not to give them airtime here.

The most common benefits of Bhujangasana are:

·                     Stronger erector spinae (extensors of the back — the muscles on your back that make you stand up straight, and take you into a back bend)

·                     Strengthens biceps and triceps

·                     Strengthens deep core muscles

Cobra Pose stretches:

·                     Psoas group

·                     Pectoralis major

·                     Rectus abdominus

Other benefits of Cobra Pose include:

·                     Increases flexibility in your spine.

·                     Encourages deep breathing through chest expansion.

·                     Can help correct rounded shoulders when performed with proper alignment.

·                     Can help alleviate sciatica because of the balanced action at your lower back and the lift out of the pelvis. But almost anything that yoga alleviates, it can also exacerbate, so proceed with caution.

·                     Helps improves posture, as the muscles needed to extend your spine into the shape of Bhujangasana also help you stand up straight.