Advantages of Kukkutasana (Cockerel Pose) and The best way to Do it By Dr. Ankit Sankhe

Introduction: 

Yoga is standard all through the globe and rightly so! Yoga will be achieved by individuals of all ages and sexes. No costly train tools or fancy sportswear is required for one to begin working towards Yoga. You simply should put on comfy garments, roll out your yoga mat and get going! That’s what provides to its common acceptance. 

Yoga can be utilized as a safety measure to take care of well being and in addition as a type of remedy for a lot of illnesses. In truth, it is without doubt one of the handiest drug-free programs of remedy on the earth. Common observe of asanas provides advantages past simply the bodily physique. It helps an individual emotionally and spiritually too.^1,2 

Kukkutasana is one such yoga asana that imparts a number of advantages. 

What’s Kukkutasana?  

Kukkutasana, additionally known as the cock or cockerel pose, is a well-liked yoga asana the place the ultimate posture resembles the form of a cock. The phrase Kukkutasana is derived by becoming a member of two Sanskrit phrases, Kukkut which means cock or rooster and Asana which suggests posture.  

In Kukkutasana pose, the hip joint is bent and turned outwards, knees are bent and face in the direction of the outer aspect, ankles are bent downwards and the ft are inverted. The again is stored straight besides on the area of the neck the place slight curve varieties because the neck is bent ahead. The shoulder joint is straightened absolutely and stored near the physique whereas the elbows are internally rotated. Padmasana is the preparatory pose for this asana. 

Within the e-book ‘Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha’, which is globally thought of to be one of the crucial organized books on Hatha Yoga, Kukkutasana is categorised beneath the ‘Padmasana group of asanas’ because the preparatory pose for Kukkutasana is Padmasana. This asana has so many advantages that the traditional Yogis have described working towards the Cock posture to be rather more advantageous than the observe of consuming a Cock!^2,3 

The best way to do it? 

To acquire the utmost well being profit from any asana, it have to be carried out in a scientific stepwise method. The identical applies to Kukkutasana as effectively. The steps to do Kukkutasana are as follows:² 

• Put on comfy garments and sit in your mat. 
• Assume the Padmasana posture (a easy cross-legged sitting posture the place the again of the foot of 1 leg rests on the thighs of the opposite leg). 
• Now, on all sides, insert your arms by means of your legs, between the thighs and calves from close to the knees. 
• Slowly preserve pushing your arms by means of the legs till you attain the elbows. 
• Your palms ought to be stored firmly on the bottom with all of your fingers pointing to the entrance. 
• Preserve your neck straight and repair your eyes on some extent straight forward of you. 
• Now inhale deeply and slowly elevate your physique away from the ground, balancing your whole weight on the arms. 
• Be certain that your again is straight. 
• Concentrate on the contraction of the perineum (the fragile space between your genitals and anus), the power of your higher limbs and respiratory. 
• That is the ultimate place and you may maintain this place for nevertheless lengthy you need as per your consolation stage. Breathe usually on this place. 
• Whenever you wish to launch the place, breathe out and slowly decrease down your physique to the ground first after which take out your arms from between your calves and thighs. Calm down in Sukhasana pose (a cushty cross legged sitting posture).^2,3 

Do You Know? 

Listed here are some attention-grabbing trivia about Kukkutasana which make for an attention-grabbing learn: 

• Kukkutasana finds a point out within the Gheranda Samhita (a classical treatise on Yoga courting again to round 1650 CE), written by Gherand. It’s listed as considered one of 32 yogic asanas which might be helpful to the human race.^2,4 
• Aside from the Gherand Samhita, the steps for Kukkutasana are talked about in a number of basic Yoga texts between the 6^th and 15^th century AD, just like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swatmarama and the Hatharatnavali by Srinivasabhatta Mahayogindra.^2,4 

Advantages of Kukkutasana: 

Kukkutasana is alleged to be an asana that has helpful results for the bodily physique in addition to for the spirit. Among the potential advantages of Kukkutasana are: 

1. Advantages of Kukkutasana for Higher limbs:  

It’s mentioned to assist take away extra fats from the arms. Practising this asana frequently might assist strengthen the arms, forearms, shoulders and elbows. It’s mentioned to particularly assist these affected by crooked arms and cramps and trembling of arms. Because the whole physique weight is taken on the arms, this asana might probably enhance the blood circulation within the arms and assist tone the biceps and triceps. It might additionally assist in stretching the higher limb muscle mass particularly the flexor ulnaris muscle, which helps in bending the wrist.² 

Whereas the observe of Kukkutasana helps enhance higher limb power, one should not rely on this asana alone to enhance the ability of the arms and arms. For those who endure from weak point of the higher extremities, please seek the advice of your physician for it. 

2. Advantages of Kukkutasana for Chest:  

Working towards this asana is believed to elevated blood movement to the chest that helps stretch, strengthen and tone the chest muscle mass. In flip, this may occasionally assist in the optimum supply of vitamins to them, thus serving to them develop in measurement. These having a slim and weak chest, would possibly thus profit from practising Kukkutasana frequently.² 

Whereas this yoga asana might profit these with weak and slim chests, it’s advisable to seek the advice of your medical practitioner in case you are having weak point of the chest area. Don’t depend on Kukkutasana alone for a similar. 

