In our busy lives, exercise is often taking a back seat. We feel very lazy and exhausted at the end of the day and skip required physical exercises. Because of this, we suffer from infections and other kinds of illness, the main goal of yoga and Ayurveda is enhancing good health and treating diseases. Many young and older people are now opting for yoga with this aim in mind. Yoga provides spiritual and moral growth and helps in managing several health problems. Yoga asanas have a positive effect on our anatomy and physiology.
Bhujangasana, or the snake pose, is one of the wells know yoga asanas. It has been specifically important in the Hatha yoga stream as it assists your body systems from your health perspective. The name has been derived from the Sanskrit word, Bhujanga, which means snake, and Asana, which means posture. So, it is called a cobra pose, as it seems like a cobra pose with a raised hood.
Bhujangasana can help ton your abdomen, strengthen the spine, and enhance blood circulation. Bhujangasana is a complete asana that helps strengthen your spiritual and physical health. It might have a good effect on your back and enhance digestion simultaneously. It is also one of the best asanas for achieving a flat stomach.
This yoga pose is a part of the yoga alliance certification course which the yoga school in Rishikesh teach in their 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh
Bhujangasana consists of four variations.
- Half cobra poses are called the sphinx pose, as the final pose resembles the Egyptian sphinx. This offers your body the required flexibility and might benefit those having stiff necks.
- Cobra pose with raised palm is one of the best exercises for gluteus muscles or buttocks. You can also practice it to decrease fat from your waistline.
- Cobra pose, also an advanced form of Bhujangasana, is one of the classic poses where you need to raise your head, the same as the hood of a cobra, while giving support to your upper body with extended arms.
- Curved hands cobra pose helps in enhancing the output of the digestive system.
How to do Bhujangasana?
To get the maximum benefits from doing Bhujanagasana, you must follow proper techniques while performing the cobra pose. It is important to maintain firm legs and abstain from putting any strain or load on the lumbar part of your spine.
Here are the steps you need to follow to do the cobra pose:
- While you lie down flat on your stomach, keep your hand on the sides of your thighs, with legs together, toes pointing in an outward direction, palms facing in an upward direction, and forehead resting on the ground.
- Then gradually bend your hands at elbows, keep your palms on the ground towards the sides of the shoulder, and thumbs beneath the armpit.
- Now bring your chin frontward, place it on the ground and look straight ahead.
- Then slowly raise your head, neck, shoulders, and trunk to the level of your navel. Try raising your chin as high as possible when your back arches.
- Hold on to this position as long as you are comfortable.
- Then slowly start lowering yourself down to the ground, starting from the upper part of your navel, chest, chin, and shoulder, and then keep your forehead on your floor.
- The last step is relaxing. It would help if you kept your arms and hands on the side of your thighs and then relaxed.
What benefits do you get by doing Bhujangasana?
Bhujangasana is considered a wholesome asana with many benefits that might assist you in managing your health and increasing your level of spirituality. Some of the main benefits of bhujangasana are:
- Helps reduce belly fat: No one wants a big tummy, which affects their self-esteem. Bhujangasana is one of the best asanas that can help achieve a flat abdomen worth envying. The advantage of this Asana is it can uplift the physical appearance and beauty as it stretches the abdominal muscles, thereby putting an effect on flattening the abdomen area.
- Supports blood circulation: To remain energetic and active, you must have good blood circulation. Bhujangasana helps in enhancing blood circulation. With good blood circulation, your cells get good oxygen and nutrients. Furthermore, blood circulation helps in maintaining hormonal balance.
- Helps in managing stress: If you have anxiety or depression, practicing Bhujangasana might help. It helps in overcoming the effects of stress. Research has found that Bhujangasana helps combat stress symptoms such as headaches, weakness, and fatigue. It also helps in managing depression. But it is good to take some expert recommendations if you suffer from migraines or insomnia.
- Benefits your spine: Bhujangasana offers you back a good extension. Thus, it helps strengthen your spine. The mechanism and the steps used in this Asana are designed in a way that stretches your upper and lower back. But for those suffering from chronic back pain, it’s good to consult a doctor before performing bhujangasana.
Some of the other benefits of Bhujangasana are
- It helps stretch the muscles in your chest, abdomen, and shoulders.
- It has a soothing effect on sciatica
- It helps in increasing flexibility
- Performing this Asana helps rejuvenate your heart
- It elevates your mood
- It decreases the lower back stiffness
- It might strengthen your arms and shoulders
- It opens up your chest and might assist in clearing the passage of your lungs.
- It helps in enhancing digestion.
- It stimulates the organs in your abdomen, such as the kidneys
- It might have some good effects on reducing symptoms of asthma
Risks involved with Bhujangasana
There are some contradictions involved with Bhujangasana. They are:
- People who had recent abdominal surgery should avoid doing this pose till the doctor advice
- Patients who have ulcers or hernias must not practice this yoga pose
- Those people having severe spine-based back problems must avoid doing this Asana
- Because of the pressure that it creates on your lower abdomen, there is a high possibility of getting an injury.
- People with severe asthma must enhance breathing by doing some pranayama before performing Bhujangasana.
Conclusion
Bhujangasana is a complete asana that helps you heal your body and spirituality. But while doing this pose, it is required to maintain steady legs and abstain from putting any strain or load on your lumbar spine. One should practice this pose regularly with the required precautions and under the guidance of a yoga teacher to avoid all issues.
