Cow face pose (Gomukhasana in Sanskrit) is a seated pose that opens the hips and relaxes the mind and body.
There are several benefits of cow face pose. The pose stretches the hips, shoulders, thighs, chest, ankles and triceps. If you have pain in the knees as a result of running, this pose can help relieve pain from the knees and lower back.
To move into cow face pose, begin seated on your mat with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend the right knee and move the leg so that the heel of the foot is slightly to the side of the left hip and the foot is resting on the mat with the heel toward the body and the toes facing out to the side.
Take the bent left knee and bring it on top of the right knee. Bend the left leg so the foot is next to the right side of the body. The knees will be stacked and you will be sitting on both sit bones flat on the mat. Don’t lean to the right or the left, but try to maintain a straight spine.
Once the legs are in position, you will move the arms by raising the left arm above your head and bending the elbow and reaching down your back. Take the right arm and move it around to touch your back. Reach the right hand up toward the left hand, which is moving down your back from your shoulder.
The goal is to reach the left hand to the right hand and clasp the hands together. If your hands won’t reach comfortably, a strap should be used. While in the pose, keep both sides of the body lengthened to maintain a broad chest and good posture. You will hold this pose for a few minutes and gradually move out of the pose before repeating the movements on the other side of the body.
This asana can be modified, as needed, to suit the individual level of flexibility. If sitting on both sit bones is uncomfortable, you can sit on a wedge or folded blanket to raise the sit bones. A strap or rolled towel can be used to help reach the two hands together behind your back, if needed. If you feel discomfort in the knees, you can sit in a simple cross legged position and still gain benefits from cow face pose.