Backbends and forward bends

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I have couple questions on this.

  1. is it necessary that every backbend follows immediately by a foward bend ?

  2. can we do a few backbends(like bhujagasana, camel pose, and kandharasana) and then follow that with a single forward bend like hare pose ?

Thank you in advance.

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#2
  1. Where did you get the idea to immediately follow backbends with forward bends?
    Aggressively bend any thing back and forth?

I’d recommend a neutral pose in between any counterpose where deep back or forward bends are involved.

  1. Perhaps child’s pose would fit in well with your sequencing or something that would cool down the spine and nervous system after bringing the heat.

I also like something that allows for length and space to reset and explore the benefits and gifts of the previous expressive pose before bending into another.

Just my thunk

Namaste

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#3

No it would be crazy to have a forward bend immediately after a backbend…if you bend a piece of metal or a twig backwards and then forwards then back again…it will probably break!!! you do not want to do this to your body.The only time you would do a forward bend immediately after a backbend is if you had a strong emotional response to the backbend and need to recover and calm down.
You should do some strengthening and grounding asanas to prep for backbends…then work through some progressive backbends…start with contraction backbends where you are actively using back muscles before backbends where you are just pushing with arms and legs…then after all the backbends then neutralize…perhaps with a lying twist…then forward bend to re-lengthen the back of the spine and to calm and cool the body…backbends can be heating and stimulating…
Hope this helps
…if you read one of the other threads “have you been hurt doing yoga”…you will see a post that mentions a bad back pain after bending forward then backward over and over again…

#4

Hello Layman,

  1. no it is not.

  2. Who is “we”? “We” may do whatever we would like. Of course you “may” do the few back bends you mention and follow it with the other pose mentioned. However two things come to mind. The first is what others have mentioned- the concept of forward bends following back bends and where that information has come from and two, the issue of students bearing weight (properly) on the head and the subsequent effects on the cervical spine.

I personally would not do as you illustrate nor would I teach it to students coming to me to kearn. However you may have a different experience in your practice.

Gordon

#5

Hi everyone : Thanks for the responses.

If I were to do Bhujagasana, Salabhasana, Kandara asana, Supta Vajarasana, Camel pose…

what should be the sequence ? what other poses should come in between ?

Thanks!

#6

Here is a backbend sequence with downward dog between backbends to lengthen and release the back of the spine…I followed this with some long supported forward bends and viparitakirani to finish…I did sunsalutations, standing asanas(neutral and internal rotation) and deep lunges before the backends.