Guide · Reading
Backbends: family introduction
Backbends open the front of the body and strengthen the back.
Awaiting subject reviewWritten from our source material and not yet checked by a teacher of this practice. Read it as reference, and learn the practice from someone who teaches it.
Practical guidance
Backbends extend the spine, opening the chest, the shoulders and the front of the hips while working the muscles of the back. They range from Bhujangasana and Salabhasana on the floor to Urdhva Dhanurasana.
A good backbend is spread evenly along the spine, with length before depth. The low back and neck bend most easily, so they need the most care.
Who should take care
If the arms are weak or the neck tends to jam, place blankets under the shoulders. With high blood pressure, ask a teacher which backbends suit you. Avoid poses lying on the belly in pregnancy.
Related
Bhujangasana
Cobra pose
Cobra pose. Lying on the front, lifting the chest with the hips and legs on the floor.
Salabhasana
Locust pose
Locust pose. Lying on the front, lifting the chest and legs together.
Ustrasana
Camel pose
Camel pose. Kneeling and arching back, the hands reaching for the heels.
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Upward bow, wheel
Upward bow, or wheel. A full backbend pressing up from the back onto hands and feet, the first of the finishing poses.
Sources and tradition
- YOG Union App Content Map, 2 November 2026, p. 5, family table; cautions rewritten