- Category
- Seated
- Level
- intermediate
- Hold
- 5–8 breaths per side
- Type
- Asana
- Breath
- Steady breathing; exhale to soften the shoulders
Cow Face Pose
Gomukhasana — "cow face posture"
Knees stacked one over the other, one arm reaching over the shoulder and the other up the back to clasp. It stretches hips and shoulders at once, and almost nobody's hands meet on both sides — that's what straps are for.
Step by step
- 1Sit and cross your right knee directly over your left, sliding your feet toward opposite hips.
- 2Sit evenly on both sitting bones — use a blanket underneath if you tilt.
- 3Reach your right arm up, bend the elbow, and drop your hand behind your neck.
- 4Sweep your left arm behind your lower back, forearm creeping up your spine.
- 5Clasp your fingers if they meet, or hold a strap between your hands.
- 6Lift your chest and keep your head pressing lightly back into your arm.
- 7Release and repeat with the left knee and left arm on top.
Benefits
- ✓ Deeply stretches the outer hips and glutes
- ✓ Opens the shoulders, triceps, and chest
- ✓ Reveals and gradually evens out left–right differences
- ✓ Stretches areas that everyday movement rarely reaches
Make it yours
- · Hold a strap between the two hands — the standard version for most bodies.
- · Sit on a folded blanket or block to level the pelvis.
- · Keep the bottom leg extended straight if stacking the knees is uncomfortable.
Take care
- Sit on extra height or keep the bottom leg straight if your knees complain about the stack.
- Use a strap rather than straining the shoulders toward a clasp.
This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.
Practiced in
Props that help here
- Cork blocks (set of 2) — Bring the floor closer in lunges, folds, and triangle — and a block between the shoulder blades turns a backbend into something you can hold. find one
- 8-foot cotton strap — Extends your reach in hamstring and shoulder work — the honest substitute for grabbing a foot you can't yet reach. Get 8ft, not 6ft. find one
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