THIS WEEK: BACK BENDING

Not a pose for beginners

With regular practice back bends can help alleviate the human tendency to hunch forward, such as reclining over a desk.

Spinal strenghtening back bends can help re-equilibrate and elongate the spine while benefitting good posture.

By allowing a rib cage extension, these postures also help to stretch the diaphragm and contribute to proper breathing. This is the reason why back bends are the best-known stress relievers.

These postures are also energizing and invigorating because by flexing the spine they increase circulation to the spinal nerves located along the length of the column therefore activating the sympathetic nervous system in charge of our most active response to stimuli.

TIPS:

While practicing back bends keep in mind that a feeling of dizziness or emotional discomfort are likely to occur due to the compression of the kidneys and an unusual dilation of the chest.

Bow Pose or Dhanurasana


Observer photo by Maryam Riazian
Federica Valabrega demonstrates the Bow pose, also called Dhanurasana.

• Exhale and relax the tummy to the mat.

• Inhale and gently bring the chin forward to the floor

• Exhale bend your knees keeping them hip-width apart.

• Inhale and reach back with your hands and grab the top of your feet from the outside.

• Exhale and engage the quadriceps muscles and kick your feet into your hands.

• Inhale and reach your chest forward and up, keeping the gaze toward the sky.

• Exhale and press your tailbone down and keep knees together.

• Inhale and roll the shoulder back.

• Keep the posture for five long breaths.

• Exhale and release the grip and bring the chin down to the mat.

Benefits:

By kicking the feet into the hands, the pose allows for a deep stretch of the quadriceps, ankles and hip flexors.

The reverse orientation of the chest not only allows to stretch the ribs, but it also strengthens the back muscles relieving back pains and improving posture.

Camel Pose or Ustrasana


Observer photo by Maryam Riazian
Valabrega demonstrates the Camel pose, also called Ustrasana.

• Inhale and stand on the knees hip-width apart and tug the tailbone under.

• Exhale and bring the hands to the lower back, palm facing down and fingers point down.

• Inhale, roll your shoulders back, lift the chest up and drop the head back by keeping the elbow pointing inward.

• Exhale, look back and grab the heels with the hands.

• Inhale readjust the hips so that the thighs are in line with the knees.

• Exhale and draw the front of the pelvis forward.

• Inhale and lift the ribcage and sternum higher.

• Keep the posture for five long breaths.

• Exhale and bring the hands back to the lower back and lightly release the head up to come out of the posture.

Benefits

Reaching the pelvis forward causes a deep stretch in the quadriceps, hip flexors and ileopsoas muscles.

The very deep back bend has benefits to the chest and to the abdominal muscles opening.

The long reach of the hands to the heels determines the stretch of the pectorals as well as the shoulders muscles.

Bridge Pose or Setu Bandhasana


Observer photo by Maryam Riazian
Valabrega demonstrates the Bridge pose, also called Setu Bandhasana.

• Exhale and sit tummy up on the mat.

• Inhale and bring the feet flat to the mat keeping them hip-width apart and slightly pointing inward.

• Exhale and interlace the hands under your gluts and start walking the shoulders under the chest so that the chin will reach the chest.

• Inhale and lift the hips up while keep tugging the chin to the chest.

• Keep head and gaze forward at all times to avoid neck pains.

• Exhale and release the gluts, while picturing holding a block between the knees.

• Inhale and lift the hips higher.

• Keep the posture for five long breaths.

• Exhale and release the hips and gluts down.

Benefits:

The hip-lift tones the gluts and thighs muscles, while providing an abdominal stretch.

Interlacing the hands under the gluts benefits shoulders, biceps and triceps.

Reaching the chin to the chest allows for spinal strengthening and chest opening.