Yoga Pose of the Day: Cobra

I started a yoga streak on December 29, 2013. This was added on top of my running streak that I started on December 30, 2011 but that is another story. Through daily yoga I can feel my body growing stronger and I am gaining the much desired benefits of increased flexibility. I tend to focus on that and hip openers as those are what I feel my body craves the most. I am not a yoga expert so you won't see me in pretzel form but you can read what I learned from 100 days of yoga. In addition, I am here to share some information and personal insights on some yoga poses by tackling a pose here and there.
Today's Pose: Cobra

What are my thoughts? This is a pose I have done many times throughout the years. It is a pose I would do even when I didn't "do yoga". It felt pretty easy and natural to me so that was an added benefit. I am now tilting my head back to get a better chest stretch and just learned that I can try to hover my hands above my mat to challenge my back muscles even further. I haven't tried that yet.
What are the benefits? It increases flexibility and strengthens the spine. It stretches your chest, shoulders, and abdomen.
How do I do it? I start from lying face down on the mat and place my palms under my shoulders. I roll my shoulders back, hug my elbows in, and aim to engage my back muscles, versus my arms, to peel my body up from the floor while inhaling. Once up I focus on relaxing my muscles to make sure my shoulders aren't up by my ears and my glutes aren't all tight. I then exhale as I release back down to the floor.
Please note: I am not a trained yoga instructor and am only sharing my personal experiences. As always, I advice checking in with your physician before starting any new exercise programs or routines. 
Daily Gratitude: I am thankful for warm sunshine.
Daily Affirmation: I am a great mom!