Backbends:

Backbends are one of the six movements of the spine where we extend the spine backwards. The backbend originates in the lower lumbar portion of the spine. The vertebrae in the lumbar spine are the biggest bones in the spinal column because they support the weight of the upper body.

What stops us from going further into a backbend (and any pose) is either tension or compression. If the front of your body is tight, then it’s tension that prevents a deeper backbend. If the shapes, angles, and spaces between your spine's spinous processes are smaller, then you’ll run into compression, and you won’t be able to go into a deeper backbend. For me, I wish I had a deep backbend like dancers have, but the way my lumbar bones are shaped and spaced, it’s impossible for me to have that. I feel compression in just a small backbend. Having a little bit of a backbend doesn’t keep me from practicing yoga. I do what I can do and honor my body.

Benefits of Backbends:

· They are rejuvenating,

· They open the upper back, chest, shoulders and front of the body,

· They increase spinal flexibility,

· They release emotional energy,

· They strengthen the upper back and improve posture.

After practicing a backbend, it’s a good to come into a forward folding counter pose.