Why practice Backbends?

Bend so you don’t break!

Do you sit in front of a computer all day or have a long commute? Do you notice that after sitting for a while, your shoulders start to slowly slump forward and beast bone disappear inside your chest?

Backbends are by far my favourite yoga poses. But I know that not everyone feels this way about backbends and in fact, some may anxious about practicing backbends. And they can be intimidating, because when we bend backwards we move our bodies in a way that we aren’t used to.

Backbends health benefits:

  1. Counteract rounded shoulders
    Backbends stretch the front of your chest and help you to draw your shoulders back, moving shoulder blades together make your breastbone lifting towards your chin. Think posture!
  2. Increase mobility of spine
    In day to day life everything we we do by bending forwards – sitting, driving, texting, picking things up. But by nature our spines are meant to be mobile. By practising backbends, we can improve flexibility, balance the mobility of the spine.
  3. Improves posture
    Bending back brings awareness to our spine and our body alignment. As a result, we start to stand taller- stretching to the sky – releasing neck and back tension.
  4. Boost your mood, relieve stress
    The action of opening your heart and stretching the whole front body stimulates the nervous system, waking you up and improving your mood. Its invigorating and boosts the energy!
  5. Opens the heart and the mind
    Backbends aren’t called heart openers for nothing. In a backbend, you are literally stretching the front of your chest and opening your heart, almost as if you’re cracking open the front of your chest. it literally makes you feel more open and receptive to emotions, experiences, relationships and love!


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