Lower and upper back

6 Cobra Pose variations, from gentlest to strongest

Also called bhujangasana, cobra stretch, prone extension.

A small backbend from lying face down, and the gentlest way into extension in the library. The minimal-lift version is often used as a way to find out how a back is behaving before asking for more.

Start here

The list runs from the most supported version to the most demanding. Cobra: Bolster Under Belly is the one to begin with. Harder is not better: the version you can do without gripping is the one doing the work.

Every version in the library

1. 1 · Spinal Mobility · 30 to 60 seconds

   Cobra: Bolster Under Belly

   A gentle introduction to backbending with extra support.

   Make it work for you: Bolster under the belly. Small lift only

2. 2 · Spinal Mobility · 15 to 45 seconds

   Cobra: Minimal Lift

   The most accessible active back extension: eyes barely lift off the floor, introducing gentle strengthening that almost everyone can do safely.

   Make it work for you: Gaze down cue

3. 3 · Spinal Mobility · 20 to 60 seconds

   Cobra: Hands Further Forward

   Hands placed further from your body reduce the lift height, making back extension gentler and more accessible while still actively strengthening your posterior chain.

   Make it work for you: Baby Cobra. Fists

4. 4 · Spinal Mobility · 20 to 60 seconds

   Cobra: Baby

   A gentle active backbend that lifts your chest just slightly, building back strength in a small range that is accessible and therapeutic for most people.

   Make it work for you: Minimal lift. Hands forward. Gaze forward cue

5. 5 · Spinal Mobility · 20 to 60 seconds

   Cobra: Classic

   Actively strengthens your back muscles while opening the front of your body, building the posterior chain power that supports better posture and spinal health.

   Make it work for you: Baby Cobra. Hands further forward. Hands forward

6. 6 · Spinal Mobility · 20 to 60 seconds

   Cobra: Seal Pose

   The deepest passive back extension in this library, providing maximum anterior chain opening and spinal decompression for bodies ready for advanced extension work.

   Make it work for you: Classic Cobra. Blocks. Gaze forward

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

Every version above is drawn from the clinically authored Vinys library. This page is general movement information, not medical advice, and it is not a diagnosis. What helps for a specific condition.