Tips & Tricks: BACKBENDS (Yoga!)

Being able to do a backbend was a major goal of mine right after college. I was just starting to dabble in yoga and a proper backbend to me then was what a handstand is to me now. Yoga (like most journeys in life) is a continuous learning process. I had very little upper body strength so lying down and being able to lift myself into a full backbend was extremely challenging. A few years ago, I finally nailed it. To this day I'm still working on deepening my bends and transitioning into a bend while standing. For now, I have a few tips to safely get you up off the ground.

First & foremost: Stretch it out! Do a few upward facing dogs to warm up those back muscles. Lie down on your back and go into bridge pose. Once you’re comfortable here, put your hands by your ears and carefully flip on to the top of your head. You can also leave your hands flat by your ears as opposed to wrapping them around your head, whatever feels best to you. For me, the hardest part was being able to straighten my arms into a full lift. I actually had my husband help lift me up by my waist until I was able to build up the strength to do it on my own. A good spotter is the ideal trick. If you do not have someone to spot you or you’re practicing on your own, proceed very carefully. When you're ready, take in a deep breath. On your exhale, push your hands into the mat to straighten both of your arms and lift your head. Raise your navel as high as you can toward the sky; the straighter you extend your arms and legs, the greater stretch you will feel. Fix your gaze to be looking directly down at the mat between your hands. Keep your feet as straight as possible (no pointing them inward or outward). It may take you a few tries to build the strength but you’ll get there. Hold the pose for a least 5 breaths and slowly lower down on to your head, then to your back.

So why are backbends so good for your body? The biggest thing for me personally is they really help get my back and shoulders in check. So many of us spend hours hunched over our computers at work or suffer from poor posture. Doing backbends on the regular helps to restore your spine to its natural flexibility, reducing your chances of injury and relieving pain. This popular pose is also known to help relieve anxiety & stress, deepen breath and release endorphins thus boosting your mood...”endorphins make you happy!” - Elle Woods.