Technique:

1. Lie face down on the floor with your chin on the floor. Place your arms close to your body with your elbows bent and press your palms into the floor with your fingers pointing forward.
2. Flatten your toes.
3. Inhale, slide forward, raise your torso off the floor and arch your spine.
4. Keep your hips on the floor and elbows straight with your shoulder relaxed.
5. Keep your gaze at your eyebrow centre.
6. Breathe normally while in the pose.

Getting out of the pose:

1. Exhale while lowering the elbows on the floor.
2. Then lower the torso and chin on the mat.

Variation: - King cobra

1. Follow the above instructions from 1 – 6.
2. Part the legs slightly.
3. Inhale and walk the hands back to the hips while arching the spine.
4. Then bend the knees and bring the feet up towards the head. Try to bring your toes to touch the back of your head. Breathe evenly.

Benefits:

1. Increases flexibility of the spine and cervical region.
2. Rejuvenates spinal nerves and improves circulation in the back region.
3. Stretches the thoracic region therefore increasing the lung capacity.
4. Massages and tones the back muscles
5. Massages the reproductive organs and digestive systems.

Chakra stimulated and which has to be concentrated on:

Swadhisthana chakra which is situated in the spine behind the genital organs.

Cautions:

1. Those suffering from back and neck aches should not attempt the King Cobra.

Counter pose:

Shashankasana or Balasana