Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana): Find out how to Do & Advantages

The Cow Face Pose, referred to as Gomukhasana in Sanskrit, is an intermediate-level seated pose that deeply stretches the muscular tissues of the arms, legs, and again whereas additionally lowering stiffness within the shoulders and hips.

The place will get its identify 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 additionally used throughout Yoga Nidra, Pranayama, and Meditation attributed to its therapeutic qualities. It aids within the secretion of hormones akin to endorphins, which produce a sense of peace and leisure.

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 unbelievable pose for anybody who sits for lengthy durations of time at work because it opens your hips and chest, which helps to offset the stoop 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 keep in mind for performing it completely as effectively its advantages.

Observe Information for Cow Face Pose

Preparatory Pose

Steps to Carry out Cow Face Pose(Gomukhasana)

• Begin in Dandasana (workers pose) in your yoga mat.
• Bend your proper knee and cross the suitable decrease leg over the left thigh, putting it outdoors the left hip.
• Equally, bend your left knee, bringing the left foot outdoors the suitable hip and below the suitable thigh.
• Use your palms to align your toes and knees, guaranteeing they’re practically stacked on prime of one another.
• Keep a straight again by grounding your sitting bones.
• Prolong your arms out to the perimeters in a straight line.
• Internally rotate your shoulders and produce the suitable arm towards the again.
• Place the suitable hand between the shoulder blades with palms going through outward.
• Prolong the left arm overhead and bend the elbow to deliver the forearm down, putting your palms close to the again of the neck with palms going through inwards.
• Interlock your fingers if attainable; in any other case, keep this hand place or intention to the touch your fingertips.
• Stop 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 other limbs.

Tricks to Keep in mind

• Guarantee correct warm-up earlier than trying Cow Face Pose to organize your shoulders and hips for the required flexibility.
• Keep away from forcing your physique into an ideal alignment; progress step by step as your flexibility improves over time.
• Should you battle to deliver 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 take care of a straight backbone and correct hip alignment.
• If in case you have stiff shoulders, think about using a yoga strap, belt, or a small towel to bridge the hole between your palms, step by step lowering the space till you may hook your fingers.
• To attain steadiness in your seated posture, place the highest foot as near the hip as attainable whereas conserving the underside foot away from the physique.
• Start by holding the pose for 30 seconds and progressively improve the period as you change 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 trainer earlier than trying it by your self.
• Folks with accidents to the knee, hips, thighs, shoulder, neck, and again ought to keep away from this pose.
• Don’t observe the leg place you probably have sciatica as it could worsen the situation.
• Pregnant girls shouldn’t carry out this pose as it could put strain on the stomach.
• In case you are experiencing ache in any key components of the physique, it’s advisable that you don’t observe the pose until the ache has lowered or utterly gone.
• In case of ligament or tender tissue damage or muscle tear within the thighs, keep away from the pose until you have got totally recovered.
• Come out of the pose instantly should you really feel any type of discomfort.

Cow Face Pose Variations

On this variation, you’ll be bending just one leg whereas conserving the opposite leg stretched in entrance of you. Begin with bending the suitable leg and putting the decrease proper on prime of the left thigh. The fitting foot will likely be near the left hip. In case you are a newbie, begin by working towards this pose to step by step improve 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 toes to maintain your higher physique straight. This can be a nice pose to observe when you do not need to have interaction your arms attributable to any purpose but need to strengthen your hips and legs.

From the above pose, twist your whole higher physique within the course of the leg that has been saved on prime. For instance, in case your proper leg has been saved on prime, you’ll twist in the direction of the suitable. Carry your left arm in the direction of the suitable and place the hand outdoors the suitable knee. The fitting arm will likely be saved in the direction of the again with palms on the bottom. The twisting will strengthen your backbone and again muscular tissues and provides extra stretch to the thighs and hips.

As a substitute of holding your arms on the again, hold them in entrance of your chest. Put the suitable arm below the left arm to make a cross. Bend the elbows and be part of the palms. If not, maintain the right-hand wrist together with your left hand. The positioning of the arms on this approach will strengthen your shoulders and stretch the higher again muscular tissues.

That is a particularly tough and superior pose the place after sustaining the cow face pose for a couple of breaths you may slowly bend ahead. This may let you expertise a deeper stretch within the hips, decrease again, and triceps. It ought to solely be carried out when you have got attained adequate power within the backbone and again muscular tissues. The ahead bend may also be executed within the shoelace and half cow face pose.

Comply with-up Pose

Advantages of Cow Face Pose(Gomukhasana)

Whereas the pose might look intense, the advantages you acquire from working towards it aren’t that complicated to grasp. It not solely helps in relieving stress and stiffness from the varied joints but additionally aids in sustaining and correcting your posture. The cow face pose may also enhance your digestive system and blood circulation.

Beneath are some advantages of working towards the cow face pose.

• The backward positioning of the arms broadens the chest thus growing the area for the lungs to broaden freely and enhancing its capability.
• Cow face place stretches the muscular tissues within the ankles, knees, chest, and shoulders, strengthening them in addition to enhancing basic physique posture.
• Virtually all physique joints are getting used all through the asana, which boosts blood circulation and ensures the physique receives extra blood and vitamin.
• 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 the improved frequency of urination.
• Enhancing kidney perform additionally helps stop kidney illnesses akin to sort 2 diabetes, kidney stones, and so forth.
• It’s a helpful pose for athletes as it should stretch and strengthen the hamstrings, quads, calves, ankles, knees, and hips by enhancing blood circulation to the muscular tissues of those physique areas.
• It retains the decrease half organs wholesome and cures sexual illnesses.
• It may possibly stop sciatica by stretching and lengthening the backbone, particularly the decrease backbone.
• Deep belly stretching additionally burns extra fats within the stomach space whereas firming the whole physique.
• Diaphragmic respiratory will increase blood circulation within the chest and retains allergy symptoms and illnesses at bay.
• By lengthening the backbone, this pose permits for a wholesome circulation of prana and blood to the mind. This additional promotes a peaceful and relaxed thoughts by lowering concern, stress, and anxiousness.

Conclusion

The Cow Face Pose is an important pose for hip opening. Your physique will overcome the unfavorable results of stress, concern, and anxiousness should you sit on this pose for a number of minutes whereas focusing in your breath and releasing these deep muscular tissues. 

Due to the sturdy emphasis on backbone carry, it should additionally improve your posture. It efficiently nourishes your physique, can enhance your bodily and emotional well-being and may enhance your temper, and produce in additional optimism.