With cobra pose, you're prone and your feet are facing top-down. Your hands are under your shoulders and spread slightly in front of you. With upward facing dog, your wrists and arms absorb the force and the weight of your body. Another difference is with upward-facing dog, your legs aren’t on the ground. With cobra, your lower ribs, legs and pelvis are on the floor but your elbows are bent to help lengthen your spine.