Stretch and Strengthen the Back

This exercise both stretches and strengthens our intrinsic back muscles which are so important for our good upright posture. It helps to keep the spine healthy and flexible.






Standing Roll Down Pose

1. From Mountain Pose reach your arms out to the side and lift your chest as you bring your arms to a wide v shape and inhale.


2. As you exhale draw your chin into your chest and keeping your tail bone lengthening downwards start rolling your body forward, first your shoulders, then the upper, middle and lower back and finally the sitting bones tilt upwards. Feel each vertebra opening and stretching as you do. (It is important to keep your knees bent and abdomen engaged towards your spine. Some people with lower back pain do better not to roll down but to come down with a straight back to half way.)
3. When you have reached as far as you can comfortably go, relax and take a deep breath in and out and then roll back up again keeping your tail bone lengthening downwards, knees bent and abdomen engaged towards the spine.


4. Repeat 4 or 5 times.

Strengthen the lower back and abdomen

This exercise is an adaptation of a variation of the Locust Pose!! (The locust pose is found in my July post) In other words those who for some reason can’t lie face down (pregnancy etc) and lift one leg and arm at a time can do this pose instead. It strengthens the back muscles as well as the abdominal muscles.

Extended Table Top Pose.

• Position yourself on your hands and knees in what is known as a table top position.


• Draw the abdominal muscles gently back towards the spine, breathe in and raise your right arm. Stay and breathe for a few breaths and then repeat with your left arm.


• Now keep both hands on the floor and as you breathe in raise your right leg. Stay and breathe and then repeat with the left leg.


• Now raise the right arm and left leg and hold as you breathe.


• Repeat with the left arm and right leg.


• As you hold the pose lengthen out of the lower back in both directions but be careful not to tense the foot or your toes may cramp, just lengthen back into the arch of your foot.

MEDITATION HELPS BACK PROBLEMS

Namaste
Recently a lady with chronic back pain was telling me how in spite of all the good things she does for her back, the pain keeps coming back. Even though she puts a lot of time and energy into strengthening and stretching it, strengthening the abdominals and other supporting muscles, plus she does her back bends and forward bends with utmost care still the pain keeps returning. She told me that she has finally discovered the secret to her problem – stress. Whenever she’s undergoing something stressful in her life the pain comes back.

This brings another dimension to support for back pain - relaxation and meditation. No matter how much attention we lavish on our backs it is only treating the symptoms and not the cause if we keep taking our problems and holding them in our back. Therefore if you find any chronic problem, whether it is in your back or any part of your body, it could very easily be because you are holding your stress there. The very best way to get rid of stress is deep meditation and relaxation. Both of which are taught at our Deep Peace Classes at the Gold Coast Australian School of Meditation.

A Safe Spinal Twist

Twists are very beneficial for a healthy spine, they create strength, freedom of movement and drainage of toxins. They should, however, be approached with great caution by people who suffer from disc problems. The following twist should only be performed with a straight back. If you twist with a hunched spine much more potentially damaging pressure is put into the spine. The test of whether your back is straight is feeling if you have openness and length through the front of your body.

Standing forward bend twist

• Stand with the feet a little over hip distance apart and come into a forward bend with your back parallel to the floor and your hands on the floor.
  (You may need to bend your knees a little and you may need to rest your hands on a block)


• Inhale and lengthen the back of your neck and your spine.


• Exhale, bring your right hand to your right hip and twist from your abdomen to the right. (Keep your hips level as the tendency here is to lift your right hip.)


• For a deeper version raise your right arm to the ceiling and look up.


• Stay for 5 or more breaths and then repeat to the other side.

Lateral Stretch in Half Forward Bend

One of the main problems with the back is the compression of one vertebra on top of another. This can be bought about by poor posture, extended sitting or extended standing and also commonly by accidents. One way that yoga asanas help the back is to stretch the muscles on each side of the spine. Often these muscles become very tight, exacerbating the compression problem. If you are suffering lower back pain be very careful and only move within your comfort range, gradually increasing the movement over the ensuing days and weeks and always monitoring how you are feeling in the pose and after you come out of it and even how you feel the next day and adjusting your practice accordingly. This lateral stretch is very strengthening for the lower back especially in the full pose with the arms out in front, but treat it with caution and use your abdominal strength by drawing the abdominal muscles back towards the spine for the whole pose.

