How To Do Yoga Backbend Stretches Video

Yoga can teach strength trainers about stretching the muscles of the back in backbends. Learn how to do yoga backbend stretch exercises in this stretching and flexibility video.

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Beginner & advanced levels
Shoulder blades stay on mat for beginning to intermediate
Knees shoulder-width apart

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Amy McCauley has been a certified personal fitness trainer since 1995. She specializes in pilates, combat cardio, core conditioning and overall strength training. She works with clients ranging in age from 16 - 69. She has worked at Gold's Gym in Wilmington, NC since 2006. She loves her job because it gives her the opportunity to change peoples' lives in a positive way.

AMY MCCAULEY: Hi, I'm going to show you how to do the yoga backbends. First, I'm going to show you the modification beginner to intermediate level and then we're going right into the advanced level. Lay all the way down on your back. Hands are down by your side, and chest is open. Or we're just going to simply lift up into a bridge allowing that back to bend. Open up the chest. Shoulders are down the spine. Hands are down as far down the mat as you can get them. Let the back open. We're holding between 15 and 30 seconds, and then you're going to release to stretch back down one vertebra at a time. And forearm to keep the knees shoulder-width apart, no wider. Think about a fist in between those knees. Hands down by your side and chest open. We're going to slowly peel up. You should feel the shoulder blades on the mat and nothing else, so the upper portion of your back down to the lower portion of your gluts should be off the floor. Hold the stretch and then release. If you have issues with your back, take your hands and cross them underneath your back to help stabilize a little bit more. This is how we do an intermediate to beginning backbends. Here is your full version of a backbend. Take your hands behind your head. Again, feet at the same position, elbows point to the ceiling and I'm going to round up into a full backbend, yoga backbend, link them to the spine. Your knees are slightly bent. Hands are directly underneath your shoulders. You're holding the stretch for 5 to 30 seconds. As you open up the ribcage, allow the blood to flow to the head. Take a nice deep breath in and exhale. Coming down slowly, leading with the arms, lastly coming down to the legs. So your two variations: modification, level one, basic bridge; full version, number two, all the way up into your backbend stretch. And this is how we do yoga backbends.

How to Do Yoga Backbend Stretches Video

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