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Restorative yoga poses and hatha yoga stretches

English name: Twisting Cobra Pose
Sanskrit name: Tiryaka Bhujangasana

Difficulty level: Basic

Technique

1. Enter Bhujangasana (cobra pose), looking forward.
2. Tuck you toes under pushing your heals backwards.
3. Keeping your hips on the floor throughout the pose.
4. Turn your head and upper body to look over your left shoulder towards your right heel.
5. Breathe normally as you hold the pose for 15 seconds.
6. Come back to the center.
7. Repeat the twist to the right side, turning your head and upper body to the right to look at your left foot.
8. Breathing normally as you hold the pose for 15 seconds.
9. Return to center.
10. Exhale as you lower your chest to the ground.

Breathing

• Inhale to energise as you lift into the pose.
• Exhale as you twist in the pose.
• Breathe normally in the final position.
• Inhale as you return to center.
• Exhale as you relax back to the ground.

Benefits

• Anatomical - Strengthens the shoulders and arms, back, abdomen, rotators and tights. Realigns the spine and massages the abdominal organs.
• Respiratory - Opens the chest for improved breathing and lung capacity.

Counter Pose

• Any forward bending pose.

Notes

• With each exhale, try to deepen the twist using the strength in your arms and rotator muscles in your abdomen.