Lateral Stretch in Half Forward Bend

• Stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart and bring your hands to your hips. Inhale and lift your chest, lengthening through the whole of the spine.


• Exhale and bend forward from your hips to half way, keeping the same length in your spine. (fig.1) (If your back starts rounding try bending your knees to ease down with a straight back – it is better to keep your spine lengthening and just come to a 45 degree angle than round your back to 90 degrees)


• Inhale and lengthen right through to the crown of your head, exhale and keeping your trunk parallel to the floor and your hips facing front turn your trunk to the right. (fig 2)


• Inhale to centre and exhale to the left.


• Continue 5 -10 times each side.

More Strenuous Version

• This pose becomes more strenuous if from the standing position you clasp your hands above your head with your palms turned up and keep them like this when you bend forward. Trying to keep them in line with your trunk throughout the whole pose.(fig.3)

Strengthen the Deep Abdominal Muscles.

Uddiyana Bandha is one of the best ways to strengthen those deep abdominal muscles which support your lower back. When practiced every morning before eating, it will also stimulate your digestive tract and tone your lungs.

This pose should not be attempted if you have eaten recently or are menstruating, pregnant or suffering from heart or circulatory problems or headaches.

ABDOMINAL LOCK (Uddiyana bandha)

• From a standing position bend your knees and lean forward slightly from the hips, resting your hands just above your knees. (fig 1)


• Take a deep breath in and then exhale fully drawing your abdomen back towards your spine. Keeping your breath out expand your rib cage (this is like taking a fake breath in) you will feel the abdomen hollowing and lengthening and a slight drawing sensation in the throat. To counteract this bring your chin towards your chest and keep your body lengthening. (fig 2)


• When you are ready to inhale slowly release the lock and gently inhale (don’t gasp), take a full breath and exhaling roll down into a relaxing forward bend (fig 3)
  Inhale and on the exhale roll back up. Repeat twice more then rest.

Freedom for the Spine

There are some people whose knees are too damaged to kneel comfortably to do the cat/cow sequence to warm up their back. If your knees are delicate, take heart most yoga poses can be modified. This modification will warm up your spine, keeping it nice and flexible and can be performed from a standing position.

Standing Cat Sequence

• From a standing position lean forward with a straight back and place your hands on your upper legs. (fig 1)You may need to keep your knees bent.


• As you inhale keep your body in a straight line and lift your tail bone and your collar bones. Lengthening along the front of your body. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and neck lengthening. (fig 2)


• As you exhale reach your back upwards and drop your tail bone and head, draw your abdomen in towards your spine. (fig 3)


• Return to the inhaling position and continue for 5 to 10 breaths. Move slowly and feel your back muscles gradually releasing and lengthening.


• Come back to a standing position and rest.

Strengthen the Abdominals with the Side Plank

At my classes at the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga at Mermaid Beach and Burleigh Heads I don't do a heap of core strength work but recently a 75 year old friend, who has been coming to classes regularly for over six months now, was telling me how much his tennis game has improved since he stared yoga asana classes. He told me he credits it to a strengthening of his core from the yoga classes. Regular practice of yoga asanas really does work to enhance your strength.

This pose is such a good strengthener for the deep abdominal muscles so necessary in lower back health. You may find your torso sagging and your arm sinking into your shoulder, but you need to be very careful about this and lift up out of your shoulder joint. Engaging your side abdominal muscles (obliques) will support the shoulder joint nicely.

Side Plank Pose

• Come into a Plank Pose with the body in a straight line from the heels up to the shoulders and into the crown of the head. (fig 1)
  
• Shift your weight onto your right hand and swivel so that your whole body is facing the left side of your mat. Your right leg is on top of your left leg.
  
• If you can, lift your right arm perpendicular to the floor (fig 2). Lift up out of your shoulder and engage your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. Keep your trunk lifted and maintain the straight line of your body from your feet to your shoulders and head.
  
• Stay for 5 breaths or as long as you are comfortable, then return to the Plank Pose and repeat to the left.
  
