Variations on Cobra Pose (revisited)

My previous post on Cobra Pose was accidentally deleted! Sorry!

I mentioned a few variations, including the following:
1. Enter the posture with your hands along side your body, using just your core strength.
2. Enter the posture with your palms resting on the backs of your thighs.
3. Enter the posture the regular way, and slowly look over one shoulder and then the other, adding a twist.
4. Enter the posture the regular way, and raise your extended R arm and L leg; repeat on the opposite side.
5. If your back is particularly stiff, only go so far as Sphinx Pose, with forearms resting on the floor, elbows under the shoulders.Press forearms into floor, and don't let your chest sag.

Avoid throwing your head back and compressing the back of the neck; the entire spine should be in one long curve from tail bone to head. The eyes are to gaze upward toward the 3rd eye point between the eyebrows. This is where students make the mistake of throwing the head back when a teacher says "Gaze upward."

Never force the chest up by pressing the hands into the floor. Use core strength to lift, and use the hands just to balance in place.

Counterpose Cobra with Child Pose, or on the back with knees drawn to the chest (Upward Child).

If you have learned to do Kapalabhati breathing properly, you can use this to make a long hold in the pose easier.