Prone Cobra

The Prone Cobra pose is used extensively in yoga, where it’s also known by its Sanskrit name Bhujangasana. It’s used in yoga as a basic strengthening pose, which targets the torso, abdominal muscles, and stomach fat, along with the arms and back. The fact that it increases strength in the spinal and back muscles, which are used by the body to retract the should blades, means that it can increase spinal mobility, which is why yoga instructors often use this pose to stretch out the lower back.

Some suggest that doing it correctly can ease back pain, pulled muscles, and other back related issues, while being a tension easing and energizing pose for individuals sitting at their desk for hours at a time. While it’s often used in yoga classes, this pose has also found its way into general full body and core strengthening classes. But this pose can also be done at home as part of your own body and stomach fat workout once you know how to do it correctly.

To get ready to do this exercise, lie on your stomach on a mat, towel, or the floor, with your legs stretching out behind you and the tops of your feet on the floor. Your hands should be under your shoulders, with the elbows hugging your body. The hands should be spread out too. Once in this position, press your pubic area, thighs, and the tops of your feet into the floor, you should feel a firm pressure.

When doing yoga poses, breathing is just as important as alignment, so on an inhalation, smoothly straighten out your arms, as you lift the chest up off the mat or the floor. You should only roll up to the point where you can hold a connection between your pubic area and your legs. Push your tailbone toward your genitals, while also lifting the genitals so they are moving toward your navel. While this move is firm, it’s not aggressive, so the buttocks muscles shouldn’t be hard.

Your body should be curving upward, lifting through the peak of the sternum, while your shoulder blades are flush against your back, and the side ribs should be moving forward. That said, while doing the Prone Cobra, it’s also important to refrain from pushing your front ribs forward, because it causes the back muscles to harden. Lastly, make sure that the cobra like back bend is not held in one area of the spine, and that instead it’s evenly distributed through the whole spine.

Since this is a yoga pose and not an exercise, you don’t do sets. Instead, you hold the pose from 15 to 30 seconds, depending upon your ability. While you’re holding it, keep breathing, taking in normal even breaths. When its time to release the Prone Cobra pose, exhale and slowly move out of the pose down on to your mat or the floor.