• Rest in the Child Pose when finished.
  
• If you would like to work at an easier level keep your right knee on the floor with the foot behind you, but still keep lengthening through your whole body. (fig 3)
  
• For more stability you can work with your feet flat against a wall.
  
• For those with wrist problems this pose can be performed with the elbow bent and lower arm resting on the floor parallel to the end of your mat.
  

Strengthen the Abdominals

This exercise strengthens the abdominals which are so important in lower back health. Most people think of the work of the abdominals as either drawing the lower extremities up to the chest (as in supine leg lifts) or as drawing the shoulders towards the hips (as in sit ups). These actions are bought about by the longitudinal abdominal muscle which runs from the lower pelvis up to the rib cage. However there are other deeper lying muscles which are more involved with supporting the actions of the lower back. The deepest layer of muscle is called transverse abdominus, (we can feel this muscle working when we sneeze or cough) and one of the best ways to strengthen it is through mula bandha or pelvic floor exercises.

Supine Pelvic Floor Exercise

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet and knees hip distance apart.


• Notice your breath. Breathe deep down into your abdomen letting the abdominal muscles relax as you inhale and squeezing them strongly as you exhale. Feel the gentle tilting of your pelvis as you breathe. You will notice that as you breathe in your lower spine lifts away from the floor slightly (fig 1) and as you breathe out your lower spine flattens into the floor. (fig. 2)


• Now we will emphasize this natural tilting of the pelvis. As you exhale draw up the muscles of your pelvic floor and hold strongly. Slowly release them and inhale fully. (The pelvic floor muscles can be activated by using the same muscles that you would use to stop the flow of urine)


• Continue this exercise for 5 – 10 breaths.
  
  This exercise is not only good for the lower back but is recommended as a cure or preventative for many other conditions such as incontinence, prolapsed uterus and digestive problems. Find more poses at the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga website

Safe and Relaxing Spinal Twist

Namaste Yogis
Aaahhh the end of the week let’s relax!

Some of the students at the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga remark that this pose makes them feel so safe, it’s like hugging a big teddy bear. Try it and you’ll see what they mean. This pose supports the spine as it gives it a gentle twist. Even people with back problems can usually enjoy this little twist.

Supported Prone Twist

• Sit with your right hip to the end of a bolster. (or improvise with rolled blankets) (fig 1)
• Place your hands to either side of the bolster and gently lower the front of your body down onto it. At first your head is turning to the left as you relax your back and shoulders and breathe. (fig 2)
• When you feel comfortable about it you can lift your head and gently turn it to the right and place it back down again. (fig 3)
• A deeper twist is achieved by removing the bolster and doing the pose on the floor. (fig 4)

A word about bolsters.
As our bolsters are futons they tend to loose their roundness and squash flat, so we are constantly trying to plump them up. Although not made of natural fibres you can get very sturdy foam bolsters that tend to hold their shape better. Bolsters are such a great prop for relaxation, we use them in some way or other in every class, from placing them under the knees in Savasana to other relaxing poses like Reclining Hero or Reclining Cobbler and as a special treat the pose above – Supported Prone Twist. Happy snuggling!

Lengthen the Spine

To explain the importance of the Downward Dog Pose someone once said, ‘If the body was to come with an instruction manual at birth one of those instructions would be - Do the Downward Dog Pose everyday! '
This pose has lots of wonderful strengthening and stretching effects for the external body as well as many internal health giving properties. Today we’ll focus on how it is so good for the back.
In this pose the whole vertebral column is in traction and allowed to elongate. This provides room for the intervertebral discs to expand and regain their cushioning effect. Impinged nerves may be relieved and tight muscles eased out. Just as a dog likes to have a good stretch after lying down we too can enjoy the same effects from the Downward Dog Pose.

Downward Dog Pose

• Start by kneeling on the floor with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. You hands should be shoulder width apart and knees hip width apart


• Curl your toes under, engage your abdominal muscles and lift your knees up off the floor.
  Swing your trunk back towards your thighs so that your back is lengthening in a diagonal line from your wrists up to your sitting bones. (fig.1)


• Only straighten your legs if you can keep that diagonal line. Encourage your sitting bones to reach up to the ceiling like the peak of a mountain. (fig 2) (Sometimes this is called the Summit Pose).


