Standing Backbend

Instructions

1. 1Stand with feet hip-width apart and ground all four corners of each foot into the floor.
2. 2Place your hands on your lower back, fingers pointing downward, to support the lumbar spine.
3. 3Inhale and lift through the sternum, broadening across the collarbones.
4. 4Exhale and begin to arch back, leading with the chest rather than pushing the pelvis forward.
5. 5Keep your legs active and your glutes soft to avoid compressing the lower back.
6. 6Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, continuing to breathe into the front body.
7. 7To come out, engage your core, inhale, and slowly return to standing upright.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Lumbar spinal stenosis — avoid any backward bending that narrows the spinal canal; practice a gentler chest opener instead.
• ⚠Vertigo or balance disorders — keep the gaze on a fixed point at eye level and do not tilt the head back.
• ⚠Pregnancy beyond the first trimester — backbends that stretch the abdomen are not recommended; consult a prenatal yoga specialist.