Deep backbends: the Deep Backbend sequence

35 min Sun Salutation × 2 Advanced 37 poses voice-guided in the app subscription

From Snake to King Pigeon and Wheel · avoid with hypertension

The app's longest program by number of poses: two warming rounds of Sun Salutation followed by 37 poses, 35 minutes in total. It's an advanced program, and its peaks are King Pigeon, Kapotasana and Wheel. Get comfortable with the Backbends & Opening sequence first, where the same pose groups are simpler.

The program isn't suitable with hypertension. Spinal disc herniations, lower back problems, neck and shoulder injuries, glaucoma and pregnancy also rule out many of the poses. In the app, this program comes with voice guidance and a timer in the subscription.

Sun Salutation × 2

  1. Cat-Cow Cat-Cow 1
  2. Shoulder Rolls Shoulder Rolls 2
  3. Bird Dog Bird Dog 3
  4. Low Lunge Low Lunge 4
  5. High Lunge High Lunge 5
  6. Lizard Pose Lizard Pose 6
  7. Downward-Facing Dog Downward-Facing Dog 7
  8. Wild Thing Wild Thing 8
  9. Sphinx Pose Sphinx Pose 9
  10. Cobra Pose Cobra Pose 10
  11. Revolved Cobra Pose Revolved Cobra Pose 11
  12. King Cobra Pose King Cobra Pose 12
  13. Hare Pose Hare Pose 13
  14. Snake Pose Snake Pose 14
  15. Locust Pose Locust Pose 15
  16. Inverted Locust Pose Inverted Locust Pose 16
  17. Frog Pose Frog Pose 17
  18. One-Legged Bow Pose One-Legged Bow Pose 18
  19. Bow Pose with Toe Hold Bow Pose with Toe Hold 19
  20. One-Legged Bow with Toe Hold One-Legged Bow with Toe Hold 20
  21. Child's Pose Child's Pose 21
  22. Bird Dog with Foot Hold Bird Dog with Foot Hold 22
  23. Camel Pose Camel Pose 23
  24. One-Legged Camel Pose One-Legged Camel Pose 24
  25. Pigeon Pose (Prep) Pigeon Pose (Prep) 25
  26. One-Legged King Pigeon Pose One-Legged King Pigeon Pose 26
  27. Pigeon Pose (Backbend) Pigeon Pose (Backbend) 27
  28. Child's Pose Child's Pose 28
  29. Straight-Leg Bridge Pose Straight-Leg Bridge Pose 29
  30. One-Legged Straight-Leg Bridge One-Legged Straight-Leg Bridge 30
  31. Wheel Pose Wheel Pose 31
  32. One-Legged Wheel Pose One-Legged Wheel Pose 32
  33. Knees-to-Chest Pose Knees-to-Chest Pose 33
  34. Noose Pose Noose Pose 34
  35. Supine Twist Supine Twist 35
  36. Staff Pose Staff Pose 36
  37. Seated Forward Fold Seated Forward Fold 37
  38. Relaxation Pose Relaxation Pose 38

Why this order

The first part prepares the body: Cat-Cow and Bird Dog wake up the back, and the lunges and Lizard open the hip flexors, without which a deep backbend collapses into the lower back. Downward-Facing Dog and Wild Thing open the shoulders.

On your belly the backbend grows from Sphinx to King Cobra, with Hare Pose as the counterpose. Then a strength block: Snake, Locust and Inverted Locust, followed by Frog Pose and three versions of Bow. On your knees come Bird Dog with Foot Hold, Camel and the pigeons, all the way to Kapotasana.

Straight-leg bridges lead into Wheel and One-Legged Wheel. Noose Pose, Supine Twist and Seated Forward Fold return your spine to neutral.

Cautions

  • Acute back pain (Cat-Cow)
  • Wrist injuries — practice on your fists (Cat-Cow)
  • Knee injuries — place a blanket under your knees (Bird Dog, Bird Dog with Foot Hold)
  • Wrist injuries (Bird Dog)
  • Knee injuries — place a blanket under your back knee (Low Lunge)
  • Lower back pain — don't deepen the backbend; keep your torso upright (Low Lunge)
  • Balance problems — keep your hands on your hips (High Lunge)
  • Knee injuries — rest your back knee on a blanket (Lizard Pose)
  • Wrist and shoulder injuries (Downward-Facing Dog, One-Legged Wheel Pose)
  • High blood pressure — don't stay in the pose long (Downward-Facing Dog)
  • Glaucoma (Downward-Facing Dog, Inverted Locust Pose)
  • Shoulder and wrist injuries (Wild Thing)
  • Pregnancy (Wild Thing, Cobra Pose, Revolved Cobra Pose, King Cobra Pose, Snake Pose, Locust Pose, Inverted Locust Pose, One-Legged Bow Pose, Bow Pose with Toe Hold, One-Legged Bow with Toe Hold, Wheel Pose, Noose Pose)
  • Cardiovascular disease (Wild Thing)
  • Acute lower back pain (Sphinx Pose)
  • Lumbar disc herniation (Cobra Pose, Revolved Cobra Pose, Locust Pose, Seated Forward Fold)
  • Flare-up of peptic ulcer disease (Cobra Pose)
  • Lower back problems (Revolved Cobra Pose, King Cobra Pose, One-Legged Bow Pose, Bow Pose with Toe Hold, One-Legged Bow with Toe Hold, One-Legged Camel Pose, One-Legged Wheel Pose)
  • Knee injuries (Hare Pose, Frog Pose, Child's Pose, One-Legged Camel Pose, Noose Pose)
  • Pregnancy — widen your knees (Hare Pose, Child's Pose)
  • Lower back injuries (Snake Pose)
  • Acute abdominal conditions (Snake Pose)
  • High blood pressure (Locust Pose, Inverted Locust Pose, Straight-Leg Bridge Pose, One-Legged Straight-Leg Bridge)
  • Neck and lower back problems (Inverted Locust Pose)
  • Lower back pain (Frog Pose)
  • Shoulder joint injuries (Bow Pose with Toe Hold, One-Legged Bow with Toe Hold)
  • Neck problems (Bow Pose with Toe Hold)
  • Lower back and shoulder injuries (Bird Dog with Foot Hold)
  • Spinal disc herniation (Camel Pose, Pigeon Pose (Backbend), Noose Pose)
  • Hypertension (Camel Pose, Pigeon Pose (Backbend), Wheel Pose)
  • Migraines (Camel Pose)
  • Knee injuries — do a Supine Twist with your knee to your chest instead (Pigeon Pose (Prep))
  • Knee and lower back injuries (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose)
  • Learn it after Pigeon Pose (Prep) (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose)
  • Only after a thorough backbend warm-up (Pigeon Pose (Backbend))
  • Neck and shoulder injuries (Straight-Leg Bridge Pose, One-Legged Straight-Leg Bridge)
  • Late pregnancy (Straight-Leg Bridge Pose, One-Legged Straight-Leg Bridge)
  • 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)
  • Flare-up of back pain — bend your knees (Seated Forward Fold)

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.