The Baby Cobra encourages spinal mobility in the upper back.
Starting Position
• Lie on your front with your forehead on the mat. For those of you who are tight in the low back, you will feel more comfortable with a small cushion under your pelvis.
• Legs are long and straight, slightly wider than hip width apart, and turned out from the hips. Arms are bent, hands and forearms on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and think of your thumbs as being roughly in line with your nose. Shoulders relaxed and think imaginary marble under your nose.
Action
• As you breathe in, roll your imaginary marble away with your nose, start to lift first your head and then your chest away from the mat, the lower ribs remain in contact with the mat. Keep your eye level down or look straight ahead.
• As you breathe out, really lengthen the spine as you start to return down to your starting position.
Tips
• Keep the lower ribs in contact with the mat so that you don’t come up too high.
• Keep the shoulders down and relaxed.
• Try and keep the pressure out of the arms, feel your back muscles working.
• Keep your abdominals slightly connected throughout.