Backbend Practice

About This Class

This energizing backbend flow guides practitioners through a carefully sequenced progression designed to open the chest, strengthen the spine, and build a felt sense of vitality and "prana." Beginning with a gentle all-fours to downward dog warm-up, the class moves into dynamic runners' lunges and crescent pose with arm variations that prime shoulder-blade engagement and upper-back activation. Chaturanga push-ups and plank-to-side-plank arm sweeps deepen the warm-up, followed by a standing series linking Uttanasana and chair pose to develop lower-back strength and lung capacity. Warrior One with interlaced hands behind the back creates an upper backbend with breath retentions, while a Chaturanga-to-Upward Dog flow with held inhales builds heat and heart-opening intensity. Zoro pose (kneeling lean-back), Navasana variation, and dynamic table pose continue the opening, before floor work featuring locust pose arm variations and sphinx pose deepens the back extension. Dynamic Ustrasana (camel pose) serves as the peak backbend. The class closes with a counterpose sequence of child's pose, Bharadvajasana seated twists for neck and shoulder release, and a seated meditation with breath retentions, inviting students to rest attention in the heart and cultivate a sense of ease and joy.