Backbends Workshop Outline

1. ANATOMY
MOVEMENT TYPES
- Flexion
- Extension
- Rotation
- Side flexion
- Sliding
BONE STRUCTURE (draw on white board)
- S- shape of the spine (lordosis vs kyphosis)
- Division into three parts: cervical, thoracic, lumbar
- Vertebrae
Functionality of bone structure:
- The main function of each of the parts
Lumbar – talk about PPT & APT – find both with bent as
opposed to straight legs. Then find the SCOOP. –
EXERCISE: with bent and straight legs – move from PPT
to APT
Thoracic - find where it is, separate the movement, release
with twists
Cervical – find the movement and practice the engagement
of front and back neck muscles.
VERTABRAE (draw it on the white board -saggital and
transverse planes)
Main features of vertebrae:
- Spinous process
- Transverse process
- Vertebral canal
- body
LIGAMENTS
4 ligaments surrounding the vertebrae:
- Supraspinous Ligament – behind the back "ledges" –
spinaeous process. Function – to break and control the
forward fold.
- Anterior Longitudinal Ligament
- Intertransverse ligaments (sides)
- Ligamentum Flavum (connecting the vertebrae – where
the epidural is injected). Very elastic.
INTERVERTEBRAEL DISK
Like an onion – the outside layers are made out of fibrotic
cartilage.
Nucleus pulposus – the middle is jelly-like material
allowing movement between the vertebrae and also
functions as a shock absorber and can carry weight.

What happens to the vertebrae, intervertebral discs, and

ligaments during: (draw it on the white board)
 Forward fold – flexion
 Backbend – extension
 Side flexion
 Twists – rotation (the fibers are rotating the nucleus
is compressed and the disc becomes smaller)

Herniated Disc:
Due to aging process and griding (burnout) crack can
occur, and the fluids inside the nucleus pulposis (nucleous
of the disk) can start emerging out. More likely to occur
from "unsafe" forward folds. The fluids can cause
pressure on the Sciatic Nerve. This situation together with
sudden or elongated tension of the Superineous ligament
(the posterior) can cause chronic back pain in the lumbar
spine.
 How to prevent:
- Not to lift heavy objects with a round spine instead to bend
the legs and keep spine straight.
- Enter deep forward folds with engagement and only if the
functional range of motion allows. -Not to create too much
tension on the ligament.

MUSCLE ENGAGEMENT
- Where does the backbend initiate? top of our feet
- Front body – stretches (opens) –
- Back body – engages.
- Some areas stretch while engaging

Which muscles need to stretch and open up?

FRONTLINE
- Thumb rule – to stretch safely – we must activate before.
Which muscles need engaging and strengthening?
BACKLINE

Exercise – engage hamstrings and glutes while rising from

forward fold – we will take that into the practice

SHOULDERS AND SHOULDER-BLADES

How to use our shoulder blades during twists. Create
engagement and deepen the twists. Initiate twists from the
thoracic.
-Show with blocks how the shoulder blades move. Find the
shoulder blade tip.
-Find together the "wings"
-Nerve flossing.
-Arm up – 10 times back then 10counts to hold, then the
opposite (lama ma kara).
Exercise – protract retract from table top.
Deep twist from cross-legged seat – work with shoulder blades
Vinyas sequence from Shani Sharon
Deep twists from thread the needle
*So take all these guidelines into our practice. Engaging back
line – rising up from forward folds. Creating strong rooted
lower body.
Using shoulder blades for twists – twisting from the thoracic
Parshva – stretching and elongating the sides.
2. PRACTICE
Talk about the energy vayus
-Apana vs prana
-Udyana bandha

Additions for practicing:

- Add – cobra arms and opening of the chest after each SN
before samastitihi
- Stay I VB1 AND lunge in SNB in the last round
- Paint with arms on the way down
- Engage shoulder blades in upward facing dog

TRANSITIONS
Front to asana: Jump to tuck (Landing softly – using
posterior tilt and bandhas for control)
Or jump or walk to vajarasana or malasana.

Back to Chaturanga:
Movement practice for shoulder-blades
Option for transitions:
- Backasana
- Jump - Tuck handstand
Exercise: the movement practice, shoulder blades, then
tucks.
Goal: to reach compressed closed tuck to open up upper
back
 - Float - Lola – "face-plant" – send legs to Chaturanga
(Just for the way back )

ASANAS
Division into groups:
- Group 1: 2 transition asanas – connection to primary
series
- Group 2: Backbends
- Group 3: Transition and counterpose – backasana and
twists
- Group 4: Kashiapas- connection to 3rd series
- Group 5: Strength
- Group 6: Shoulders and sides
- Group 7: Headstands

Which asanas in each groups:

Groups 1, 2, 3
Viparita dandasana instead of kapotasana (for
modification)
Group 4 – we will not cover
Group 5: Titibasana, pincha…maybe mayurasana and
nakrasana
Group 6: Parighasana, gomukasana
Group 7: we will not cover – only if we have time
Why can we do moksha headstand in intermediate series as
opposed to primary (neck and shoulders are strong)
3. PHILOSOPHY
Pancha Maya Kosha
"Removing the clouds that are blocking the sun"

Atman: The light

Kosha: Cover (lampshades)
Maya: Illusions. We see things in a specific way but in
reality they are different.
Only the Atman is the truth.
Illusion: the covers are not showing the atman.
The covers reflect the feelings, thoughts, karma – so they
are an illusion.

If we "purify" and clean them then they will expose and

show the atman. Only when the layers are transparent then
we can see the light.

- What guides the movement? The breath

- What guides the breath? The prana
- What guides the prana? The mind

- Is the mind quiet?

 - Is the atman leading or is it the karma?
- Is this true or an illusion?
1. Anna Maya Kosha – The physical body (food) – to purify
we use asana. Thus, in yoga there is a big focus on
cleansing the physical body to reach the inner layers.
2. Prana Maya Kosha – to purify we use pranayama.
Balancing between left and right. Practice pranayama in
the morning or in nature where the mind is quiet.
3. Mano Maya Kosha – to purify we use prityhara. The
mental body, which processes the thoughts and feelings.
Gives the commands to the senses and action organs. How
substantial is it for the mind to be clear so the commands
would be more accurate and clear? So they will reflect the
truth (atman) and not the illusion. Prytihara – instead of
allowing the senses to face the outside, we will turn them
to face inside. (Cure the senses from their addiction to
objects)
This is where yoga finds us, when we discover how far we have
drifted from ourselves instead of drawing in and being close.
We come back to the body – to our first tool – and from there we
can start our journey of going back inside. Coming back to the
source of being mindful and being loved.
Yoga is about learning to observe to remove the illusions that
are wrapping us in the reality of life.
We start with the body and from there in every aspect of life.
Yoga gives us a big torch that enables us to light a bright light
on situations, encounters, moments and people.
We explore ourselves from inside to allow life to take us and our
surroundings a place that is true, that is connected, that just is…

Yoga Sutra 2.46

"Stiram sukham asanam"
Asana should obtain two main qualities:
Sthira & Sukam
Sthira: stability and alertness, (wakefulness, awareness)
Sukam: The ability to remain relaxed/calm
The two qualities should exist at the same extent in the practice
for all asanas.