How to Do a Backbend
Stretch well., Do a bridge., Do a backbend against a wall., Take a final step before you do a backbend on your own., Do a backbend on your own., Once you've mastered going down into a bridge try coming back up from it.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Stretch well.
The first and most important thing you should do before attempting to do a back bend is to stretch.
If you rush into your backbend without stretching, you can injure your back, wrists, or ankles.
Having the patience to do just about 15 minutes of stretching will help you do a back bend the right way.
Here are some stretches to do:
Warm up before stretching to get blood flowing with jumping jacks, jump roping, or better yet, do the backbend after a workout.
Stretch your ankles.
Sit down and hold your ankle with one hand, while rolling your ankle or even spelling out the alphabet with your foot.
Stretch both ankles equally please make sure.
Stretch your wrists.
Extend one hand with your palm away from you, and pull your fingers back with the other until you feel a nice stretch.
Then do the same with the other hand.
Next, hold your wrist with one hand while you roll the wrist of the hand you're holding, and repeat.
Stretch your back.
Stretching your back is the most important stretch of all.
You should stretch your back with some simple yoga poses, such as the camel pose, bow pose, or cobra pose. -
Step 2: Do a bridge.
Before you can do a backbend, you should be able to do a bridge.
Learning to do a bridge can take time, so it may be a while for you to go from the bridge to the backbend.
Don't be impatient and learn to stick the bridge before you move on, or you will injure yourself.
Here's how to do a bridge in just a few easy steps:
Lay on the floor or a comfortable mat.
Plant your feet firmly on the ground and bend your knees at a 90 degree angle.
Put your palms by the sides of your head.
Your fingers should be facing your feet, mimicking the wrist stretch you were doing earlier.
Point your elbows toward the ceiling.
When you're in position, gently push off the ground with your hands while keeping your hands and feet planted.
Push off each hand at the same time and with the same force.
Keep pushing until your arms are straight and your legs are only a little bit bent.
Your gaze should fall between your hands.
You should be pushing with your finger pads and palms, and taking the pressure off your wrists.
Hold the pose for at least ten seconds to be comfortable with it and come down gently when you're ready.
Practice the pose a few more times but take breaks, or you may be putting too much pressure on your back or wrists.
When you stretch make sure that you don't push yourself too hard because even stretching can really damage your bones and joints. , Once you've mastered the bridge, you will be ready to try a backbend against the wall.
This will simulate what it will feel like to do a real backbend, but it'll give you a little extra help and confidence before you stick it.
Here's how you do it:
Stand with your back to a sturdy wall.
Stand two feet away from the wall or a little closer, depending on how easy it is for you to comfortably reach the wall.
Your feet should be wider than the distance between your shoulders.
Raise your arms by your ears.
Slowly bend your back and look at the wall behind you.
Touch the wall with your palms, and walk down the wall until you reach the floor and are in a backbend position.
Slowly lower yourself to the ground. , Now that you've mastered the bridge and the backbend against a wall, you're almost ready to do the backbend on your own.
Before you reach that step, you should do the following things:
Practice doing half of a back bend onto a raised surface, such as a bed or a couch.
Then you'll only have to reach halfway down and will get a better sense of how a real backbend will feel.
Try doing a backbend against the wall, but don't hold on to the wall as soon as you bend back.
Instead, every time you try a back bend against the wall, lean back a little further before you touch the wall so you're not using the wall for the entire process.
When you're ready to a backbend on your own, you should always have a spotter.
The spotter should put one hand on your back and one hand on your side as you lower yourself to the ground. , Now that you've mastered all of the pre-backbend techniques and were comfortable doing a backbend with a spotter, you're ready to do a back bend on your own.
You'll be repeating a variation of what you already did against the wall.
Here's how to do it:
Stand up straight with your legs positioned shoulder width apart.
Raise your arms over your head and flatten your palms until they face the ceiling.
Your fingers should be pointing right behind you.
Slowly bend backwards and shove your thighs forward.
Make sure to keep your arms locked as you move closer to the ground.
When you reach the ground, plant your hands and keep your feet firmly in place.
You should be looking in between your hands.
When you've held the backbend for a few seconds or for however long you were comfortable, lower yourself to the ground.
When you're done with backbends, remember to stretch. , Be very careful not to hurt your back though. -
Step 3: Do a backbend against a wall.
