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!