What are the benefits of backbends?
If you suffer from back pain forward folds and backbends is what you need to be practicing to maintain a healthy and pain free spine.
As I am going to be teaching a lot of backbends this weekend at Balance Festival in London I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about all the benefits of practicing backbends as well as how to practice them safely without causing injury.
The Benefits
1. Compression Of The Kidneys
When we backbend we compress on our Kidneys which is where we store ‘ying’ energy which is in turn known as essence. It is the underpinning of all aspects of organic life. It is the material basis for all kinds of functional activities, and responsible for human growth and repair. So you can imagine how powerful it is when we compress the kidneys in a backbend and then as we release from the posture allow all of this juicy ying energy , fresh blood and oxygen to flow freely around our bodies – vitality and revitalisation at it’s best!
2. Relieves Anxiety & Stress
By breathing slowly and deeply in a backbend which takes a lot of discipline and concentration we slow down the nervous system and the many signals it is sending around the body allowing us to feel a sense of calm and lightness in the body and the mind. Also, through opening up the front body we are able to break through stress and allow built up anxiety and emotions to be released.
3. Bring Your Spine Back To Its Natural Flexion
Many of us suffer from bad posture – sitting long hours at a desk, driving, bending down, carrying children etc. By regularly practicing backbends you will restore your spine to its natural flexibility, reducing your chances of injury. Increase the flexibility in your spine and increase the flexibility in your life!
4. Relieve Chronic Back Or Neck Pain
One of the many beauties of the yoga practice is the backbends which allow us not only to gain great flexibility in the spine but also to build strength. The winning combination of strength and flexibility will wipe away pain and give you back your body’s natural mobility and vibrance.
5. Improve Breathing
In order to do a proper backbend (and enjoy it), you must breathe throughout the whole posture. By opening up your chest you will increase the amount of oxygen in your lungs and can slow down your breathing (slowing your heart rate and energizing the body). Decades worth of research has shown that regular and mindful breathing can reduce stress, cortisol levels in your body (stress hormone), help one focus and concentrate throughout the day.
6. Gain New Perspectives
We turn our worlds upside down when we backbend so we can see things from a different perspective, you can allow for new and fresh thoughts to come into the mind.
7. Stretch The Internal Organs Of The Body
Our stomach and internal organs get very little attention, and we can start to get a build up of blocked energy (prana) and emotions in our organs, when we stretch them we increase the blood flow as well as the flow of prana which helps to promote healing within in the organs, and allows them to work to their optimum.
How To Execute A Backbend Safely
Never just dump into your lower back when back bending and let go of the need to go deep (ego!). Go slowly and mindfully into the posture and always focus on the following…
1. Lengthen your tailbone towards the ground
2. Engage your core muscles and activate your glutes
3. Lift up and think of your rib cage lengthening away from your pelvis and the heart reaching up towards the sky
4. Maintain a steady and conscious breath
5. Draw your shoulders down and away from your ears