Deepen your Backbends — Olivia Annalise Yoga

A SIMPLE GUIDE TO DEEPEN YOUR BACKBENDS

Beloved backbends.
Sometimes feels so near, yet so far…
In this article, we will go through the benefits physically and emotionally of
backbends plus the fundamental principles which can help deepen your backbend practice.

Whether you regularly practice Yoga or are just beginning, backbends are a beautiful addition to add into your practice.
Moving the body forward in some way is fairly simple and more regular for most of us, however back-bending can be a slightly different story…
Backbends require some more attention and care, but it can be extremely beneficial to your body, practice and emotional health in the long run if you take the time to work with them!
For many of us, the way our day to day life operates usually involves more of a rounding forward of the spine ie. working at a desk, texting, picking up stuff - although these are not necessarily the best for our spinal health in the long run!
Always remember that your body will always want to come back to a neutral state so incorporating backbends gives the back part of your body a chance to open up. Especially the heart centre. No wonder sometimes we feel some resistance to opening up the back because it doesn’t always feel natural or normal to us!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BACKBENDING?

Builds a stronger relationship with your body

Whenever we try a new pose, it builds our confidence whilst simultaneously lowering our resistance to potentially trying it next time.
Taking your journey with backbends step by step starts to build new levels of trust within yourself and your capabilities. Being upside down quite literally gives you a new perspective too!
Opens body up to diaphragmatic breathing

As always, using your breath to guide your backbends is crucial to go further, but because you are opening the front half of the body means the amount of oxygen within the lungs is increased. This ultimately helps your breath to slow down.

We all know that taking time to slow down our breath has an abundance of benefits from lowering cortisol (the stress hormone), easing the mind and improving focus.
Improves spinal mobility, flexibility & posture

Our spines want to be flexible and embody it’s complete range of motion which is moving both forwards, backwards and sideways with ease!
Backbending ultimately helps to bring the spine back to its natural flexion. As a result, chances of injuries are reduced and can help to alleviate back and neck pain too!
Stretches front abdominal muscles

For most people, our front bodies and internal organs get little attention and love especially if we are rounding the spine and slouching most of the day.

As a result when you open your back, your abdominal muscles get a nice, good stretch. You will also notice a new increase in energy!
Can help to lower stress, anxiety & fatigue

Backbends stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (our relaxation response).
Because heat in the body is increased, compression occurs around the heart cavity as well as a squeezing of the adrenals, a new energy is stimulated within the body that research has shown to lower stress, anxiety & fatigue.

“Backbends are not poses meant for expressionism. Backbends are meant to understand the back parts of our bodies. The front body can be seen with the eyes, but the back body can only be felt. That's why I say these are the most advanced postures, where the mind begins to look at the back."

— B.K.S Iyengar

THE FUNDAMENTALS

WARM UP EFFECTIVELY

When warming up, you want to mobilise and move the spine in as many directions as possible ie. forwards, backwards and to the sides.

Cat cow variations, sun salutations to warm the body and lateral side stretches are a great start! Also, work on stretching your hip flexors as your legs are a massive support and foundation in backbending!

LENGTHEN, ENGAGE & LEAD WITH THE BREATH

Practicing backbends can bring up feelings of fear within us at the start. Even just tilting your head back sometimes can be scary and painful… but taking time at the beginning and during your practice to connect to your breath can help massively.
Before you begin, lie on your back with one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly - start to bring your awareness to the rise and the fall of the breath; lengthening on every inhale and relaxing more on every exhale.

Before you come in to the backbend pose, use your inhale to lift and arch the chest and draw the abdomen in to lengthen the lower back. Let your exhale be the cue to travel into the movement. Remember, the breath is your messenger. It will tell you if you are going too far in the pose or if you are able to go further.
Yoga isn’t always about the final form, but listening to what your body needs in that moment.
Always listen!

OPEN THE HEART REGION

Opening the heart doesn’t just relate to the heart centre, but the whole front region including the sides and backs of the heart, as well as the upper back.
Put some focus into opening the shoulder blades especially. When you’re moving into a backbend and reaching your arms overhead, your shoulder blades need to laterally rotate (they spread apart and raise slightly), so you want them to be as open as possible. To open up the shoulder blades, you can try forward folds with interlaced fingers behind the back, thread the needle pose, cow face arms and dolphin pose.
To open the chest more, think of movements like cat cow, cobra, upward facing dog and sphinx pose.

HAVE COUNTER POSES AT THE READY

Having effective counterposes helps the body to come back to its neutral position.
Whilst I don’t recommend coming into a counter pose after every backbend (as this can add stress on the back from moving backwards and forwards in extremes and often too quickly), it’s still important to have poses at the ready to help bring your body back to its neutral state.
Some good options include child’s pose, windshield wipers, legs in the air, knees into chest as well as just lying flat on the floor!

INCORPORATING BACKBENDS INTO YOUR DAILY LIFE

1 | Start small & supported

If you are new to backbends, start small - cobra, sphinx and cat cow variations are a great start. Also, you can use a yoga bolster/cushions to come into a supported, passive backbend. Being supported can really help you to build confidence in your back body!
2 | Be patient, Yogi!

Rushing and forcing the process doesn’t necessarily work the best.
Have patience and accept that this will be a journey that will not happen straight away overnight. It takes a healthy amount of consistent effort, plus a balance of ease!
3 | Ask "What is my intention today?"

Some days you may want to backbend for the physical benefits, some days it may be for the emotional release… Setting an intention before can help you keep focused as well as to deal with any things, experiences and thoughts which may come up in your backbend practice.