Practice suggestion - Bending Over Backwards

This practice suggestion incorporates material covered in the fourth session of the Yoga Course for Beginners. View Yoga Practice - Bending Over Backwards as a WORD document.

 

Upper body rock. Lie semi-supine and cross your arms taking your hands behind you (towards your shoulder blades) as if you were giving yourself a big hug. Raise the right shoulder and lower it then raise the left shoulder and lower it. Repeat a few times rocking the upper body from side to side. Swap the arms over so that the other arm is on top and rock from side to side a few more times.

Two-foot support (dvipada pitham) Lower your arms to your side and turn the palms of your hands to the floor. Place the feet on the floor close to the buttocks and hip width apart. Relax the buttocks and abdomen. Press the feet in the floor to lift the torso and come onto the shoulders. The direction of movement is through the spine headwards. It is not a pushing of the hips/abdomen to the ceiling. Pause, lower and repeat 5 more times.

Serpent (sarpasana) Lying on your front (the prone position) create length in the lumbar spine and then raise the head and chest leading with the back of the head and the back of the neck (Please - no clenching of the buttocks or pushing the abdomen into the floor to come higher). Remember to breathe! Lower and repeat a few times more.

½ locust (ardha salabhasana) Lying on your front (the prone position) slip your fists into the groin beneath you and place the chin/nose on the floor. Create length in the lumbar spine and then lift the right leg away from the floor. Lower the leg. Relax. Repeat with the left leg. Do several lifts of each leg.

Equestrian (ashwa sanchalanasana) Come to raised kneeling position and take the right foot forward. Send the sacrum forward and release the tail down creating length in the lumbar region. Place your hands on the right thigh. Relax the upper back muscles. Repeat on the left side.

Flapping fish (matsya kridasana) Starting in the prone position bend the right leg and bring the knee out to the side and up towards the right shoulder. Laterally flex the upper body and bring the right elbow towards the right knee. Bend both the arms, place one hand on top of the other and rest the head in the crook of the left arm with the face turned to the right. Rest a while in this position and then repeat on the left side.

Child (pindasana) Kneel and flex the torso forwards. Release the tail downwards. Support yourself on your arms/hands as necessary. If you need to support your head you may rest your head on a block/pillow or on a pillow made out of your fists.

Knee-down twist Keeping legs bent and legs and feet together lift the left hip and take the knees to the right rolling onto the outer edge of the right foot while turning the face to the left. Return to the start position and lift the right hip and take the knees to the left rolling onto the edge of the left foot while turning the face to the right. Twist from side to side a few more times.

Sit cross-legged (sukhasana) with the legs crossed mid-shin so that each foot is under the knee of the opposite leg. Use your hands for support and bring the sacrum forward and, keeping it forward, release it downwards away from the lumbar. Relax the buttocks, abdomen, throat and face. Sit a while and watch your breathing.

Stretch out the legs and relax in savasana for as long as you wish.

 

This practice suggestion is not intended as instruction. It is given to encourage students to develop a practice. Use it and other practice suggestions given on this website until your practice is established and then leave them behind - when you’ve used the boat to cross the river put it down don’t keep carrying it. If any of the postures listed in this suggestion are contra-indicated for you then please omit or replace them. Likewise, make any modifications that are appropriate for you and your body. If you are unsure about any of the material please consult your teacher. If you have never done yoga please go to a competent teacher who will show you how to perform the postures safely and intelligently.

 

View Yoga Practice - Bending Over Backwards as a WORD document.