• For further work on the back of your legs you can lower your heels towards the floor while still maintaining the length in your spine. (fig.3)
  

I doubt there would be any yoga class that would not include the Downward Dog as part of their workout. At the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga on the Gold Coast it features a lot. We practice it as part of our Salute sequences as well as an interim pose between some of the standing and sitting poses and sometimes it features as a pose in its own right to lengthen and strengthen not to mention all the other good things it does which I’ll cover in later posts.

More Stretches for the Lower Back

This kneeling lunge works on lengthening the iliopsoas muscles which run from the lower back across the hip and onto the front of the thigh. Through prolonged sitting or poor posture or simply genetics these muscles are often so tight that they prevent the lower back from maintaining its natural curve causing a lumbar lordosis (commonly known as sway back). The bad news about a sway back is that it can lead to too much pressure on the lumbar discs which may cause nerve impingement, inflammation or ruptured discs.

Kneeling Lunge

• Kneel on the floor. If you like you can pad under your knees.
• Lean forward and bring your hands to the floor under your shoulders.
• Move your right foot to between your hands and slide your left leg back to enhance the left hip stretch. (fig.1)
• To prevent putting too much strain on the hip joint draw your thigh bones into each hip socket.
• If you would like to deepen the stretch raise your body up and bring your hands to prayer position at the heart. (fig.2) This allows the force of gravity to work more into the hip.
• Stay for 5 or more breaths and repeat to the other side.

My Tuesday class at 5 pm at the Gold Coast Australian School of Meditation and Yoga Centre at Mermaid Beach features lots of stretches and strengtheners for the lower back. It is an easy class which is enjoyed by people with special needs, those who are starting out on their yoga journey and those who just like a gentle workout.

Stretch Out the Lower Back

• Namaste yogis,
  
  Once a yoga student at the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga told me he was at the Big Day Out (you know 12 hours of standing in dense crowds and dancing) and his lower back started aching so he got down into a squat for a while and eased all the tightness out of his back. Now that’s taking yoga asanas out into your everyday life isn’t it! This pose gives a really nice stretch to the lower back but those of you with protruding discs should approach this and all forward bends very cautiously.
  
  
  The Squat


• From the Mountain Pose stand with the feet hip distance apart, raise up onto your toes and very slowly lower down into a squat.


• If your heels don’t reach the ground you can roll up your mat or a towel and place it under your heels so you can relax into the pose. (fig.1) Otherwise bring your heels to the floor.


• Place your elbows between your legs and bring your hands to prayer position. Encourage the legs to move apart, this will give a nice opening to the back of the hips as well as the lower back.


• Stay for as long as comfortable and breathe evenly.

When you have finished the pose you’ll be ready to get up and dance again!

Stretch out the Lower Back

Namaste yogis
Here is another favourite of mine. Through extended sitting or standing or bad posture or lifting too many sacks of concrete (!) the lower back can so easily get compressed. This wonderful little stretch helps to release muscles on each side of the lower back and helps to take pressure off the intervertebral discs allowing them to become bathed in fresh nutrients and able to support the vertebrae as they should.

Seated Side Stretch

Sit comfortably upright with your hands beside your hips, if your hands don’t reach the floor put blocks (or some thick books) underneath them. Throughout this exercise gently engage your abdominal muscles to support your lower back.
Inhale and raise your left arm. Lengthen your spine by lowering your sacrum away from your lower back (another way of saying this is - lengthen your tailbone downwards), lifting your ribcage away from your hips and extending up into the crown of your head.
Exhale and while keeping that length in the spine reach over to the right side, extending out of your left hip.
Inhale to come up and exhale to lower your arm.
Repeat to the right side and repeat the whole sequence 4 or 5 times.

You can do this exercise at any time you need to stretch out the lower back, even if you are sitting in a chair. At my classes at the Gold Coast Australian School of Meditation and Yoga we often do this stretch as a warm up before Extended Triangle and other side stretching poses.

