Bhujangasana is said to be a comprehensive set of asanas with many benefits that can help you manage your health condition and also improve your spiritual level to the maximum. Some of the major benefits of practicing bhujangasana are:
1. Benefits of Bhujangasana for belly fat:
Having a big belly is nobody’s favorite and can cost you a lot of self-esteem. Bhujangasana is considered one of the most popular and best asanas that can help you get an enviably shaped abdomen. The benefits of this bhujangasana can elevate your physical appearance and beauty to another level, as stretching your abdominal muscles can have a direct effect on flattening your abdomen.
2. Benefits of Bhujangasana for Blood Circulation:
The key here is to have a good level of blood circulation to stay active and energized. Bhujangasana mainly improves your blood circulation. A good level of blood circulation helps your cells receive sufficient amounts of oxygen and other nutrients. Moreover, improving your blood circulation could also improve the hormonal balance to the required level.
3. Benefits of Bhujangasana for managing stress:
If you suffer from anxiety or depression, practicing Bhujangasana can help you a lot in overcoming the effects of stress. In several studiesit turned out enough useful for combating the symptoms of stress such as fatigue, headaches and weakness. It can also have an effect on managing the level of depression. However, it is advisable to take expert advice if you have certain conditions like migraine or insomnia.
4. Benefits of Bhujangasana for the spine:
Bhujangasana can be of great help in giving your back the reasonable extension that is necessary for it to function properly. Thus, it could help you strengthen your spine. The mechanism and steps that are involved in bhujangasana are designed to stretch your lower and upper back at the optimal level. However, for people with chronic back pain, it is best to consult an experienced doctor before practicing bhujangasana.
5. Other benefits of Bhujangasana:
- This can help stretch your chest, abdominal, and shoulder muscles.
- It can also help soothe sciatic pain.
- It can help you improve your flexibility
- It can rejuvenate your heart health.
- It can help improve mood.
- This can help decrease lower back stiffness.
- It can help strengthen your arms and shoulders.
- It opens up your chest muscles and can help clear your airways.
- It also helps improve your digestion.
- It can stimulate various organs in the abdomen region, such as the kidneys.
- It can have a big effect on asthma symptoms.
Steps of Bhujangasana
We must follow the right techniques to perform the Bhujangasana pose to get all the health benefits. It is very essential to keep the legs firmly gripped and refrain from any load on the lumbar region of your spine, which is the lower back area. The steps to do the Bhujangasana pose are as follows:
- While lying flat on your stomach, keep your hands apart at the sides of your legs and your thighs together, your toes pointing outward and your palm facing up while the forehead can relax on the floor .
- Now slowly bend your hands at the elbows, then keep your palms on the ground at the sides of the shoulders; thumbs should be placed under your armpit.
- Now bring your chin forward on the floor and look completely straight ahead.
- Now slowly raise your neck, head and shoulders and raise your core to the level of your navel. Now try to raise your chin as high as possible.
- You should maintain this posture for as long as you are comfortable doing so.
- Now slowly lower yourself to the floor, starting at your navel, shoulder, chest, and chin; and finally, place your forehead on the floor.
- The final stage includes total relaxation. You should place your arms and hands near your thighs and relax.
Precautions for using bhujangasana
- You should only perform this bhujangasana if you are fit and healthy. If you have recently had surgery or are a pregnant woman, you should avoid this Bhujangasana. Therefore, before practicing this asana, make sure that you can do it safely.
- To perform this bhujangasana, you must have a yoga mat. Since while doing this asana, you have to place your elbows and knees on the floor, a yoga mat will do all that is necessary.
- Immediately after your meal, avoid practicing bhujangasana. You should wait at least 4-5 hours before doing this.
- Always do stretching exercises to warm up your body for bhujangasana.
Who should avoid Bhujangasana?
Avoid making common mistakes when practicing Bhujangasana. Always keep your hands under your shoulder blades to keep your shoulders away from your ears. Also, always spread your arms out and keep them in a straight line in order to lock your elbows. You can bend your elbows slightly, or you can point them back but not to your sides.
Always try to stretch your upper body as much as possible by relaxing your chest muscles and remembering not to overstretch your back muscles. Also be careful not to stretch your neck too far back. Try to keep your neck always aligned with the natural curve of the spine.
Does Bhujangasana Reduce Belly Fat?
Yes, it is very true and medically proven that Bhujangasana helps reduce your belly fat. The cobra pose or Bhujangasana is considered one of the best and easiest asanas when it comes to reducing your abdominal fat to the maximum in the safest way possible. By practicing Bhujangasana you can get a toned stomach as it helps you sweat more thereby reducing the unwanted fat accumulated on your belly. For this reason, many fitness and health enthusiasts make sure to incorporate this cobra pose into their daily workout routine.
Bhujangasana versus Sarpasana
Sarpasana is a higher level variant of bhujangasana and the same can be applied to performing Sarpasana. Here, yoga practitioners lift the body using their palm which is held slightly outward from their shoulder with the spine naturally curved, legs straight, and gaze towards the ceiling.
When doing sarpasana, your hands are joined together above and behind your torso, and your hips are lifted with your legs straight. While doing Bhujangasana, your torso is ultimately supported on your hand placed out shoulder length apart and your legs straight back. Both parts of the body which are the upper part and the lower part are actively engaged in the Bhujangasana pose while the upper body is in the last pose which is Sarpasana.
6 contraindications Bhujangasana
Some of the contraindications related to Bhujangasana pose are:
- People who have recently had abdominal surgery should avoid this Bhujangasana yoga pose until advised by their doctor.
- Patients who suffer from hernia or ulcer should not practice this asana.
- Those who have neck problems like spondylitis should avoid doing this Bhujangasana pose.
- People with severe spinal problems should avoid doing this asana.
- Due to the pressure it puts on the lower abdomen and the possibility of injury, pregnant women should avoid this pose.
- People with severe asthma issues should improve their breathing by practicing pranayama regularly before trying this cobra pose.
Conclusion
Bhujangasana or the cobra pose is in itself a complete asana that helps you heal your body and your spirituality perfectly. Practicing it has several benefits for your back, body fat, glutes, and good blood circulation. When practicing this Bhujangasana pose, it is essential to maintain firm legs and refrain from putting pressure on your lumbar spine. This pose should be practiced correctly and regularly with proper precautions by your side and eventually it should be done under the guidance of a qualified yoga practitioner to avoid injury.
FAQs
1. What happens if you do the cobra pose every day?
If you do cobra poses regularly, it helps to solve your fatigue problem and manage your stress. Cobra pose helps deal with your depression, fatigue, and other stress-related issues. Incorporating this dynamic yoga pose into your daily workout routine not only uplifts you spiritually, but also helps calm your mind.
2. How long should Bhujangasana be held?
You can hold this Bhujangasana pose for about 4-5 breaths. Repeat this asana 4-5 times. The period of practice depends on how long one can hold this pose comfortably.
3. What should I do after Bhujangasana?
To relax your whole body after practicing Bhujangasana, you can also practice other asanas:
- Cow pose or called Bitilasana
- Upward Facing Dog Pose also called Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
- Bridge Pose is known as Setu Bandhasana.
References
- Potential long-term effects of a mind-body intervention for women with major depressive disorder: lasting improvement in mental health through a pilot yoga intervention
- Yoga compared to exercise without exercise or physiotherapy exercise on pain, disability and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
