Bujangasana - Practical Assessment

Final assessment for the Yoga Teacher's Training course. Practical assessment. Originally, the idea was to form groups of 5-6 students and collectively put together a sequence where each student explains and demonstrates a pose. That was the plan pre-covid, unfortunately since fitness studios and yoga studios have been forced to close in Hong Kong, everything has been moved online with the option to complete the course online. The change in format meant that each student had 5-10 mins to present their selected pose for assessment. My pose was Cobra, or Bujangasana (sequence below).

Anatomically Cobra is a backward bend posture moving against gravity. Good for relieving back pain and promoting good posture. With most backward bend poses the Physical benefits include:  

• Expansion of the pectoral muscles and the chest

• Strengthening the back muscles around the erector spinae

• Improving mobility in the spine, specifically extension in the cervical and lumbar

• Stability in the shoulders and arms

• Massage the abdomen and the pelvic organs

 

Contraindications include: People with back problems, slipped discs, lower back/lumbar lordosis, or those heavily pregnant women should avoid Cobra pose.

 

Provide demonstration - how to do, how not to do.

 

Looks easy but can be taxing on the back and shoulders. Warm-up sequence:

• Cat-cow - loosen up the back - inhale = look up, exhale = look down, relax abs - focus on moving through each vertebrae (3x rounds)

• Sphinx - cat and cow - more focus on shoulders and upper back (3x rounds)

• Sphinx - stretch hips and shoulders

 

Let’s do Cobra; Step-by-step approach:

• Begin in a prone position - hands on either side of your ribs.

• Explanation of leg position: together = harder, wider = easier

• Explanation of hand position: closer to pelvis = harder

• Exhale, as you inhale:

1. Push feet into ground and use your back muscles to lift up your chest.

2. Press gently through your hands and lift up ensuring your pelvis is still on the ground.

3. Keep elbows in.

4. Exhale. Pull the chest forward as you keep shoulders back and down - expand collar bones.

5. Keep the abdomen and glutes relaxed, no tension in the lower back - you might feel some tension in your arms. 

6. Slowly look up, extend your neck to lengthen the cervical spine. Breathe normally - 5 seconds, lower back down.

7. Inhale, back up. Here the back is firing! Explanation of back focus: Extension through the lumbar and strength in the lats, rhomboid and trapezius.

8. Variation: Look over your left shoulder, look over your right shoulder - feel stretch in the neck. Breath normally - 10 secs, lower back down.

 

Neutralising movements and a counterpose:

• Roll over onto your back - Rock and roll over the whole spine (3x); sit up.

• Seated fold - hunch the back, breathe into the back (3 deep breaths).

• Seated twist - Exhale and twist, focus on shoulders and twisting through thoracic, extending through lumbar and cervical spine (3 deep breaths either side).

Feedback: Don't use words like "Basic" or "simple" as it may discourage practitioners. Important to adequately warm up hip flexors for backwards bends. Good explanation of anatomy and pose.