Benefits of Kukkutasana (Cockerel Pose) and How to Do it By Dr. Ankit Sankhe

Introduction

Yoga is popular throughout the globe and rightly so! Yoga can be done by people of all ages and sexes. No expensive exercise equipment or fancy sportswear is required for one to start practicing Yoga. You just have to wear comfortable clothes, roll out your yoga mat and get going! That’s what adds to its universal acceptance. 

Yoga can be used as a preventive measure to maintain health and also as a form of treatment for many ailments. In fact, it is one of the most effective drug-free systems of treatment in the world. Regular practice of asanas gives benefits beyond just the physical body. It helps a person emotionally and spiritually too.^1,2 

Kukkutasana is one such yoga asana that imparts multiple benefits. 

What Is Kukkutasana?

Kukkutasana, also called the cock or cockerel pose, is a popular yoga asana where the final posture resembles the shape of a cock. The word Kukkutasana is derived by joining two Sanskrit words, Kukkut meaning cock or rooster and Asana which means posture.  

In Kukkutasana pose, the hip joint is bent and turned outwards, knees are bent and face towards the outer side, ankles are bent downwards and the feet are inverted. The back is kept straight except at the region of the neck where slight curve forms as the neck is bent forward. The shoulder joint is straightened fully and kept close to the body while the elbows are internally rotated. Padmasana is the preparatory pose for this asana. 

In the book ‘Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha’, which is globally considered to be one of the most organized books on Hatha Yoga, Kukkutasana is categorised under the ‘Padmasana group of asanas’ as the preparatory pose for Kukkutasana is Padmasana. This asana has so many benefits that the ancient Yogis have described practicing the Cock posture to be much more advantageous than the practice of eating a Cock!^2,3 

How To Do It?

To obtain the maximum health benefit from any asana, it must be performed in a systematic stepwise manner. The same applies to Kukkutasana as well. The steps to do Kukkutasana are as follows:² 

• Wear comfortable clothes and sit on your mat. 
• Assume the Padmasana posture (a simple cross-legged sitting posture where the back of the foot of one leg rests on the thighs of the other leg). 
• Now, on each side, insert your hands through your legs, between the thighs and calves from near the knees. 
• Slowly keep pushing your arms through the legs until you reach the elbows. 
• Your palms should be kept firmly on the ground with all your fingers pointing to the front. 
• Keep your neck straight and fix your eyes on a point straight ahead of you. 
• Now inhale deeply and slowly raise your body away from the floor, balancing your entire weight on the hands. 
• Ensure that your back is straight. 
• Focus on the contraction of the perineum (the delicate area between your genitals and anus), the strength of your upper limbs and breathing. 
• This is the final position and you can hold this position for however long you want as per your comfort level. Breathe normally in this position. 
• When you want to release the position, breathe out and slowly lower down your body to the floor first and then take out your arms from between your calves and thighs. Relax in Sukhasana pose (a comfortable cross legged sitting posture).^2,3 

Over 80% of neck difficulties worldwide are due to issues in neck muscles, ligaments, and discs due to improper neck posture and regular neck mishaps. Researchers have found that regular practice of Kukkutasana, along with other yoga asanas, may relieve neck pain. Kukkutasana is believed to create the feeling of levitation and develop the arm and shoulder muscles.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta,B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Do You Know?

Here are some interesting trivia about Kukkutasana which make for an interesting read: 

• Kukkutasana finds a mention in the Gheranda Samhita (a classical treatise on Yoga dating back to around 1650 CE), written by Gherand. It is listed as one of 32 yogic asanas that are beneficial to the human race.^2,4 
• Apart from the Gherand Samhita, the steps for Kukkutasana are mentioned in several classic Yoga texts between the 6^th and 15^th century AD, like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swatmarama and the Hatharatnavali by Srinivasabhatta Mahayogindra.^2,4 

Benefits Of Kukkutasana:

Kukkutasana is said to be an asana that has beneficial effects for the physical body as well as for the spirit. Some of the potential benefits of Kukkutasana are: 

1. Benefits of Kukkutasana for Upper limbs:  

It is said to help remove excess fat from the arms. Practising this asana regularly may help strengthen the hands, forearms, shoulders and elbows. It is said to especially help those suffering from crooked arms and cramps and trembling of hands. Since the entire body weight is taken on the hands, this asana may potentially increase the blood circulation in the arms and help tone the biceps and triceps. It may also help in stretching the upper limb muscles especially the flexor ulnaris muscle, which helps in bending the wrist.² 

While the practice of Kukkutasana helps improve upper limb strength, one must not depend on this asana alone to improve the power of the arms and hands. If you suffer from weakness of the upper extremities, please consult your doctor for it. 