Strengthen the Abdominals

Namaste yogis



Good strong abdominals are so important in your yoga poses and also in your daily life. They support your lower back and help to take pressure out of the hip, knee and ankle joints.


Reverse Ab Curl

Lie on your back bring your legs up to your chest and cross your ankles, letting your knees drop outwards. Reach around and take hold of your toes. Inhale
As you exhale use your abdominal muscles to roll your hips away from the floor as your knees reach toward your rib cage.
Gently return to the floor and repeat 10 times or more.
Remember to keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.

View more yoga poses at our web site asm.org.au

Strengthen Your Core

• Namaste yogis
  
  Today’s pose will help strengthen the core muscles of your torso. A strong core is really important in supporting the lower back therefore this exercise in invaluable as a preventative to lower back injury and pain, but should be avoided or performed with extreme caution if you already have lower back pain or injuries.
  
  For more information regarding core muscles please visit the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga web site: http://www.asm.org.au/yoga/articles/2008/02/05/core-support/
  
  While performing the exercise keep checking to see that your shoulders, neck and jaw are not holding any tension. Also check that your knees and/or feet stay together, this keeps your sacro-iliac joint safe.
  
  Strengthening Supine Twist


• Lie down on your back with your knees bent. Your lower legs should be parallel to the floor and the thighs at right angles to the torso. Have your arms beside your body and bent at the elbows with the fingers pointing up to the ceiling.


• Inhale and lower your legs to a 45 degree angle to the right and rest them in your right hand. (fig.1) Stay for 5-10 breaths and feel the work in your abdominal muscles as they help to support your legs.


• Repeat on the other side.
  
  If you would like to work a little deeper in the pose there are 3 more options.


• Lie on the floor with your knees bent as above but bring your arms out to the side. As you lower your legs to the right you are supporting them solely with your core strength. (fig.2)


• Prepare for the pose as in the above variation but straighten out your left leg and then lower to a 45 degree angle. (fig.3) Repeat to the same side with your right leg out straight, left leg bent.


• The last variation is to perform the pose with both legs straight. (fig 4)

Reclining Knee to Chin

Namaste Yogis

Today’s gem is technically a very easy version of Reclining Hand to Toe Pose, (Supta Padangusthasana). We often include this simple pose in our classes at the Gold Coast Australian School of Meditation and Yoga.( http://asm.org.au) It is invaluable as a counter pose to backward bending poses like the Bridge Pose or Cobra Pose as it stretches tightness out of the lower back and lengthens the whole spine. It’s great to do at the end of a class before resting and it also feels good before getting back up again.

If you’re one of the great majority of people who suffer from back pain sometime or other in their life then include this little pose regularly in your exercise routine. Having good abdominal support is also important to prevent, manage and cure back pain and this pose can also be used as an abdominal strengthening pose simply by keeping your arms up off the floor, straight beside of the body and not holding onto the leg. Just make sure to keep the abdominal muscles drawing back towards the floor throughout all phases of the pose.

Reclining Knee to Chin Pose

This pose is often performed as a sequence coordinating the movements slowly with the breath although if you prefer you can hold each phase of the pose for 3 or more breaths.

• Lie on your back with your legs extended and tune in to your Complete Yoga Breath. (If your lower back is troubling you start with both knees bent, feet flat on the floor)


• Inhale and raise your right knee to your chest and take hold of your shin.


• Exhale and raise your chin or nose to your knee.


• Inhale lower your head


• Exhale lower your leg


• Repeat with the left leg and then with both legs.

Do this sequence 3 or 4 times.

Once you are familiar in the pose you can start refining it by keeping both thighs tucked into the hip sockets and extending out through the lower leg into the heel.

Reclined Hip Stretch

Namaste Yogis

Many people who come to classes at the Gold Coast Australian School of Meditation and Yoga appreciate poses that stretch the sciatic area. Sciatica is a common complaint, which may be due to prolonged sitting with poor posture, aerobic type exercise in ill fitting shoes or on hard surfaces, or an intense walking or running exercise regime. Whatever the cause the result is tight hip rotators especially the piriformis muscle which runs from the head of the thigh bone to the sacrum. A tight hip rotator can limit our forward bends and cause a proverbial ‘pain in the butt.’ Sciatic pain is most commonly felt in the buttocks and often radiates down the leg but the pain may also be felt in the lower back. If you’ve ever had sciatica you’ll know how painful it is and also what a relief it is to stretch the hips and release the piriformis muscle from pressing down on the sciatic nerve.


