How To Do Kukkutasana - Cockerel Pose: Benefits, Steps & Precautions

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May 19, 2022

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Kukkutasana is one of the most challenging yoga postures that can work excellently in strengthening your arms and core muscles. To perform this yoga, you require a great deal of strength and body stability.

In case you are planning to perform Kukkutasana, this article is for you. We have gathered plenty of details – from Kukkutasana’s meaning and steps to the benefits and precautions. Keep reading to know it all.

What is Kukkutasana?

Let’s begin with the basics. As mentioned already, this is a tough pose and hence should be performed by yoga enthusiasts who have advanced level strength. The pose belongs to the Padmasana group.

The work Kukkutasana is derived from the Sanskrit language. It is made from two words – ‘Kukkuta’ and ‘asana’ wherein Kukkuta means cockerel or rooster while asana means the posture or pose. This is why, Kukkutasana Meaning in English is Cockerel Pose, or Rooster Posture. When you perform this pose, your body’s posture looks like a cockerel; and hence the name. Yoga has many other poses that are based on animals’ names such as Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Hamsasana(Swan Pose), and Cat Pose (Marjaryasana), etc.,

If you trace the history of Kukkutasana yoga, you will find that it has been mentioned in the ancient texts that date back to 7^th century. It is mentioned in Thirumanthiram, Ahirbudhnya Samhita, and Vasista Samhita as well. Furthermore, this posture is also a part of Kundalini and Tantra yoga practices.

Kukkutasana Benefits

Here are some of the most coveted benefits of Kukkutasana:

Strengthens your arms and wrists by improving blood and oxygen flow
Helps in improving body’s flexibility and posture
Stretches legs and hips
Helps in awakening Kundalini energy
Alleviates back pain by stretching the spine and lower back
Develops a deep sense of balance and stability
Reduces menstrual cramps
Stimulates digestive system by massaging the abdominal organs
Massages adrenal glands; thereby, helping in boosting metabolism and immune system
Helps in burning extra belly fat by generating heat in the body
Induces good sleep and lowers stress

How To Do Kukkutasana

Since Kukkutasana yoga pose is an advanced one, it requires specific skills and strength. If you wish to master this pose, you need to prepare your body first. For this, you can practice the following poses:

Sukhasana or Easy Pose
Padmasana or Lotus Pose
Tolasana or Scale Pose

Once you have an excellent hold in the preparatory poses, you can gradually move to Kukkutasana. Here are the Kukkutasana steps you can follow to perform the pose. Read them carefully:

First, sit on the yoga mat and perform the Padmasana pose (The Lotus Pose). Keep your spine straight and ensure proper breathing.
Now, bring yours forward and insert them in the gap between your thighs and calf muscles. Keep your fingers open and place the places on the ground below your body.
Take a deep breath and try to lift your body upwards by pressing your palms into the floor.
Maintain the body’s balance so that your total body weight is on both palms.
Hold this pose and keep breathing.
To return to the initial position, slowly lower your body and then stretch your legs forward. Relax and take deep breaths.
Repeat the pose. It is suggested that you should perform Kukkutasana pose for at least 5 minutes to get the best results.

In the beginning, you can hold the Kukkutasana yoga pose for a few seconds. You may also experience pain in your legs, hip, thigh, shoulder, abdomen, and knee. However, with time, you can develop strength and flexibility. Just make sure that you practice this asana on a regular basis whether you do it for your yoga classes or home workouts.

Kukkutasana Variations:

Based on your practice and expertise, you can also challenge your body and try the following variations of Kukkutasana:

Garbha Pindasana: Also known as the ‘Embryo in Womb Pose’, this is a rolling variation wherein your body weight is on your hips. Your palms, on the other hand, are joined together and tucked under your chin.
Urdhva Kukkutasana: Also known as the Upward Rooster Pose, Urdhva Kukkutasana is also done to improve stability and strength. Urdhva Kukkutasana steps are quite similar to Kukkutasana with the only difference being that the hands are not inserted between the thighs and calves but placed on the sides of thighs to lift the body.
Parsva Kukkutasana: This one is also an advanced posture. In this pose, you have to hold your legs in Padmasana on one elbow only. This is why it is known as Parsva Kukkutasana or Side Cockerel pose.

Precautions

Knowing Kukkutasana precautions and safety tips is one of the best ways to avoid injuries and any complications. Some of them are as follows:

Do not hold the pose for longer times as it can strain the muscles. Understand your body’s limits and respect that.
Do not add this pose in yoga for beginners as it can lead to injury. In case you have never done it before, always perform it under an expert’s supervision.
Make sure that you keep the spine erect while performing this pose.
Do not eat heavy meals before the Kukkutasana yoga pose.
Those who have sciatica pain or any lower back pain should refrain from performing Kukkutasana.
People with knee injuries and conditions like osteoporosis, hernia, prolapse, gastric ulcers, and high blood pressure should also avoid this yoga.
Pregnant women must not perform Kukkutasana.

Conclusion

Yoga is a great way to make your body stronger and healthy for the years to come. It also impacts your mental health positively. Yoga poses like Kukkutasana is especially quite beneficial in the sense that they give you incredible strength and stability. Try to master this pose and we are sure you will feel a new sense of confidence and strength.

We would suggest you to learn the pose from a yoga expert to reap the best benefits. If going to a gym or yoga studio is not possible, you can also take online yoga classes and advance yourself in this ancient method. Just be consistent and patient.

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