Level 1 Group Class: Widening the Front and Back Evenly in Back Bends

In this class, focus on keeping the entire back body wide, including the buttocks, the lower back and the back ribs, as you elongate the trunk.

The Sequence

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Child’s Pose

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Lung with the back leg straight

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose) with the feet apart

Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)

Parshvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose) INTO Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
• Come into the flat back variation of Parshvottanasana with the arms in front of you to the right. Hold for a few moments.
• Come out of the pose, adjust the position of the feet and go into Utthita Trikonasana to the right. Hold here.
• Come up and repeat on the second side.

Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior Pose 1)

Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Spread Feet Pose) preparation INTO Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior Pose 1)
• Come into the flat back Prasarita Padottanasana preparation with the hands under the shoulders. Hold for a few moments.
• Come up, raise the arms overhead, turn to the right and go into Virabhadrasana 1. Hold here.
• Return to the Prasarita Padottanasana preparation and repeat to the second side.

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) preparation with arms overhead
• Lie flat on the abdomen and reach the arms over head.
• Stretch the arms and the legs away from each other to elongate the trunk.

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) with the arms by the sides

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) preparation with arms overhead

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) with the arms by the sides

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) preparation with arms overhead

Sphinx Pose

Eka Pada Bhekasana (Single Leg Frog Pose)

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) preparation with arms overhead

Sphinx Pose

Eka Pada Dhanurasana
• From Sphinx Pose, bring one forearm across the body, reach back and do bow pose on one side, then switch.

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) preparation with arms overhead

Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
• Do this twice.

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose) legs only into a forward bend

Child’s Pose over a bolster

Parshva Bharadwajasana (Side Bharadwaja’s Pose)

Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Tags: Basic, Standing Poses, Back Bends