Gomukhasana

Sanskrit:

Go - A cow
Mukha - The face

Cow-Faced Pose

Benefits:

• Opens the shoulders, triceps, underarms, and chest in the upper body.
• The hips, thighs and ankles in the lower body are also given a deep stretch.
  

Contraindications:

• Injuries in the shoulders, ankles and knees may make this a difficult pose. It may still be possible, with modification.
  

Modifications:

• If the fingers cannot be clasped a strap should be used for the hands to hold on to.
  
• If the sit bones do not reach the ground or are on the ground unevenly use a blanket to provide support.
  
• Doing just the arms of Gomukhasana provides an excellent shoulder stretch and opens the chest for beginners or those yogis & yoginis who cannot fully practice the part of this pose for the legs and hips.