Backbends

Backbends are yoga's anti-technology poses. Reverse slouchy posture with practices designed to stabalize your core muscles, lengthen your sides, lift your heart, and unwind all the hours spent over a computer or phone. Find practices for big, heart-opening backbends and technical, aligment-focused backbends. Learn about the foundations of a stable backbend including activation in your feet, legs, core, and spine. No matter where you are in your physical yoga practice, Gaia’s catalog of online yoga videos offers a backbend yoga sequence for you. Find beginners practices featuring fundamental yoga backbends such as cobra pose and bridge pose, then progress to intermediate and advanced yoga backbend sequences including poses such as upward-facing bow pose, king pigeon pose, and king dancer’s pose. Gaia’s online yoga classes and experienced yoga teachers offer the tools to build into safe and empowering backbends. A yoga backbend sequence can also offer emotional and mental benefits. Beyond the physical and physiological benefits of yoga backbends, opening the chest and energetic heart space can provide emotional release. Opening the energy center of your fourth chakra (anahata) in safe backbends can help to release stuck energy or suppressed emotions, allowing you to feel free and open in your life. The emotional benefits of backbends may differ from person to person and Gaia’s online yoga instruction can allow you the safe space you need to learn to open your heart space, both physically and emotionally.