Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana)

Steps

Lie on your belly. Legs long.
Bring the elbows under the shoulders, forearms parallel.
Press the forearms down and lift the chest just enough to feel long, not pinched.
Keep the neck long. Lower down and rest a cheek to one side.

What this pose may help with

These lines describe why people practice the shape. A pose may help with ordinary stiffness or with settling your attention. They are not claims that the pose treats or cures a condition.

A gentle extension after sitting or after forward folds.
Easier on the wrists than Cobra for some people.
Strengthens the back when the lift is active, not a collapse into the shoulders.

Common mistakes

Elbows far ahead of the shoulders so you hang.
Clenching the glutes and pinching the lower back.
Looking up.

Modifications

Slide the elbows forward to make the bend smaller.
A blanket under the pelvis if the lower back is sensitive.

Practicing Sphinx Pose at home

Sphinx Pose is a simple belly-down backbend that can fit well into a slow morning, a break after sitting, or the middle of a gentle floor practice after forward folds. The shape is modest, but the work is real. Press your forearms into the mat and let that action help your chest broaden forward. Many people find it works best when the front of the body feels open and the back of the neck stays long, rather than trying to lift high. Keep your gaze slightly ahead on the floor so your throat stays easy.

What you’re looking for is length through the spine, not a hard bend in one small spot. If your lower back feels crowded, slide your elbows a little farther forward to soften the shape, or place a folded blanket under your pelvis. Let your legs stay long without gripping your seat. If you notice your shoulders creeping up or your elbows drifting too far ahead so you sink between them, reset and press down evenly through both forearms. Take a few slow breaths through the nose if that’s comfortable, then lower and rest your cheek to one side. It’s working for you when your chest feels lightly lifted, your breath stays steady, and nothing feels pinched.

Safety

Back pain that worsens in extension: come down.
Pregnancy: skip belly-down poses when they are uncomfortable.
Recent abdominal surgery: wait for clearance.

If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.

Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana, said sah-LOM-bah boo-jang-GAHS-uh-nuh) is listed here as a Beginner Prone pose. The body area it emphasizes is Back. On your belly, propped on the forearms. A small, supported backbend.

Read the steps in order. Set the pose up before you try to deepen it. The first mistake called out on this page is: Elbows far ahead of the shoulders so you hang. That line is there because the usual error is doing too much, not because a tighter shape is a better practice. The modifications keep the same idea when the full shape does not fit today. Use them on purpose. They are part of the pose, not a demotion.

People practice Sphinx Pose for a plain reason: A gentle extension after sitting or after forward folds. That “may help” is a description of why the shape is in a beginner library. It is not a claim that the pose treats, cures, or prevents a condition. Back pain that worsens in extension: come down.

If you are pregnant, returning from an injury, or your back has been painful, consult a doctor before you practice Sphinx Pose. A safety note on a website is education. It is not clearance. Sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or pain that runs down a leg is a reason to stop and get care, not a reason to hold the shape longer. The medical disclaimer on this site says the same thing in more detail.

When you are done, come out slowly. One calm repetition you can repeat tomorrow is the point of the page. Pair Sphinx Pose with a short routine from this site if you want a sequence, and keep the timer as a guide you are allowed to pause.

Routines that use this pose

Sphinx Pose: common questions

Where should my elbows be in Sphinx Pose?

Place your elbows under your shoulders so your forearms can support the lift. If the shape feels too strong, moving the elbows a little forward can make the backbend smaller. What matters most is that you feel long and supported, not like you’re hanging in your shoulders.

Why does Sphinx Pose pinch my lower back?

A pinching feeling usually means the bend is too deep for today or you’re tightening your seat and dropping into the low back. Try sliding the elbows forward, pressing down through the forearms, and keeping the neck long. A folded blanket under the pelvis may also make the pose feel more settled.

Is Sphinx Pose easier than Cobra Pose?

Many beginners find Sphinx easier because the forearms are on the floor, so the wrists do less work and the lift tends to be smaller. It can still be active. Press the forearms down and gently draw the chest forward so the shape feels supported instead of collapsed.