How to perform Cobra Pose the right way and increase your height

As I explain in this post, Cobra pose (Bhujangasana) is a backbend. Backbends are important in a stretching routine for height increase. They are also the most demanding type of stretches, and if you don't perform them correctly you might injure yourself.

This is the right way of doing Cobra: 

• Lie on your stomach with your body completely stretched 
• Firmly press the legs (thighs and tops of the feet) and the pubis into the floor.
• As you inhale start lifting your chest by straightening the arms. Always keep the shoulders away from the neck (don't shrug). 
• Lift from the lower abdomen, and never stretch the arms fully, that will only hurt your lower back.
• Hips, thighs and knees should stay on the ground.
• Keep the back of the neck long and your legs active as you continue to broaden your collar bones and roll your shoulders back and down.
• Hold the pose 10 seconds if you're a beginner. In time you should work your way up to 30 seconds. 
• Breath easily. On an exhalation release your torso down to the starting position. 

Yoga pose performed correctly, shoulders down and pelvis on the floor 

Here we have celebrity Kate Hudson performing Cobra pose the wrong way. She's shrugging her shoulders and lifting her pelvis up.