The cow face pose is also known as Gomukhasana in Sanskrit. It helps to enhance the flexibility of your legs and arms. It might take a little time for the beginners to master the pose, but it can be mastered with regular practice.

How To Perform The Pose

1. Step 1 – Be seated in Dandasana and then bend your knees while putting your feet on the ground. Slide your left foot beneath your right-leg knee toward the outer portion of the right-side hip. Now, cross your right-side leg over your other leg. Now gradually stack your right-side knee on the left one while bringing the right foot toward the outer side of your left-side hip. Try bringing your heels at equal distance from your hips. Having your right leg above, you will require tugging the right heel close to the left-side hip. Be evenly seated on your hip bones.
2. Step 2 – While inhaling, stretch your right arm and keep it at 180 degrees to the ground. Rotate your arm toward the inside – first, your thumb will face the ground, pointing to the wall standing behind, with your palm showing towards the roof. This particular movement will round the upper back and roll the right-hand shoulder slightly forward and upward. While exhaling, take your hand behind your torso and tuck your forearm in your lower back’s hollow, which will be parallel to your waist, having your right elbow against your torso’s right side. Roll down and back your shoulder while working up your forearm until it is brought parallel to your spine. Your hand’s back will be flanked by the shoulder blades. Make sure that your right elbow does not slip away from your torso’s right side.
3. Step 3 – While inhaling, stretch your left hand in 180 degrees such that it points towards the opposite sidewall so that it stays at 90 degrees to the ground. Keep your palm up facing the roof and, with inhalation, stretch your hands towards the roof with the palm facing back. Now, lift with the help of your left hand and, with a gradual exhalation, reach for your left arm by bending your elbow. Try to hook both your hand’s fingers.
4. Step 4 – Raise your left-hand elbow upwards and, from your armpit’s back, descend your right-hand elbow towards the ground. Against your back, firm your shoulder blades and gradually lift your chest. Try keeping your left arm close to your head’s left side. 
5. Step 5 – Maintain the posture for about a minute. Now, release your hands, release your legs, and repeat the pose with reversed limbs. 

Benefits

It helps to stretch your hips, armpits, chest, ankles, shoulders, and thighs.

Mistakes And Contradictions

If you are suffering from some severe shoulder or neck injury, then avoid practicing this pose.

How To Perform The Pose Perfectly

In order to perform the pose, you must gradually follow the steps one after the other. To have your sitting bone lifted adequately off the ground, you can use a neatly folded blanket.