Introduction to this video sequence
Preparatory backbends to help to get your spine and back muscles ready. Build your foundation to learn the areas of your body that need to be used for full backbends. You won’t be going up into the full bridge pose. It’s a great sequence when you want the feeling of backbends without going through a full cycle.
Guide to the poses
We start in Supta Baddha Konasana before moving into Upward Dog, and Downward Dog on the breath. Then we move to Half Utthanasana with hands to the wall. We open the upper back and shoulders with hands to Urdhva Badanguliasana and Namaskar.
We then move to Headstand Preparation followed by full Salamba Sirasana (Headbalance). We follow this with 2 repetitions of a cycle of poses: Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svansana (downward dog), Uttanasana, Urdhva Hastasana.
We move to another cycle: a movement between Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog) and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (upward dog).
Salabhasana variation follows, then full Salabhasana.
We move into Ustrasana, then Ustrasana with the support of a bolster and then Setu Bandha Sarvangasana with and without the support of a block.
Chatushpadasana is repeated 3 times without support, once with a brick to extend the lower back. Pixie guides you through using Utthanasana with a brick to release the lower back and Virasana forwards over a brick.
We finish the sequence with Ardha Halasana (Half Halasana) and Savasana.
Equipment required
- 1 x mat
- 1 x bolster
- 2 x blocks
- 4 x blankets
- 1 x chair
A sample of the video in stills
Illustrated sequence of video
Download and print the free illustrated sequence of this video.
