The Cow Face Pose, referred to as Gomukhasana in Sanskrit, is an intermediate-level seated pose that deeply stretches the muscle tissues of the arms, legs, and again whereas additionally decreasing stiffness within the shoulders and hips.
The place will get its title from the looks it generates with the physique: a cow’s face. The cow’s snout and mouth are represented by the crossed legs, whereas the cow’s ears are represented by the arms. The nostril of the cow is fashioned by the torso.
The 4th-century Darshana Upanishad mentions this yoga stance, which isn’t solely a really efficient train but in addition used throughout Yoga Nidra, Pranayama, and Meditation attributed to its therapeutic qualities. It aids within the secretion of hormones similar to endorphins, which produce a sense of peace and rest.
It stretches the arms, shoulders, chest, armpits, and hips whereas permitting for a full vary of shoulder movement. It will increase flexibility and stimulates the Chakras in our physique, together with the Sacral and Coronary heart Chakras.
Gomukhasana develops steadiness and coordination with its posture. It’s a improbable pose for anybody who sits for lengthy intervals of time at work because it opens your hips and chest, which helps to offset the hunch that many individuals can develop after sitting.
Within the forthcoming sections, we’ll see the steps for performing this pose together with its variations, tricks to bear in mind for performing it completely as properly its advantages.
Apply Information for Cow Face Pose
Preparatory Pose
Steps to Carry out Cow Face Pose(Gomukhasana)
- Begin in Dandasana (employees pose) in your yoga mat.
- Bend your proper knee and cross the correct decrease leg over the left thigh, putting it exterior the left hip.
- Equally, bend your left knee, bringing the left foot exterior the correct hip and below the correct thigh.
- Use your palms to align your ft and knees, guaranteeing they’re almost stacked on prime of one another.
- Preserve a straight again by grounding your sitting bones.
- Prolong your arms out to the edges in a straight line.
- Internally rotate your shoulders and convey the correct arm towards the again.
- Place the correct hand between the shoulder blades with palms dealing with outward.
- Prolong the left arm overhead and bend the elbow to convey the forearm down, putting your palms close to the again of the neck with palms dealing with inwards.
- Interlock your fingers if attainable; in any other case, keep this hand place or purpose to the touch your fingertips.
- Forestall your head from tilting sideways or ahead by urgent the again of your head into the left hand.
- Guarantee each elbows are aligned towards the middle.
- Open your chest by drawing your shoulder blades again.
- Maintain for 3-5 breaths.
- Gently launch your legs and arms, then repeat with the alternative limbs.
Tricks to Bear in mind
- Guarantee correct warm-up earlier than making an attempt Cow Face Pose to organize your shoulders and hips for the required flexibility.
- Keep away from forcing your physique into an ideal alignment; progress progressively as your flexibility improves over time.
- In the event you wrestle to convey your legs into place from Dandasana, begin from the tabletop pose after which gently sit down.
- Use a folded blanket, cushion, or yoga block below your sitting bone to keep up a straight backbone and correct hip alignment.
- When you’ve got stiff shoulders, think about using a yoga strap, belt, or a small towel to bridge the hole between your palms, progressively decreasing the space till you may hook your fingers.
- To realize steadiness in your seated posture, place the highest foot as near the hip as attainable whereas maintaining the underside foot away from the physique.
- Start by holding the pose for 30 seconds and progressively enhance the length as you develop into extra snug.
Precautions and Contraindications
- The cow face pose is a posh pose regarding the positioning of the legs and arms. Thus, it is best to first study this pose below the steerage of an skilled yoga instructor earlier than making an attempt it by your self.
- Individuals with accidents to the knee, hips, thighs, shoulder, neck, and again ought to keep away from this pose.
- Don’t observe the leg place when you’ve got sciatica as it might worsen the situation.
- Pregnant girls shouldn’t carry out this pose as it might put strain on the stomach.
- In case you are experiencing ache in any key elements of the physique, it’s advisable that you don’t observe the pose until the ache has diminished or utterly gone.
