Ah, backbends. An essential practice in yoga and one of the most divisive.
With a few exceptions, students either pepper their practice with as many as possible or skip them in anticipation of the inevitable discomfort.
The benefits of backbends in yoga Backbending opens our heart chakra and the postures work to build our courage and stamina, and give us a burst of energy. They’re also said to:
Lower stress and anxiety
Improve posture + spine flexibility and mobility
Stretch out abdominal muscles
Increase oxygen levels + open the body to diaphragmatic breathing
Help alleviate back + neck pain