{"id":971,"date":"2026-05-20T13:11:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nadyoga.org\/blog\/?p=971"},"modified":"2026-05-20T13:11:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:41:47","slug":"sarpasana-snake-pose-a-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nadyoga.org\/blog\/sarpasana-snake-pose-a-complete-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarpasana (Snake Pose): A Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sarpasana<\/strong> (\u0938\u0930\u094d\u092a\u093e\u0938\u0928), literally \u201cSnake Pose,\u201d is a prone backbend in which you interlace the fingers behind the pelvis and lift the chest without using the hands for support. It appears in the Bihar School of Yoga\u2019s manual Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha<\/em> (APMB) and is grouped among the classic backward-bending asanas. Traditionally, it\u2019s said to share most benefits with Bhujangasana<\/strong> <\/a>(Cobra) but emphasizes upper-back strength and postural opening (rounded shoulders) even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also see \u201cSarpasana\u201d used historically as a name in older sources that discuss cobra-like backbends, reflecting the long association between snakes\/serpents and these poses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to Do Sarpasana (Step by Step)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Set up<\/strong>
    Lie prone with the legs straight and together, tops of feet down. Interlock the fingers<\/strong> and place the hands on top of the buttocks; rest the chin<\/strong> on the floor. (Starting position.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Create your base<\/strong>
    Gently press the tops of the feet and pubic bone down to anchor the pelvis. Reach long through the toes and crown.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Lift the chest<\/strong>
    Using back muscles rather than the arms<\/strong>, lift the chest as far as is comfortable. As you rise, reach the interlaced hands back<\/strong> and lift them away from the body, drawing the shoulder blades toward each other. Keep the legs grounded.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Organize the shoulders & neck<\/strong>
    Squeeze the shoulder blades together and down<\/strong> to broaden the chest; keep the back of the neck long, gaze forward. (Avoid crunching the back of the neck.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Breathe & hold<\/strong>
    Hold the final position briefly and comfortably<\/strong>. Classic APMB cues suggest inhaling before the lift, retaining<\/strong> during the lift\/hold, and exhaling to lower; many modern teachers prefer easy breathing throughout\u2014choose what\u2019s safest for you. Lower slowly and rest prone. Practice up to 3\u20135 rounds<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Beginner help:<\/strong> If clasping the hands is hard, hold a strap<\/strong> behind you, or keep the hands on the sacrum rather than lifting the arms high. A small bolster under the lower ribs<\/strong> can make breathing easier in the shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Benefits (what practitioners commonly experience)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n