She Strengthens

Unlock the Power of Backbends: 11 Beginner-Friendly Poses to Improve Your Flexibility

Are you curious about how to do a backbend? Backbends might seem intimidating, but they offer incredible benefits for your spine and overall flexibility. Discover 11 beginner-friendly backbends to ease into this rewarding yoga practice.

The Benefits of Backbends

A big, heart-opening backbend can:

• Stretch out your core muscles
• Improve your spine flexibility
• Improve your posture
• Ease that aching back

1. Cobra Pose

Start by lying on your stomach with toes pointed back and hands under shoulders. Inhale and press palms into the floor as you lift your head and chest. Pull your belly in and up. Keep elbows slightly bent and hugged in close to your body.

Tips: Keep your hands aligned under your shoulders, and anchor down into the floor through your pelvis and the tops of your feet.

2. Bridge Pose

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Lengthen your arms along your sides. Inhale, pressing the backs of your shoulders and the soles of your feet into the floor as you lift your hips.

Tips: If you’re struggling to keep your hips up, try placing a yoga block under your pelvis for extra support.

3. Bow Pose

Lie on your stomach with your chin on the mat, hands by your sides, and palms facing up. Exhaling, bend knees and bring your heels as close as you can to your butt. Grab your ankles with your hands, keeping toes pointed.

Tips: If you’re new to this pose, place a folded towel under your hip bones as a cushion.

4. Cow Pose

Start in tabletop position, with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Keep your spine neutral and press palms and fingers into the floor. As you inhale, lift your chest toward the ceiling and sink your belly toward the mat.

Tips: If your knees hurt during this pose, pad them with a folded blanket or towel.

5. Locust Pose

Lie on your stomach with arms by your sides, palms facing the floor. Inhale as you slowly lift head, chest, and arms off the floor, keeping arms straight behind you.

Tips: You can make this backbend more manageable by keeping your palms on the mat instead of lifting your arms.

6. Sphinx Pose

Lie on your stomach with elbows directly under shoulders, palms on the floor. As you inhale, lift chest off the floor, rolling shoulders down to open your chest.

Tips: Sphinx is supposed to be a gentle lower back stretch, so don’t try to push for a deeper backbend.

7. Upward-Facing Dog Pose

Lie on your stomach and place your hands next to your ribs. Keep elbows tucked into your sides. Inhale as you open your chest and straighten your arms.

Tips: Remember to really pull your shoulders away from your ears to keep your spine aligned.

8. Melting Heart Pose

Start in tabletop position, and then lower down onto your elbows. Keeping hips in line with knees, straighten your arms in front of you.

Tip: Use a blanket to pad your knees if you’re feeling extra pressure.

9. Reverse Tabletop Pose

Sit with feet flat on the floor, in line with your sit bones. Place hands behind you with fingers facing forward. As you inhale, lift your body up.

Tip: If you feel any discomfort in your wrists, you can point your fingers in the opposite direction or use fists for better support.

10. Fish Pose

Lie on your back with arms alongside your body with palms down. Lift your hips and slide your hands under your glutes.

Tip: If you feel any pressure on your neck, try lowering your chest a bit or put a blanket down to support your head.

11. Extended Puppy Pose

Start in tabletop position, with hips directly over knees and feet parallel and hip-width apart. Slowly walk hands forward and rest your forehead onto the mat.

Tip: If you’re feeling too much pressure with your forehead on the mat, place a folded blanket or towel under your head.

Progressing Your Backbends

To deepen your backbends, remember to:

• Warm up your whole body
• Focus on proper alignment
• Engage your core muscles
• Learn to counterpose

By following these tips and starting with these beginner-friendly backbends, you’ll be well on your way to unlocking the power of backbends and improving your flexibility.