Back bending yoga poses

I have been practicing yoga for many years now but it was some time ago since I did practice it on a regular basis. Since a month I am now practicing yoga at least once a week and I am already feeling I am improving both my strengths, balance and flexibility.

What I am mainly struggling with, and what is my main challenge the next four weeks are the four back bending poses you see on the pictures below: the bow, the bridge, the camel and the king dancer. I have always been struggling with all different kinds of back bending yoga poses, I feel the stomach and throat stretch too much that I can hardly breath. I am kind of flexible or at least my legs are but my back and my stomach aren´t which makes the makes the back bending poses feeling very unnatural.

But they are not unnatural, they are actually very good for the body. The back bending yoga poses can be used to open up the front of the hips, stretch the front of the thighs, the belly and part of the ribcage. If they are done correctly you work your whole body.

On Wednesday when I had a longer yoga session than normal I felt really satisfied when I left the room. I realized I had managed to do things I couldn't do just few weeks ago. And I am sure that in four weeks time I will be able to do things I wasn't able to do today.

Yoga is all about constant improvement. It is not about comparing to the people you have next to you in the class - but it is a constant competition against yourself.

xoxo