Reclining Hip Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor

Bend the right leg and place your right ankle up near the left knee.

Let your right knee drop out to the side.

If you can, raise up on your left toes (fig.1)

For a deeper stretch lift your left foot off the floor. (fig.2)

If you can go further reach through the gap between your legs with your right arm and hold onto the left shin or back of the left thigh. Bring the left hand around the outside of your left leg to hold it also. (fig.3)

N.B. Don’t force the pose, be gentle with your body and work just below your limit. As you breathe with your calm deep complete yoga breath you will feel the muscles gradually softening and you will be able to ease into the stretch a little more.

Stay for at least a minute and then repeat on the other side.



fig.1

fig.2

fig.3

Cat/Cow Pose Brings Flexibility into the Spine

Namaste yogis

Do you hunch over your computer, curl into your armchair or slouch over the steering wheel? You may be setting the stage for lower back troubles. The spine is designed very nicely to hold the weight of our body providing it is kept in its natural curves, so when we lose our good posture there is more strain put on the spine, particularly the lower back which bears all the weight of the upper body. With poor posture habits the lower back can become very stiff and painful. Fortunately the Cat/Cow sequence is a wonderful way of loosening up the spine. This little sequence brings more blood supply to the muscles of the back helping it to become more supple and opening up the tight vertebrae so that they feel a whole lot better.

Cat/Cow Pose

1. Assume a table top position with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Have some firmness in your abdomen so that your lower back is supported (fig 1)



2. As you inhale lift your tail bone and lengthen through the front of your body right up to your chin, lift your chest towards the wall in front. This is called the Cow Pose because it looks and feels like a mooing cow. (fig 2)



3. As you exhale it is the opposite move. Your back lifts up towards the ceiling, your tail bone drops down between your legs and your head lowers. This is called the Cat Pose because it is like a bristling frightened cat. (fig 3)


4. Repeat this sequence 5 or more times, moving slowly with deep slow breaths.
   
   

Namaste

Margaret

Strengthen the Lower Back with the Bridge Pose

Namaste yogis

The Bridge Pose is one of those multi-purpose poses that you can use to open the chest, strengthen the lower back, strengthen the legs and shoulders and bring more flexibility to the spine In my classes at the Gold Coast Australian School of Meditation & Yoga I get the class to hold this pose while engaging the inner thigh muscles This works to strengthen the muscles of the lower back and prevent injury there as well as to bring more blood supply to this area and help cure any prevailing injuries. What works really well is to first loosen up the back gently by working dynamically in the pose for about 5 breaths and then to hold it.


BRIDGE POSE


1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet close enough to the body so that the fingertips can brush the heels. The feet and knees should be hip width apart. Inhale and feel the lower back rising slightly away from the floor. (fig 1)
2. Exhale and tilt the pelvis so that the lower back makes contact with the floor. (fig 2)
3. Press down into the feet strongly and slowly lift the hips and back off the floor, one vertebra at a time, keeping the buttock and abdominal muscles softly engaged. Keep your neck soft.
4. Clasp your hands under your body and straighten your arms drawing the shoulder blades closer towards each other. This helps to lift the chest. (fig 3)
5. Also squeeze your thighs towards each other and resist the squeeze, this helps to strengthen the lower back.
6. Focus on lifting the hips and chest and breathe to broaden the whole heart area. The strength of the pose is in your upper arms and legs and feet.
7. After 5 or more breaths slowly release the pose keeping the pelvic tilt so that the lower back makes contact with the floor before the hips.
8. Hug the knees into the chest and gently rock to stretch out the back, then rest.

fig.1

fig 2

fig 3

Why is it that back bends feel so invigorating and energizing? It’s because they expand the lungs to enable more oxygen intake, they squeeze the kidneys to detoxify this important organ and they tone the nervous system which runs up the spine and branches out from between the vertebrae to supply all parts of the body.


Namaste
Margaret
Senior Yoga Instructor