6 Effective Ways to Sequence Any Backbending Practice

By Allison Ray Jeraci

Photo by Andrea Killam

Yoga International

Backbending postures are an exquisite way to strengthen the spine and open the front of the chest. We tend to spend hours leaning over computers and rounding over cellphones to text, causing our shoulders to round forward, which can create a plethora of problems in the spine and the rest of the body. Along with cultivating healthy postural habits in our daily lives, working with backbends can help to bring balance back to the body. 

The term "backbending" is often misleading as there are so many different components of the body that are working, not just the "back or spine." A precise backbending practice is challenging because a heightened sense of bodily awareness is required to access the appropriate muscle groups to work efficiently in backbends.

Read More