The Magic of Backbends

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The Magic of Backbends

Our spine is the strongest support for our physical structure. It connects and interconnects different nerves, muscles, bones, and tissues and a minor problem in the spine creates a chaotic situation to the entire system. Moreover, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that our spine plays a prominent role in most of our mental and physical functions. 

Backbends can be challenging, most of us run away from as they could be really taxing emotionally as they activate the sympathetic nervous system which controls our flight-fight stress response. We are sure with the compassionate guidance of Chandana Bhowmick one can edge backbends.

Chandana Bhowmick is Level II authorized Ashtanga yoga icon with a forte in backbends. A corporate person in her previous life Chandana quitted her job to acquire yogic wisdom. She completed her yoga and philosophy course from Yoga Institute, Mumbai and later acquired Ashtanga yoga training under the aegis of Shri Sharath Jois. Presently she guides people through her Mysore yoga programs in Pune and across the world. Let’s get an insight on the backbends with Chandana Bhowmick :


hmy: How backbends strengthen and benefit our physical and emotional well-being? 

Chandana: Backbends is not only about being flexible. It needs strength – core, back, and legs. So when we work on backbends we have to focus on building the suppleness in the back, shoulders and hip joints, strength in our core, back and legs and stability to hold the posture.

Not to forget that we also work on our mind and will power. We work to overcome our fear, limitations, and doubts. We build a lot of perseverance and focus. Thereby working on our emotional stability too.


hmy: What are the poses one should start their journey in backbends? 

Chandana: Here I can talk about Ashtanga Yoga. Urdhvadhanurasana is the 1st asana in the closing series. So one starts practicing this asana from the very beginning ( exceptional cases if a student has an injury or physical limitation ).


hmy: Backbends provide a huge range of motion, how closely we should use body intelligence while performing backbends? 

Chandana: Backbends are powerful even if its a subtle movement. One has to gradually progress and also understand the limitation of the body. I would suggest that such study has to be done under a teacher, one who knows your body and can gradually lead you to deepen your asanas. If you practice alone, patience and observance should be the principle. Listen to your body, understand, observe and study yourself. Take one step at a time. Every individual body responds in its own time.


hmy: How important is the sequence in backbends? 

Chandana: Again I can speak about my school of study, Ashtanga. A sequence in all the series paves the path for progression. Every previous asana plays a role in the next or upcoming asana/asanas.


hmy: The art of back bending comes with a lot of practice & alignment, what role breathing plays in building strength?

Chandana: Flexibility has to be supported by strength to achieve stability in an asana. 


hmy: Yoga backbends are emotionally & physically challenging. As a teacher, how do you help your students in dealing with such challenges? 

Chandana: As a teacher, every day it’s a study day for me. I study, observe and mindfully keep a track of a student’s progression. One has to know when to push, support and sometimes even detach ( let them work on themselves ) from a student. It’s a constant learning process, thinking of ways of helping an individual student in his/her path. That’s why we encourage to study under one teacher. You build up trust and understanding. 


hmy: Many practitioners have an urge to leave backbend quickly in order to calm down, how do you encourage them? 

Chandana: Make them do it again 🙂 With years of study, practice, and teaching, you develop an understanding as to when one should push, support or even stop a student. 


hmy: What are the myths associated with backbends and what is that Chandana’s principle one must follow in back bending? 

Chandana: Backbends is just not about being flexible. One has to work on

  • Spine Isolation
  • Core/Back Strength
  • Hip Rotation
  • Awareness and building up the leg strength for support 

Chandana Bhowmick with KYO Spaces is organizing a retreat –‘Island Magic’ from 21st-28th September at Havelock, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

There is a lot in store for those seeking a direction and new dimension in their yoga practice and also for those who consider backbends an arduous and painstaking domain in yoga.

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