Half Moon Backbend

It’s backbend time…. Most importantly, do not fear the backbend!

With so much of life spent bending forward, our spines are screaming out for a backbend. Happy Spine, happy life, so lets make our spines happy and give them what they are asking for: a beautiful backbend.

Again, as with all postures in the Bikram Yoga series, it is form over depth.  It is not about how deep you go, but about going to your personal edge, with the correct alignment, to make the magic happen.

So, you have just rocked out an awesome Side Half Moon,

 and you have returned to your central position.

Standing with your feet together, weight in your heels, legs and buttocks engaged, arms still stretched up over your head, fingers interlocked, with index fingers released. Your arms and shoulders may feel a little tired at this point, but do not drop them. Keep them up (we do not mean hunched shoulders). It is with this persistence that we build our strength. You can do it!

The legs are the foundation of the backbend. So let’s make sure both feet are firmly grounded. Engage the inner thighs and squeeze your glutes. Pelvis in a neutral position, meaning tucking the tail bone slightly. This should happen naturally, when you engage your buttocks.  Engage your core; this can be done by engaging the pelvic floor muscles and simultaneously pulling in your belly button.

Inhale, lift your torso up. Relax your neck allowing your head to gently drop back, lift you heart up to the ceiling and slowly reach your arms back, keeping your arms straight and palms squeezed together.  Keep breathing in and out though your nose, look back, keep reaching your arms back, pushing your hips gently forward, weight in the heels. NEVER CRUNCH INTO THE LOWER BACK. Always lift your sternum up, as you move back.  Where your arms and eyes go,

your body will follow.

Yup! we mean it. The more relaxed you are about backbends, the easier you will find them.

Breathe, push the hips further forward and arc your self further back. As you will hear your teachers say: “Arms back, look back, fall back (although don’t actually fall please!!!), way back, go back, more back”.

Remember: we come in all different shapes, sizes and flexibilities. Our spines are all as individual as we are, do not compare yourself to others. Do what you can and do it to the best of your ability and you will notice the benefits.

Inhale and slowly come up back up to your centre position, keeping your arms straight over your head, elbows locked, palms squeezed tightly together.  Ready for Pada-Hastasana, Hands to Feet Pose.