How To Do Cobra Yoga Pose Correctly + Tips, Modifications & Benefits

Backbends are not only great for a healthy spine, but they also help open up the chest and improve posture. One backbend, in particular, that's beginner-friendly and super-effective is cobra pose (or bhujangasana in Sanskrit).

As a gentle backbend, cobra pose is great for strengthening and increasing flexibility in the spine, as well as opening up the chest and shoulders.

This makes it effective for improving posture, plus the heart-opening aspect means it's also great for the heart chakra. Through engaging the lower body, Cobra works the glutes, too, and can even help with sciatica.

It may hold some additional health benefits, too. In traditional yogic texts, cobra pose is said to help destroy disease in the body and even awakens kundalini energy. Chiropractor and yoga instructor Emily Kiberd, D.C., notes that, in line with these ancient teachings, many people believe cobra is a good pose for the immune system—it's thought to stimulate the thymus, an organ responsible for the growth of T-cells.