2. Benefits of Kukkutasana for Chest:  

Practicing this asana is believed to increased blood flow to the chest that helps stretch, strengthen and tone the chest muscles. In turn, this may help in the optimum delivery of nutrients to them, thus helping them grow in size. Those having a narrow and weak chest, might thus benefit from practising Kukkutasana regularly.² 

While this yoga asana may benefit those with weak and narrow chests, it is advisable to consult your medical practitioner if you are having weakness of the chest region. Do not rely on Kukkutasana alone for the same. 

3. Benefits of Kukkutasana for the Legs:  

The muscles of the front and the inner side of the thigh help straighten the knee joint while those on the front side of the legs help in bending the ankle upwards and straightening the toes. All these muscles get stretched while performing this asana. The muscle responsible for folding the toes (second to fifth toes) also gets stretched. This is believed to help in the unrestricted blood flow to these parts, thus strengthening and toning them. Practicing this asana also helps in relaxing the lower limbs.² 

Though Kukkutasana is believed to be helpful for strengthening various muscles of the lower limb, it is recommended that you consult a doctor if you are suffering from weakness of legs. 

Other benefits of Kukkutasana: 

• It may help overcome lethargy, sleepiness and fatigue. 
• It may bring about a sense of balance and stability in the person. 
• It may firm up the entire body. 
• It is said to cleanse the intestines and help cure constipation (malabaddata) and other diseases affecting the bowels. 
• It may help get rid of lower abdominal fat by dissolving the fat depositions. 
• It may be beneficial in clearing up the urethra, reducing urinary troubles and curing conditions affecting the urinary tract. 
• It may be help reduce the accumulation of excess phlegm in the respiratory tract. 
• It may be helpful in activating the Mooladhara Chakra to clear the physical, mental and psychological blocks.^2,5 

While the practice of Yoga may be beneficial for physical, mental and spiritual development, one must not depend on Yoga alone to cure any medical condition. If you are suffering from any disease condition, please consult a qualified medical practitioner who will be able to examine you and advise appropriate treatment. Moreover, yoga must be learned and practiced under the supervision of an experienced yoga teacher to avoid any injuries. 

Researchers have found that a person may lead a path of virtues that is free from social ills and temptations like fraud and deceit by engaging in yogic activities, which offer such mind and body-relieving experiences. Therefore, I strongly recommend the regular practice of yoga asanas like Kukkutasana, Makarasana, and others since they may help people maintain a healthy physical and psychological outlook.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Risks Of Exercise

Some contraindications related to Kukkutasana are: 

• It should not be practised by those suffering from high blood pressure and heart conditions as it is a very strenuous exercise that increases the blood flow to the organs. 
• Patients suffering from hernia of any kind should not practise this asana. 
• Those who have knee injuries, weakness in the knees or sciatica (pain along the sciatic nerve extending from the lower back to the back of the knee), must not practise Kukkutasana as it stretches the muscles of the knee.   
• Pregnant women must not practise Kukkutasana as the Padmasana posture assumed during the beginning of Kukkutasana reduces blood circulation in the legs which may have harmful effects. 
• Those having issues with back pain should not practise this asana until their doctor suggests so.³ 

Some precautions that must be taken while practicing Kukkutasana are as follows:  

• Those with excess fat depositions on the arms and legs may find this asana difficult to perform and must practise only under supervision of an expert. 
• Those with excess hair on their legs might experience pain while trying to insert the hands between the calves and thighs. Applying oil to the legs will help overcome this problem. 
• Kukkutasana should be practised by only those people who are able to sit in Padmasana easily without straining the knees. If you experience difficulty in sitting in the Padmasana pose, do not try to attempt Kukkutasana.³ 
• Kukkutasana, if done incorrectly brings about the risk of ligament tears especially those of the wrist joint.² Hence it must be practised with caution. 

Kukkutasana, like any asana, must be done under the guidance of a trained and qualified Yoga expert, who can assess your risk factors and help you practice it with appropriate precaution. 

Conclusion

Kukkutasana or cock/cockerel/rooster pose is a full body asana that helps one physically as well as spiritually. It has many benefits for the arms, hands, legs and thighs. Its regular practice is also said to help a person reach higher levels of consciousness. One must practice this asana regularly, preferably under the guidance of a trained Yoga teacher, to avoid any injuries. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References:

1. Yoga: A healthy way of living [Internet]. Ncert.nic.in. 2015 [cited 2 November 2022].  Available from: https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/publication/otherpublications/tiyhwlups1.pdf 
2. Saraswati S. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha [Internet]. Ia804508.us.archive.org. 2022 [cited 2 November 2022]. Available from: https://ia804508.us.archive.org/31/items/aaa_20210704/aaa.pdf 

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