Mobility & stretching
Cobra (or sphinx)
Lifting your chest while lying face down — a gentle back bend that opens the front of the body.
Beginner Low impact
How to do it
- Lie face down with hands under your shoulders and legs long.
- Press the tops of your feet into the mat.
- Gently lift your head and chest, using your back muscles first and your hands only a little.
- Keep your elbows bent and shoulders down. Hold for a breath, then lower.
Form tips
- Low and long is plenty.
- Try "sphinx" — resting on your forearms — for a gentler version.
Common mistakes
- Pushing up too high with straight arms.
- Crunching the neck back.
Easier and harder
Make it easier
Sphinx: rest on your forearms with elbows under shoulders.
Make it harder
Hover your hands off the floor for a moment at the top.
