In our daily life and work, we rarely use the situation of bending the spine backward. Even from the anatomical structure of the spine, there is not much space left for backbends. First part: Anatomical structure of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. So let’s first take a look at the anatomical structure of the spine. Understanding the anatomical structure of the spine allows you to know how to maximize the use of its structure to complete backbends顺势而为 instead of going against it.
The result of going against it is mutual damage. You neither practice backbends well nor protect the spine. The spine is composed of 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae and the sacrum. We focus on these two sections of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. 1. For the thoracic vertebrae to bend backward, it must bend together with the chest cavity. If the chest cavity is not opened and is in the state of hunching that we usually say, the amplitude of spine backbend will be limited.2. When the thoracic vertebrae bend backward to a certain extent, the spinous processes at the back of the spine will be stuck and limit the amplitude of backbend. Of course, because of these two points, the thoracic segment is very stable and safe, but not flexible enough. Let’s look at the lumbar segment again. Structurally speaking, the lumbar vertebrae are unstable. There are no bones around to restrain it.
It can also be said that there are no bones to protect it. Around it are soft tissues and muscles. But compared with the thoracic vertebrae, the flexibility of the lumbar vertebrae is much greater. However, precisely because it is flexible, when doing backbend movements, if not controlled, the lumbar vertebrae will be pushed out first to complete the backbend. There are no bones around to protect it. This is a typical case of picking the soft persimmon. But the structure of the lumbar segment is not suitable for backbends. First of all, there are also spinous processes. The spinous processes are arranged in parallel and are also easily stuck. Secondly, the lumbar segment is very short, with only 5 vertebrae. The backbend movement can only be completed within these short 5 vertebral bodies. What should we do? At this time, the intervertebral disc is pushed out again. The mutual compression of intervertebral discs can exchange for a little space and increase the amplitude of backbend. Truly, success and failure both depend on it. The lumbar structure determines that it has the advantage of flexibility, but it also causes the disadvantage of always being the first to be targeted and easily injured. Think about it. It is exactly the same in forward bends. This is determined by the structure. Judging from the anatomical structure of the lumbar segment: 1. When doing backbend movements, the lumbar vertebrae will be pushed out first to complete the task of backbend. 2. But its structure determines that its amplitude of backbend is very small and it is easily injured. It is very flexible but unstable. Thinking about it makes one feel sorry for the lumbar vertebrae. To sum up: 1. The amplitude of backbend completed independently by the thoracic segment is very limited, and the thoracic vertebrae has a protective umbrella. You cannot force it to bend backward. 2. The lumbar vertebrae is an unlucky one. Obviously, it cannot complete backbend independently. But when the task comes, it can only bite the bullet and complete the task by squeezing the intervertebral disc at the cost of injury as much as possible to exchange for more space.Part II: Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Backbends
After understanding the basic structure of the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae, let’s explore how to utilize their structural characteristics to practice backbends progressively and in accordance with their natural alignment. 1. Backbends are curves, not folds; forward bends are folds. What is a curve? A curve is an arc, a parabola. A fold, on the other hand, starts from a point and folds over. For example, have you seen a dog’s tail grass? If I say this dog’s tail grass is bent, what image comes to your mind? Isn’t it that the base of the grass is straight, and then the top of the dog’s tail, along with the grass, bends down with a large arc, just like our backbend in Camel Pose. But if I say this dog’s tail grass is broken, what image comes to your mind? Isn’t it that it breaks from a point and the head completely falls down, folding down. Just like our forward bend. Now let’s return to backbends. Combining the anatomical characteristics of the chest and lumbar vertebrae we discussed earlier, what would happen if we don’t control our backbends? The answer is: it starts to fold from the lumbar region, creating a crease that compresses the lumbar vertebrae, leading to injury. Because the lumbar and thoracic segments are the most flexible, they come out first; because the lumbar segment is very short, the distance available for backbending is small, the smaller the arc, the greater the possibility of creasing, and with weak abdominal and waist strength, the entire upper body’s weight will be pressed onto this arc, increasing the likelihood of a breaking point. At this time, the lumbar vertebrae act as a lever point. You can imagine the lumbar vertebrae gritting their teeth and persisting. 