Yoga backbends: the Backbends & Opening sequence

20 min Sun Salutation × 2 Intermediate 13 poses

From Sphinx to Wheel, step by step

A sequence for people who hold Cobra and Bridge with confidence and want to work gradually toward Wheel. In 20 minutes you go through two rounds of Sun Salutation and 13 poses: backbends on your belly, on your knees and on your back.

The level is intermediate, but the peak of the program, Wheel Pose, counts as advanced in the app: if it isn't happening yet, spend longer in Bridge. Bow, Camel, Wheel and Fish are not suitable with hypertension. If you have a spinal disc herniation, a neck injury or are pregnant, talk to your doctor, since some of the poses are off-limits for you.

Sun Salutation × 2

  1. Sphinx Pose Sphinx Pose 1
  2. Cobra Pose Cobra Pose 2
  3. Locust Pose Locust Pose 3
  4. Bow Pose Bow Pose 4
  5. Camel Pose Camel Pose 5
  6. Reclining Hero Pose Reclining Hero Pose 6
  7. Bridge Pose Bridge Pose 7
  8. Wheel Pose Wheel Pose 8
  9. Fish Pose Fish Pose 9
  10. Knees-to-Chest Pose Knees-to-Chest Pose 10
  11. Supine Twist Supine Twist 11
  12. Child's Pose Child's Pose 12
  13. Relaxation Pose Relaxation Pose 13

Why this order

The backbends move from passive to active. Low Sphinx props your chest on your forearms, Cobra lifts it higher, and Locust and Bow Pose make your back work with hardly any help from the arms. Camel carries the backbend onto your knees, and Reclining Hero stretches the fronts of the thighs, which tend to limit deep backbends.

Bridge prepares the glutes and shoulders for Wheel. Fish after Wheel opens the chest more softly, and then Knees-to-Chest, Supine Twist and Child's Pose bring your spine back to neutral before Savasana.

Cautions

  • Acute lower back pain (Sphinx Pose)
  • Lumbar disc herniation (Cobra Pose, Locust Pose)
  • Pregnancy (Cobra Pose, Locust Pose, Bow Pose, Wheel Pose)
  • Flare-up of peptic ulcer disease (Cobra Pose)
  • High blood pressure (Locust Pose)
  • Spinal disc herniation (Bow Pose, Camel Pose)
  • Hypertension (Bow Pose, Camel Pose, Wheel Pose, Fish Pose)
  • Flare-ups of digestive disorders (Bow Pose)
  • Migraines (Camel Pose, Fish Pose)
  • Knee injuries (Reclining Hero Pose, Child's Pose)
  • Lower back pain — stay on a prop or on your elbows (Reclining Hero Pose)
  • Neck injuries (Bridge Pose, Fish Pose)
  • Flare-up of lower back pain (Bridge Pose)
  • Back, shoulder, or wrist injuries (Wheel Pose)
  • Don't practice without warming up (Wheel Pose)
  • Pregnancy from the second trimester onward — take your knees wider than your belly or skip the pose (Knees-to-Chest Pose)
  • Disc herniation in the acute phase (Supine Twist)
  • Pregnancy — widen your knees (Child's Pose)

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.