Forward bend yoga asanas strengthens the back and improves the flexibility of the spine. It stretches and tones the spinal nerves emanating from each vertebra.
“You are as young as your spine is” – is a popular saying. In the olden days, people had enough exercise in their daily work and activities to keep their spine healthy. But today due to a predominantly sedentary life style, our spines have become weak and stiff. The back muscles have lost its flexibility. Our digestion has become weak.
Forward bend yoga asanas help to reverse this condition and makes the spine strong and flexible.
How to do Forward Bend Yoga Asanas?
Well, there are many forward bend yoga asanas. Below, you will find a gallery of all forward bend yoga poses. Click the images to get instructions for a particular asana.
When you perform forward bend yoga asanas, become aware of your bending process. Try to bend from your hips and not the neck region. Only when you have reached the limit of bending from the hips, you should go further with the upper back and neck.
During your daily practice, you should follow up your forwards bends with counter backward bend yoga poses. For every forward bend pose there are one or many backward bend poses. Do them together for a smooth yoga routine.
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Benefits of Forward Bend Yoga Asanas
- These yoga poses make the spine and back flexible.
- It stretches and tones the back muscles.
- It can relieve back pain in some cases.
- Forward bend yoga asanas also tones the abdominal muscles and the organs in the abdomen. This helps to improve digestion.
Contraindications for Forward bend Yoga Poses
- Those with severe back injuries should not attempt forward bend yoga asanas.
- People with severe lower back pain or spondylitis should do these poses only under guidance of a yoga therapist. For most back problems, backward bending poses are more suitable than forward bending poses. Forward bending may even aggravate the situation. Hence, get advice from a qualified yoga therapist before attempting them.