2. Controlled backbends start with the thoracic segment and gradually extend downward to the lumbar vertebrae. Let’s think about the dog’s tail grass again. Isn’t it that from the top of this grass, there is an arc bending downward, and as this dog’s tail gets heavier, it bends more downward, and the bending point gets closer to the root. It’s equivalent to our spine involved in backbends moving further down, increasing the amplitude of the backbend. So when we do backbends, we start from the chest cavity, tighten the abdomen, and lift the chest cavity upward to its limit, to the point where the chest cavity is fully involved in the backbend, and naturally, the lumbar vertebrae will participate in the backbend, making this parabola longer and gaining more space. This is also the process from shallow backbends to deep, thick backbends. 3. For thoracic backbends, exert your maximum effort to lift the thoracic vertebrae upward. If you consider the front and back sides of the body as two parallel lines, the more the front side opens, the greater the amplitude of the backbend on the back side. That’s why we always say practicing backbends can open the chest cavity, broaden one’s mind, and make people more cheerful and proactive. The way to open the chest cavity is to exert the maximum effort to lift the chest cavity upward, allowing the entire chest cavity to move upward and backward.It should be especially emphasized here that when opening the chest cavity, it is to lift the chest cavity upward rather than translate it forward. Translating it forward is equivalent to taking a step forward. Not only is there no improvement at the back, but it will also cause compression of the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is really pitiful and helpless. As long as there is a little change in the body, it is the first to be affected. This is the disadvantage of a certain part being relatively flexible. Everything has two sides. Being too flexible is not good, and being too stable is not good.
4. Perform backbends on the basis of extension. For backbends, first extend the spine and do your best to extend the spine. Whether it is the thoracic spine or the lumbar spine, the longer the spine is extended, the greater the degree of backbend. First: The more the spine is extended, the longer the parabola involved in backbends. Second: The more the spine is extended, the greater the space between the spinous processes at the back of the spine, creating more possibilities and space for backbends. The intervertebral disc is also elastic. Spine extension will increase the space between intervertebral discs. 5. Rotate the pelvis and tilt it backward. This is a bit similar to forward flexion. Forward flexion is to first rotate the pelvis and tilt it forward to fold the body downward and lay a track first. The same is true for backbends. First, let the pelvis tilt backward. First: The lumbar spine is connected to the sacrum, and the sacrum is connected to the pelvis. Tilting the pelvis backward first is actually equivalent to extending the arc of backbends downward a little more (see the picture of full camel pose above). Originally, only the lumbar spine section participated. Now it is equivalent to the lumbar spine and sacrum participating in backbends at the same time. The longer the parabola involved in backbends, the less likely it is to have creases. Second: Originally, the two ends of the parabola of backbends are the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine. Now it has become the thoracic spine and pelvis, which is equivalent to suspending the lumbar spine and sharing the pressure of the lumbar spine. 6. Tighten the core, tighten the waist and abdomen, and protect the lumbar spine with muscle strength. As we said earlier, the lumbar spine has no bone protection, but there are muscles outside the lumbar spine. If the muscles are tightened, it is equivalent to adding a layer of protection outside the lumbar spine. Transfer the pressure of backbends to the muscles. If rotating the pelvis backward is to place the lumbar spine in the middle and make the pelvis the end point of backbends to protect the lumbar spine, then activating the strength of the waist and abdomen is equivalent to placing the lumbar spine inside and adding a layer of protection outside to protect the lumbar spine in the arms. The third part: Specific steps of backbend practice 1. Inhale and extend the spine. (Strive for more space) 2. Exhale, tighten the abdomen and rotate the pelvis. (Protect the lumbar spine first) 3. Maintain the trend of extending the spine upward and lift the chest cavity upward. 4. As the angle of lifting the chest cavity upward changes, the degree of backbend gradually increases. The part on the back side of the body participating in backbends gradually moves downward from the thoracic spine section at the beginning until the entire spine participates in backbends, and the degree of backbend also reaches the maximum.The front side of the body is opened the most. Of course, it is easy to say but requires continuous practice and feeling of the body. Continuously extend the spine and then extend it again. Finally, I still want to remind all yogis. As I said at the beginning of the article, the space for spinal backward bending is originally limited, which is determined by our body structure. Coupled with the different individual differences of each person, do not compare with others, do not force yourself, and practice step by step.