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Step 4: Take a final step before you do a backbend on your own.
-
Step 5: Do a backbend on your own.
-
Step 6: Once you've mastered going down into a bridge try coming back up from it.
Detailed Guide
The first and most important thing you should do before attempting to do a back bend is to stretch.
If you rush into your backbend without stretching, you can injure your back, wrists, or ankles.
Having the patience to do just about 15 minutes of stretching will help you do a back bend the right way.
Here are some stretches to do:
Warm up before stretching to get blood flowing with jumping jacks, jump roping, or better yet, do the backbend after a workout.
Stretch your ankles.
Sit down and hold your ankle with one hand, while rolling your ankle or even spelling out the alphabet with your foot.
Stretch both ankles equally please make sure.
Stretch your wrists.
Extend one hand with your palm away from you, and pull your fingers back with the other until you feel a nice stretch.
Then do the same with the other hand.
Next, hold your wrist with one hand while you roll the wrist of the hand you're holding, and repeat.
Stretch your back.
Stretching your back is the most important stretch of all.
You should stretch your back with some simple yoga poses, such as the camel pose, bow pose, or cobra pose.
Before you can do a backbend, you should be able to do a bridge.
Learning to do a bridge can take time, so it may be a while for you to go from the bridge to the backbend.
Don't be impatient and learn to stick the bridge before you move on, or you will injure yourself.
Here's how to do a bridge in just a few easy steps:
Lay on the floor or a comfortable mat.
Plant your feet firmly on the ground and bend your knees at a 90 degree angle.
Put your palms by the sides of your head.
Your fingers should be facing your feet, mimicking the wrist stretch you were doing earlier.
Point your elbows toward the ceiling.
When you're in position, gently push off the ground with your hands while keeping your hands and feet planted.
Push off each hand at the same time and with the same force.
Keep pushing until your arms are straight and your legs are only a little bit bent.
Your gaze should fall between your hands.
You should be pushing with your finger pads and palms, and taking the pressure off your wrists.
Hold the pose for at least ten seconds to be comfortable with it and come down gently when you're ready.
Practice the pose a few more times but take breaks, or you may be putting too much pressure on your back or wrists.
When you stretch make sure that you don't push yourself too hard because even stretching can really damage your bones and joints. , Once you've mastered the bridge, you will be ready to try a backbend against the wall.
This will simulate what it will feel like to do a real backbend, but it'll give you a little extra help and confidence before you stick it.
Here's how you do it:
Stand with your back to a sturdy wall.
Stand two feet away from the wall or a little closer, depending on how easy it is for you to comfortably reach the wall.
Your feet should be wider than the distance between your shoulders.
Raise your arms by your ears.
Slowly bend your back and look at the wall behind you.
Touch the wall with your palms, and walk down the wall until you reach the floor and are in a backbend position.
Slowly lower yourself to the ground. , Now that you've mastered the bridge and the backbend against a wall, you're almost ready to do the backbend on your own.
Before you reach that step, you should do the following things:
Practice doing half of a back bend onto a raised surface, such as a bed or a couch.
Then you'll only have to reach halfway down and will get a better sense of how a real backbend will feel.
Try doing a backbend against the wall, but don't hold on to the wall as soon as you bend back.
Instead, every time you try a back bend against the wall, lean back a little further before you touch the wall so you're not using the wall for the entire process.
When you're ready to a backbend on your own, you should always have a spotter.
The spotter should put one hand on your back and one hand on your side as you lower yourself to the ground. , Now that you've mastered all of the pre-backbend techniques and were comfortable doing a backbend with a spotter, you're ready to do a back bend on your own.
You'll be repeating a variation of what you already did against the wall.
Here's how to do it:
Stand up straight with your legs positioned shoulder width apart.
Raise your arms over your head and flatten your palms until they face the ceiling.
Your fingers should be pointing right behind you.
Slowly bend backwards and shove your thighs forward.
Make sure to keep your arms locked as you move closer to the ground.
When you reach the ground, plant your hands and keep your feet firmly in place.
You should be looking in between your hands.
When you've held the backbend for a few seconds or for however long you were comfortable, lower yourself to the ground.
When you're done with backbends, remember to stretch. , Be very careful not to hurt your back though.
About the Author
Bruce Reyes
A seasoned expert in media and communications, Bruce Reyes combines 1 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Bruce's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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