Cobra Pose

Benefits: Cobra pose provides an opening through the front upper body and strengthens the lower back.

Lie on your mat facing down. Stretch your legs out long and activate your thighs. Squeezing your lower body creates stability and builds strength. Bring your hands underneath the front of your shoulders, palms down on the mat. Your forehead rests on the mat.

Keep your forearms on your mat and roll your chest forward and up. You only want to roll a little ~ looking for a stretch in the front upper body - but never pinching the lower back.

Keep your head in line with the rest of your spine. Keep your bottom ribs on the mat. Keep your shoulders back and down. Exhale as you roll up and inhale to return your forehead to the mat. Repeat several times.

This pose builds strength in the lower back and flexibility through the front chest and shoulders.

Variation: If the first variation seems too easy for you . . . Instead of having your palms flat on the mat bring your palms down by your thighs facing in. As you exhale and lift through the upper body reach your hands out and behind you ~ squeezing the shoulder blades together. Rest one cheek on the floor in transition (when your release your chest and head back to the floor), and then switch cheeks with each repetition.

Another variation: Keep your hands under your shoulders but lift your chest off the floor. If you can lift your legs so that only your hands and the tops of your feet are on the floor. If this is too much bring your legs back down.