Sanskrit name

Gomukhasana (Gow=cow; Mukha= face/mouth)

How to do Gomukhasana (Cow face)

Sit in Dandasana. Bend both knees and place the feet on the mat. Slide the right foot under your left knee, next to your left hip. Cross the left leg over the right, bringing the left knee to rest on the top of right knee. Bring the left foot to the side, towards the right hip. Try to sit evenly on your sitbones.

Inhale stretch the left arm to the left side, palms facing backwards. Exhale and bend your arm behind your back and bring your elbow as far to the center of your spine as you can.

Inhale and lift your right arm over your head. Exhale bend on your elbow, palm tries to touch the spine, reaching as far downwards as possible. Bring the fingers of right and left hand together, hooking each other.

Bring your shoulders gently back and open your chest. Don’t let your elbows fall forwards, keep them moving to the back.

Stay in the pose for 1 minute. On an exhale release slowly arms and legs.

Then repeat with arms and legs reversed.

Special focus on

Arms: Keep your arms on the level of your head, don’t collapse forward.

shoulders: Lifting sternum and bringing shoulders back and down, keep opening your shoulders.

lower back: protect your lower spine, bringing navel back and lifting your torso up from your hips.

Benefits

• Stretches the ankles, hips and thighs, shoulders, armpits and triceps, and chest
• increases flexibility in shoulders (stiff shoulders)

Contraindications

knee injury (do it in a comfortable seated position of your choice), shoulders or neck problems