Bendy Backbends for Beginners

Photos via Pinterest and Coffee and Yoga.

One of my goals for the new year is to increase flexibility in my spine. I imagine this is true for a lot of you yogis, too, so this post offers a few reminders about how to do healthy and safe backbends whether you're new to yoga or you've been on the mat for a while.

Photo via Bikram Yoga.

One of the best things you can do as a beginner is to seek the guidance of a certified teacher. Yoga instructors with experience know how important it is to warm up the spine before attempting a deep backbend. During classes at a studio, you'll be able to engage in a smart series of postures to keep your spine safe, warming it up one vertebrae at a time.

Ever notice how in Bikram classes, you don't do camel or rabbit pose until the end of class? And in a Hatha class, you wouldn't do full wheel pose until you've done a bridge pose or two, right? Sequencing asanas this way allows you to ease into your spine's full flexibility.

Photo via Om Light Photography.

Another important consideration, especially for deep backbends, is to utilize strength in other areas of your body -- namely, your core and legs. Look at the photo above, for example. When you're in full wheel, your arms, legs, and core are engaged fully so that your lower back doesn't have to take the burden of holding you up.


Similarly, in camel pose (below), you push forward with your legs, hips and glutes so that your low back doesn't feel the full pressure of the upper half of the body bending over.


Keep in mind, too, that your low back should feel long throughout the posture.

Photo via  Dudes Doing Yoga.

Let the fear go. Remember that backbend postures stimulate your nervous system, sending you into a "fight or flight" response. It's normal to feel dizzy, energized, emotional, or otherwise stimulated during these poses.


Begin to approach each backbend with curiosity and patience. Apply your yogic skill of observation and watch your energy as it moves during the pose. How do you feel after a backbend? Are you more awake and alert?


Can you encourage yourself to try holding a pose for 10-15 seconds instead of 5? Remind yourself that you are opening your heart to greater compassion and deeper love by the simple act of bending back.


Gradually work your way in using the breath, and try to allow yourself to enjoy the backbend. Before you know it, you'll be craving them on a daily basis.

Photo via Michael Peter Carter on Tumblr.

Above all else, remember to give it time. Flexibility of the spine doesn't happen overnight -- it is a lifelong process. We spend so much time hunched in front of a keyboard or car steering wheel that it can take a while to reverse our tendency toward experiencing forward folds... but gradually, with persistence, you will find yourself arching backward gracefully with little resistance.

Want to learn more about backbends? Try this article from Yoga Journal, tips from another blogger, or Bikram's thoughts on how Bikram yoga can help heal back pain. Or learn more about how backbends open your heart.