- In case of ligament or smooth tissue damage or muscle tear within the thighs, keep away from the pose until you might have absolutely recovered.
- Come out of the pose instantly should you really feel any type of discomfort.
Cow Face Pose Variations
On this variation, you can be bending just one leg whereas maintaining the opposite leg stretched in entrance of you. Begin with bending the correct leg and putting the decrease proper on prime of the left thigh. The correct foot will likely be near the left hip. In case you are a newbie, begin by working towards this pose to progressively enhance mobility and adaptability.
This pose requires you to solely observe the leg a part of the cow face pose. Your palms will likely be positioned on the ft to maintain your higher physique straight. This can be a nice pose to observe when you don’t want to interact your arms as a consequence of any motive but wish to strengthen your hips and legs.
From the above pose, twist your complete higher physique within the path of the leg that has been stored on prime. For instance, in case your proper leg has been stored on prime, you’ll twist in the direction of the correct. Convey your left arm in the direction of the correct and place the hand exterior the correct knee. The correct arm will likely be stored in the direction of the again with palms on the bottom. The twisting will strengthen your backbone and again muscle tissues and provides extra stretch to the thighs and hips.
As an alternative of holding your arms on the again, preserve them in entrance of your chest. Put the correct arm below the left arm to make a cross. Bend the elbows and be a part of the palms. If not, maintain the right-hand wrist together with your left hand. The positioning of the arms on this method will strengthen your shoulders and stretch the higher again muscle tissues.
That is a particularly troublesome and superior pose the place after sustaining the cow face pose for a couple of breaths you may slowly bend ahead. This can mean you can expertise a deeper stretch within the hips, decrease again, and triceps. It ought to solely be carried out when you might have attained enough energy within the backbone and again muscle tissues. The ahead bend can be accomplished within the shoelace and half cow face pose.
Observe-up Pose
Advantages of Cow Face Pose(Gomukhasana)
Whereas the pose might look intense, the advantages you acquire from working towards it will not be that complicated to know. It not solely helps in relieving stress and stiffness from the varied joints but in addition aids in sustaining and correcting your posture. The cow face pose will even enhance your digestive system and blood circulation.
Under are some advantages of working towards the cow face pose.
- The backward positioning of the arms broadens the chest thus growing the house for the lungs to increase freely and bettering its capability.
- Cow face place stretches the muscle tissues within the ankles, knees, chest, and shoulders, strengthening them in addition to bettering basic physique posture.
- Nearly all physique joints are getting used all through the asana, which reinforces blood movement and ensures the physique receives extra blood and diet.
- Common observe of the pose reduces harm to the ankles, chest, again, and shoulder in the long term.
- Practising this mudra stimulates the kidneys which additional helps in flushing out toxins by way of the improved frequency of urination.
- Bettering kidney operate additionally helps forestall kidney ailments similar to kind 2 diabetes, kidney stones, and many others.
- It’s a useful pose for athletes as it would stretch and strengthen the hamstrings, quads, calves, ankles, knees, and hips by bettering blood circulation to the muscle tissues of those physique areas.
- It retains the decrease half organs wholesome and cures sexual illnesses.
- It might forestall sciatica by stretching and lengthening the backbone, particularly the decrease backbone.
- Deep belly stretching additionally burns extra fats within the stomach space whereas firming all the physique.
- Diaphragmic respiratory will increase blood circulation within the chest and retains allergic reactions and illnesses at bay.
- By lengthening the backbone, this pose permits for a wholesome movement of prana and blood to the mind. This additional promotes a peaceful and relaxed thoughts by decreasing worry, stress, and nervousness.
Conclusion
The Cow Face Pose is a vital pose for hip opening. Your physique will overcome the damaging results of stress, worry, and nervousness should you sit on this pose for a number of minutes whereas focusing in your breath and releasing these deep muscle tissues.
Due to the sturdy emphasis on backbone carry, it would additionally improve your posture. It efficiently nourishes your physique, can increase your bodily and emotional well-being and may enhance your temper, and convey in additional optimism.