3. Advantages of Kukkutasana for the Legs:  

The muscle mass of the entrance and the interior aspect of the thigh assist straighten the knee joint whereas these on the entrance aspect of the legs assist in bending the ankle upwards and straightening the toes. All these muscle mass get stretched whereas performing this asana. The muscle chargeable for folding the toes (second to fifth toes) additionally will get stretched. That is believed to assist in the unrestricted blood movement to those elements, thus strengthening and firming them. Working towards this asana additionally helps in stress-free the decrease limbs.² 

Although Kukkutasana is believed to be useful for strengthening numerous muscle mass of the decrease limb, it’s endorsed that you just seek the advice of a health care provider in case you are affected by weak point of legs. 

4. Different advantages of Kukkutasana: 

• It might assist overcome lethargy, sleepiness and fatigue. 
• It might carry a couple of sense of stability and stability within the individual. 
• It might agency up the complete physique. 
• It’s mentioned to cleanse the intestines and assist treatment constipation (malabaddata) and different ailments affecting the bowels. 
• It might assist do away with decrease stomach fats by dissolving the fats depositions. 
• It might be helpful in clearing up the urethra, lowering urinary troubles and curing circumstances affecting the urinary tract. 
• It might be assist cut back the buildup of extra phlegm within the respiratory tract. 
• It might be useful in activating the Mooladhara Chakra to clear the bodily, psychological and psychological blocks.^2,5 

Whereas the observe of Yoga could also be helpful for bodily, psychological and religious growth, one should not rely on Yoga alone to treatment any medical situation. In case you are affected by any illness situation, please seek the advice of a professional medical practitioner who will be capable of look at you and advise applicable remedy. Furthermore, yoga have to be discovered and practiced beneath the supervision of an skilled yoga trainer to keep away from any accidents. 

Dangers of Train 

Some contraindications associated to Kukkutasana are: 

• It shouldn’t be practised by these affected by hypertension and coronary heart circumstances as it’s a very strenuous train that will increase the blood movement to the organs. 
• Sufferers affected by hernia of any variety mustn’t practise this asana. 
• Those that have knee accidents, weak point within the knees or sciatica (ache alongside the sciatic nerve extending from the decrease again to the again of the knee), should not practise Kukkutasana because it stretches the muscle mass of the knee.   
• Pregnant ladies should not practise Kukkutasana because the Padmasana posture assumed in the course of the starting of Kukkutasana reduces blood circulation within the legs which can have dangerous results. 
• These having points with again ache mustn’t practise this asana till their physician suggests so.³ 

Some precautions that have to be taken whereas working towards Kukkutasana are as follows:  

• These with extra fats depositions on the legs and arms might discover this asana tough to carry out and should practise solely beneath supervision of an knowledgeable. 
• These with extra hair on their legs would possibly expertise ache whereas attempting to insert the arms between the calves and thighs. Making use of oil to the legs will assist overcome this drawback. 
• Kukkutasana ought to be practised by solely these people who find themselves in a position to sit in Padmasana simply with out straining the knees. For those who expertise issue in sitting within the Padmasana pose, don’t attempt to try Kukkutasana.³ 
• Kukkutasana, if achieved incorrectly brings in regards to the danger of ligament tears particularly these of the wrist joint.² Therefore it have to be practised with warning. 

Kukkutasana, like all asana, have to be achieved beneath the steering of a skilled and certified Yoga knowledgeable, who can assess your danger elements and enable you to observe it with applicable precaution. 

Conclusion  

Kukkutasana or cock/cockerel/rooster pose is a full physique asana that helps one bodily in addition to spiritually. It has many advantages for the arms, arms, legs and thighs. Its common observe can be mentioned to assist an individual attain greater ranges of consciousness. One should observe this asana frequently, ideally beneath the steering of a skilled Yoga trainer, to keep away from any accidents. 

Ceaselessly Requested Questions 

References: 

1. Jadoun DS, Gangwal DJ, Yadav DSK. Anatomical Exploration of “Kukkutasana” Worldwide  

Journal of Pattern in Scientific Analysis and Growth [Internet]. 2019Aug;3(5,). Out there from: https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.internet/60494048/450_Anatomical_Exploration_of_Kukkutasana20190905-51555-1cbqyg7-with-cover-page-v2.pdf 

2. Yoga: A wholesome way of life [Internet]. Ncert.nic.in. 2015 [cited 2 November 2022].  

Out there from: https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/publication/otherpublications/tiyhwlups1.pdf 

3. Saraswati S. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha [Internet]. Ia804508.us.archive.org. 2022  

[cited 2 November 2022]. Out there from: https://ia804508.us.archive.org/31/objects/aaa_20210704/aaa.pdf 

Disclaimer: The data included at this website is for instructional functions solely and isn’t supposed to be an alternative choice to medical remedy by a healthcare skilled. Due to distinctive particular person wants, the reader ought to seek the advice of their doctor to find out the appropriateness of the data for the reader’s scenario.