Easing Into Backbends

For many years the thought of backbends really used to un-nerve me. The thought of ‘bending’ my back and making sure that my head was positioned correctly so I didn’t hurt my neck always made me a little wary of the poses. But as with all yoga poses you learn to listen to your body and trust your instincts as well as trust in your yoga teacher and overcoming that fear really does help you reap the benefits of what backbends can do for your emotional and physical wellbeing.

The key is always preparing your body first and not rushing into a pose. I’ve always got the most out of backbends when the yoga teacher spends a little time warming up the body, particularly the front of the chest, the shoulders, hips, thighs and the psoas.

Correct alignment is crucial when it comes to backbends as you have to be very careful not to compress or stress your neck and strengthening and stretching the hip flexors, legs, arms and back and opening the chest and shoulders will help you ease into your backbend.

The Warm Up

As backbends can be a little tricky and require practice I would always advise that you do them under the supervision of a yoga teacher in the first instance. Then when you have perfected the correct alignment and you feel more confident practicing the poses you can incorporate backbends into your at home practice.

Starting in Virasana (Hero Pose)

• Kneeling with your thighs and ankles together and your toes tucked under your buttocks.
• Lengthen your tailbone and sit up straight and tall.
• Looking straight ahead, rest the palms of your hands on your thighs and relax your shoulders.
• Use a foam block or blanket underneath your buttocks if your sacrum doesn’t touch the floor.

Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)

• From Virasana, put your hands on the mat behind you and slowly begin to lean your body back towards the mat. This maybe as far as you want to go in this pose but if you want to go a little bit further into your backbend or are at an intermediate or advanced stage of yoga practice you can bend your elbows and lean your body back as you exhale.
• Lower your body back onto your forearms and then lower your upper back.
• You should feel a gentle stretch in your thigh muscles.
• If your back is on the floor bring your arms down by your sides or place them on your belly.
• If your back isn’t supported by the mat you can lay back on a bolster or some cushions to provide support for your back.
• Stay in the pose for a few breaths.
• To come out of the pose engage your abdominal muscles and bring yourself back to Virasana by using your elbows or your hands to support your back.

Upavistha Konasana (Open leg/seated forward fold)

• Seated in Staff Pose with your legs out in front of you. place your hands on the floor behind you and lean your torso back slightly.
• Stretch your legs out as wide as is comfortable.
• Press your hands firmly into the floor and gently bring your buttocks forward along the floor.
• Making sure your knees are pointing towards the ceiling, flex your feet and press your legs down toward the floor.
• With your spine long and straight, begin to walk your hands forward between your legs.
• Extend your tailbone toward the back and tilt your pelvis so you have a natural curve in your sacrum.
• Reach out as far as is comfortable without rounding your back.
• You should feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings.
• Hold here for a few breaths and then walk your hands back towards your body and sit upright.

The Main Event:

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

• Lying with the front of your body on the mat, place your forehead on the floor or on a folded blanket in front of you. Your hands are by your sides and your toes point to the back of the room.
• Bring your hands by your chest, inhale and raise your head, shoulders and front of the body keeping your pubic bone grounded onto the mat.
• Exhale and push your palms down into the mat and raise the front of your body as high as you can comfortably go, looking straight ahead.

Uttana Shishosana (Puppy Pose)

• From a table top position with your feet parallel and hip distance apart, exhale and walk your hands out in front of you bringing your chest to the floor and resting your forehead on the mat.
• Spread your fingers out and press your palms firmly into the mat, keeping your shoulders away from your ears and your elbows off the mat.
• As you inhale deepen the stretch by pointing your hips and back behind you.
• With each breath you will feel yourself nestling into the mat a little more and should feel a soft and gentle stretch in your back, your chest and your shoulders.
• Stay here for a few breaths and then bring yourself out of the pose by going back into table top position.

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

• Lie with the front of your body on your mat
• On an exhalation bend your knees and take hold of the outer edges of your feet or ankles
• Keeping your knees hip-distance apart inhale lift your chin off the floor and look straight in front of you.
• Exhale and push the soles of your feet up towards the ceiling lifting your thighs off the floor whilst pressing your belly to the floor and lifting your chest.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

• Lying flat on your back with your legs straight out in front of you and your arms by your side and palms facing upwards, bend your knees and place your feet firmly into the mat.
• Bring your heels towards your buttocks and point your knees towards the ceiling.
• Inhale and begin to raise your buttocks off the floor.
• Tighten your buttock and thigh muscles and push your pelvis, lower back and front of body towards the ceiling so your body is resting on your shoulders.
• On the exhale move your arms so they are under your body, from here you can place your hands on the back of your waist to provide extra support ensuring your upper arms are still in contact with the floor.
• To come out of the posture, exhale and bring your arms down by your sides with your palms facing downwards and uncurl your spine slowly back down to the floor.
• Relax your back and then stretch your legs out in front of you, keeping your arms relaxed by your sides.

Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

• From a kneeling position with your knees hip-distance apart and your toes pointing to the back of the room flat on the floor.
• Keep your pelvis over your knees and lean back, curling your back gently as far as you can go and grab your heels.
• Lift your heart and relax your throat and stay here for a few breaths.

 Salabhasana (Locust Pose)

• Lying on your stomach with your body in a straight line and your arms relaxed by your sides, palms facing upwards.
• Place your chin on the floor and slide your hands under your body so they are resting on the fronts of your thighs.
• Inhale and lift your legs keeping your pubic bone on the mat.
• Exhale and bring your legs together. Contract your buttock muscles and raise your legs as high as you can.
• Hold the posture and breathe normally.
• To come out of the pose on the next exhale lower your legs to the floor and relax your arms by your sides, palms facing upwards.

 Salamba Bhujangasana (Sphinx Pose)

• Lying on your belly, with your forearms flat on the floor and elbows under your shoulders. Keep your legs together and place your chin on the floor.
• Press your forearms down into the floor, inhale and lift your chest and your head off the floor.
• Making sure you don’t put any pressure on your neck keep your neck in line with the spine.
• Letting your legs find their natural width squeeze the thighs and buttocks and engage the mula bandha, pressing the pubic bone down into the floor.
• If this is comfortable for you stay here, if you want more of a backbend keep the elbows close to your sides and use your arms to lift you higher.
• Drop the shoulders down and back and press the chest forward.
• Breathe and hold for a few breaths.