Can’t do cobra pose? Here are 4 reasons

Maybe it’s because you were never taught the finer details of how to do this pose and feel discomfort every time you try it. Or maybe you’re just doing it as part of a fast-paced sequence and your brain and body can’t work together fast enough to really figure it out.

No matter how many times you do Cobra Pose, it still feels elusive. But it’s worth trying hard and nailing it, as it’s a great way to stretch and strengthen the muscles around the front of your body and spine.

Here are four common reasons why Cobra Pose may still feel unapproachable, along with some ways to troubleshoot the pose at last Enjoy this pose and embrace your inner snake.

1. Your spine doesn’t move enough

If you feel like you can barely lift your upper body off the mat or have any curvature in your spine, let alone stretch, there are a few reasons why you might be feeling that way.

The farther down the spine moves, the less mobility there is in general. Because Cobra Pose is technically a backbend that starts in your lower and mid-back and eventually lifts you up, you don’t have a ton of flexibility from here on out.

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Cobra Pose also relies on the strength of the back muscles to perform some heavy lifting, and in the modern world these muscles tend to become tight and weak due to poor posture and prolonged sitting. So if you get into this pose and feel like all of this struggle is real, try these two moves to improve strength and flexibility around your spine.

Cat-Cow Pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

Before entering Cobra Pose, try gently stretching and moving your spine in Cat-Cow Pose. Cat-Cow helps open your pelvis, torso, and spine, and many people like it because it’s a gentler way to increase flexibility (thanks, gravity!).

Start by slowly rolling your spine, gradually deepening the movement while maintaining awareness of your mid- and upper back. Notice if it helps you unlock more range of motion in cobra pose later.

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, wrists aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Inhale, arch your back and lift your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling (Cow Pose).
3. As you exhale, rotate your spine, tucking your chin into your chest and drawing your belly button toward your spine (cat pose).
4. Flow smoothly between Cat Pose and Cow Pose, coordinating your movements with your breathing.

Low Cobra Pose (Ardha Bhujangasana) with hands hovering

Balance the stretch with exercises that strengthen your back muscles by practicing low cobra pose, with your hands hovering an inch or two above the floor. Hold this position for three to five breaths while hugging your shoulder blades together and down your back.

Not only does this help you practice Cobra Pose better, but it’s also a great way to build muscle tone and correct bad posture.

1. Start by lying face down on your yoga mat with your forehead resting on the ground. Keeping your legs straight, press your toes down and place your hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Bend your elbows toward your body and spread your fingers. This will provide a solid foundation for your hands to rest on the mat.
3. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your chest while pressing your hips, pubic bones, and tops of your feet into the mat.
4. Lift your palms an inch or two off the mat, then lift your head and chest off the floor as much as is comfortable. Look down and out, keeping your neck neutral.
5. Hold for three to five breaths, then gently return to the starting position.

2. You don’t make full use of your hands and arms

As an experienced yoga teacher with over seven years of teaching experience, one of the most common misalignments I see in students practicing Cobra Pose is the extension of the elbows and shoulders toward the ears.

E-RYT 200 yoga teacher Divya Balakrishnan also points out, “It is very common for yoga practitioners of all experience levels to experience severe pain in the palms and wrist joints during Cobra Pose.”

These are like flashing red lights that indicate some misalignment and key muscle groups are not working for you like they should. Try these simple fixes and note any changes:

• First, briefly check your posture to make sure your hands are below your shoulders or even slightly below your chest (towards your chest) and that you’re lengthening your spine.
• Second, actively hug your elbows—one movement can create a knock-on effect by properly aligning your arms, shoulders, and shoulder blades, and keeping your shoulder blades back so your chest doesn’t collapse.
• The third and final step is to press your hands down firmly to lift your torso while pulling your shoulder blades down on your back. “I always encourage my students to try hand-tying,” Balakrishnan said. “Open your palms, direct force toward the center, and press firmly. This “suction” mechanism also mobilizes the larger muscles of the forearm, upper arm, and up to the shoulder to bear the load. This way, our relatively fragile wrist joints aren’t bearing most of the weight.

Cobra pose with hands and arms properly aligned

1. Start by lying face down on your yoga mat with your forehead resting on the ground. Keeping your legs straight, press your toes down and place your hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Bend your elbows toward your body and spread your fingers. This will provide a solid foundation for your hands to rest on the mat.
3. Apply gentle pressure to your palms, then lift your head and chest off the floor as much as is comfortable. Look down and out, keeping your neck neutral.
4. Hold for three to five breaths, then gently return to the starting position.

3. Your lower back isn’t getting enough support

If just the thought of getting into Cobra Pose brings pain to your lower back, you’re certainly not alone. It’s important to note that pain sensations can range widely and varied, but are also unique to you. If you are experiencing extreme or severe pain, consult your doctor before practicing yoga.

That being said, yoga can safely treat low back pain, as gentle movements that don’t make the condition worse may make it better, or at least help you find other ways to practice poses you might avoid.

As we mentioned before, your lower back is much less naturally mobile than the rest of your body and can sometimes be easily squished, crunched, and stuck in Cobra Pose. This may have something to do with spine alignment or even leg position (you didn’t see that last one, did you?), but in some cases, pre-existing injuries may make this pose difficult without you Finish by saying “Oh!”

Here are some tips to help you provide adequate support for your back in Cobra Pose so you don’t experience terrible back pain while moving:

• “One mistake I find people make when practicing Cobra Pose is that they arch their back instead of first straightening their chest and then lifting it up,” says Balakrishnan. “Additionally, if they aren’t engaging their abdominals by pulling their core inward, they’re putting extra stress on their spine. Not taking these simple extra steps can easily lead to lower back pain.
• In cobra pose, legs are hip-width apart to avoid trapping your lower back. While you may be tempted to hug your legs and feet together to look like a real cobra, remember that unlike this curly snake, you don’t want Has a tail. Don’t worry about the details, just let your legs naturally stretch to a comfortable distance.
• Fold your yoga blanket into a slim rectangle or use a small yoga mat and place it under your lower abdomen and front hips so that the lower half of your pelvis falls off the support. This will gently lift your upper body up, making it easier to get into a position that takes pressure off your lower back (literally).

Cobra pose with folded blanket

1. Start by lying face down on your yoga mat with your forehead resting on the ground. Keeping your legs straight, press your toes down and place your hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Fold a blanket into an elongated rectangle or use a small yoga mat and place it under your lower abdomen and front hips so that the lower half of your pelvis falls off the support.
3. Bend your elbows toward your body and spread your fingers. This will provide a solid foundation for your hands to rest on the mat.
4. Apply gentle pressure to your palms, then lift your head and chest off the floor as much as is comfortable. Look down and out, keeping your neck neutral.
5. Hold for three to five breaths, then gently return to the starting position.

4. You’re squeezing your tailbone

For a long time, many yoga instructors have believed that tucking in your tailbone helps lengthen your lower back and stave off pain. Although well-intentioned, this guidance is faulty and instead of lengthening the spine, it limits backbends.

In a healthy backbend, your pelvis and lower back should tilt forward along with the rest of your spine. This means your tailbone actually does the opposite of a fold by moving away from the mat—because the lower and upper back curves mirror each other.

Try not to curl your tailbone so that your pelvis (or, more specifically, pubic bone) sinks underneath, but rather keep it as it is. This small adjustment can help free up the rest of your spine for a healthy backbend that feels good.