Snake Pose (Sarpasana)

Snake Pose is a gentle prone backbend in which the hands are clasped behind the back and the chest lifts away from the mat, creating a mild but effective opening through the front body. It gently strengthens the spinal extensors and upper back while stretching the chest, shoulders, and abdomen — making it an accessible introduction to backbends for newer practitioners. The interlaced hands amplify the shoulder-opening effect and encourage the heart to lift forward rather than simply up.

Cues

• Interlace your fingers behind your back and straighten your arms before you lift, drawing the shoulder blades together and down away from the ears.
• On your inhale, lift the chest forward and up rather than cranking the head back — keep a long, soft neck.
• Press the tops of your feet evenly into the mat to stabilize the pelvis and protect the lower back.
• With each exhale, find a little more space across the collarbones without forcing the height of the lift.