Cobra pose is highly known to every yoga practitioner who has yoga in their routine. The reason why this pose is mostly practiced is because it is comparatively easy to do than most yoga poses. Along with being easy, the pose also carries countless benefits. It opens the chest and allows yogis to expand their lungs for gentle inhalations and exhalations. It also has other benefits, such as improving circulation, reducing back pain, reducing stress, and many more.
However, these benefits can only be secured when the pose is done with the right alignment. In most cases, beginners and even seasoned yogis tend to make common mistakes that affect their overall practice. Thus, the misaligned pose can lead to other issues, such as neck problems, back pain, and shoulder issues. Also, if the injury is severe, it might lead to a prolonged pause in your yoga.
Let’s explore the topic in-depth and find out the top mistakes yogis make while practicing cobra pose.
7 Mistakes in Cobra Pose Yogis Commonly Make
Although the cobra pose may seem simple from a third perspective, it engages the main parts and muscles of your body. This includes the back, chest, spinal extensors, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus muscles. Therefore, the little mistakes can lead to improper alignment, and the cobra pose can go wrong. In this article, you will learn what these mistakes are and how you can avoid them.
Here are 7 mistakes in cobra pose you should never make.
1. Wrong Hand Placement
While it may seem like a pose focused on your chest and back, it actually requires proper hand placement. Appropriate hand movements are the keys to getting the perfect stretches you are looking for. This is why you need to pay attention to your hand movements when you are lifting your head and chest.
A common mistake people make is they place their hands very far from each other. Thus, they lock their shoulders towards their ears, restricting the stretching of their chest, which is the main pose aspect. To fix this, it is recommended to practice under expert supervision. This is why yogis head to hot yoga Dubai studio to fix their alignment under the instructors’ supervision.
2. Locking Elbows
As stated above too, the cobra pose significantly relies on your arms and hands. Most people keep their arms straight that can block the shoulders and lock elbows. The pose is more about having relaxed and bent arms than straightened arms. Doing this continually can affect your practice negatively.
This is because by blocking the shoulders, the shoulder motion decreases, and then you can’t feel a stretch in your spine. If this is happening, then you should immediately stop the practice, or else it can reverse the results. Instead, you should leverage the expertise of professional instructors to teach you the right way.
3. Incorrect Leg Spacing and Neck Movement
Another mistake that yogis make is to keep their feet too close. They tend to do this to induce pressure on the feet and get support for lifting the upper body. This shouldn’t be encouraged because it can do damage instead of benefitting you. This is why you should keep your legs close to avoid unnecessary strain on other body parts.
Along with this, yogis also neglect to focus on their necks while practicing this pose. They usually overextend their neck, which can be bad. This happens when yogis stretch hard and forget about maintaining a soft curve in the neck. This can also cause breathing problems, which may affect your posture further.
4. Straining the Back
Back is the most important muscle in this pose to focus on. However, most yogis think going too high with your back can actually cause problems. If you go too high, you will actually end up crunching your lower back. This may lead to problems like discomfort in sitting and pain in the back.
This is why it’s important to only lift yourself to a point where your thighs still lie on the floor. This way, it won’t cause any pressure on your lower back. However, it’s actually hard for a beginner to be conscious of these mistakes. Therefore, its recommended to leverage the expertise of a qualified instructor to fix your alignment.
5. Not Lifting the Chest
The cobra pose is not all about your back muscles but it is also focused on stretching your chest. Without stretching your chest, you won’t be able to strengthen your spine and shoulders. Yogis make a common mistake by putting too much force on the shoulders and forgetting to get help from the chest.
This is why it is important to focus on your chest as you practice this pose if you want to reap maximum benefits. The most possible reason why this happens can be the incorrect pose placement. Considering this, you should practice this at yoga studio and let professional instructors help you fix your mistakes.
Are You Eager to Nail the Cobra Pose?
Be it cobra pose or any other, yoga practice needs to be flawless to get the most out of it. Head to a professional yoga studio and practice every pose with perfection. Feel free to book your class online and practice with qualified instructors to nail every pose!
Read more: What Are the Top Health Benefits of Yoga?
