Prone Back Bends

This week our focus will be on prone back bends, positions where you lift the torso and limbs against gravity while your torso faces the earth. These are an essential class of yoga postures because the strengthen the back of the core, not only the back, but the hamstrings and posterior aspect of the shoulders and neck as well. We will begin with easy versions and proceed through positions that isolate the upper and lower body and spine for increased strength and stability that carries over throughout your whole asana practice.

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Reclining Thumb to Big Toe Pose I
Supta Padangusthasana I
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Lie on the back with the legs straight. Draw your right knee into your chest and lengthen the left leg onto the floor. Wrap a strap around the ball of your right foot and extend the leg into the air. Reach the hands up the strap until the elbows are straight but the shoulders are still grounded. Hold for 10-20 breaths.
Therapeutics: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, buttock; also releases tension in the lower back.

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Supported Bridge with Extended Leg
Salamba Eka Pada Setu Bandha

Lay on back with knees bent and feet on floor. Inhale and raise hips off floor, placing block under sacrum. Keep right knee bent and extend left leg placing foot either on a wall or the heel on the ground and lengthen the leg. Hold for 10 breaths, then release and change legs.
Therapeutics: Stretches the psoas on the straight leg side and opens up the front of the thigh and lower back. ​

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Sphinx Pose
Salamba Bhujangasana

Lay on belly with legs together and toes pointed back. Bring forearms to floor with elbows aligned under shoulders and forearms parallel to each other, palms facing down. Lift sternum forward and up through crown of head. If lower back feels vulnerable, engage belly away from floor. Hold 5-10 breaths and release chest to floor with hands under forehead.
Therapeutics: Stretches front of body, creates space between vertebrae

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Extended Child's Pose to Cobra Flow
Utthta Balasana to Bhujangasana Vinyasa

Begin in Balasana with the arms overhead on the floor. Inhale keep hands where they are and move torso through arms to come first into a knee plank position with the shoulders over the wrists, the torso and thighs in a straight line. Then exhale back into Balasana. 
As you inhale a second time, bring the shoulders over the wrists, lift the heart and come into a gentle backbend with pelvis pressing towards floor. 
Exhale return to Balasana or press up into Adho Mukha Svanasana as you choose.
Repeat 5-10 times with the breath.
Therapeutics: Alternately stretches and strengthens front and back of body.

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Bird Dog
Vihaga Svanasana

Begin on all fours.
Variation I:  Take right leg back with toes turned under. Reach left arm forward with fingertips on floor. Hold for 5 breaths, then release and change sides. 
Variation II:  Inhale and extend right leg back and raise left arm forward keeping limbs parallel to floor. Engage belly and look at the floor. Exhale and release to all fours. Hold for 5 breaths, then release and change sides. 
Therapeutics: Builds postural strength diagonally across the back body.

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Locust Pose
Salabhasana

Lay on belly with arms to sides. 
Variation I:  Press pubic bone into floor and lengthen legs behind you. Inhale and raise left leg and right arm off floor, keeping pelvis grounded. Exhale and release. Repeat to both sides 10 times with the breath.
Variation II:  Press pubic bone into floor and lengthen legs behind you. Inhale and press palms towards ceiling as you lift legs away from floor.  Hold 5 breaths and release. 
Place hands under shoulders and press back into child's pose or press up into downward facing dog for several breaths. 
Benefits: Strengthens lower back and spinal muscles

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Flying Locust

Lay on belly with palms under shoulders, elbows hugging in towards the side of the torso. Point the right ankle and lift the right leg keeping the knee straight. Bring the sole of the left foot under the front of the right ankle and as you slowly bend the left knee, the left foot slides up the front of the right leg towards the knee. Try to stay balanced in the center of the position, hold for 3-5 breaths, then slowly return the legs to the floor before repeating to the other side. Place hands under shoulders and press back into child's pose or press up into downward facing dog for several breaths. ​
Therapeutics: Stretches the front of the spine and opens the front hip flexors

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Reclining Downward Facing Dog
Supta Adho Mukha Svanasana 

Lay on the back and draw knees into chest. Place center of strap across soles of both feet and extend the legs towards the ceiling. Balance legs above hip joints, knees can be bent to release the hamstrings and to keep the pelvis flat on the floor. Draw the lower belly in towards the spine.  Hold for several breaths. Release by bending the knees into the chest.
Therapeutics: Releases back and hamstring tension.

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Reclining Supported Twist
Salamba Jathara Parivartanasana

Lay on the back with knees bent and feet on floor. Shift hips to the left a few inches from center. Draw the knees into the chest and release legs to the bolster on the right. You may use right hand to hold down outside of left knee. Reach left arm back to floor and turn head to the center or to the right.
Hold for 1-3 minutes, then bend knees and draw them up to center, change sides. 
Therapeutics: Broadens back of pelvis, stretches outside of legs, gently compresses the abdominal organs ​

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Corpse Pose
Savasana

Lay on the back with legs straight and feet relaxed to sides. Move arms away from sides slightly and turn palms to face ceiling. You may use support under the knees for low back pain; and a folded blanket under the head if needed. Rest 5-15 minutes.
Therapeutics: Allows for integration of mind and body after asana practice, promotes restful awareness