Learn how to address the postural imbalances most students bring to class and how to avoid reinforcing old patterns that don't serve us.

Yoga backbends are extremely useful to restore. balance and release tightness in the muscles of the neck, shoulders and low back, which become chronically contracted from long hours of sitting.

Unfortunately, many students struggle with backbends, and they can be counterproductive if not practiced correctly. In this online course, Julie shows exactly how you can master backbends in bite-sized, incremental steps to overcome common issues and reap the full benefits of this important pose group.

Common backbend complaints include back pain, knee pain, neck discomfort and even wrist pain. Many yoga students aren’t sure which poses to work on to overcome these problems and make progress in backbending, and therefore down prioritize backbends in their practice or avoid them completely.

In this 3-part online course, we will take a look at structural issues and muscle imbalances that can make backbends challenging and constructive ways to address these issues in your practice. 

Specific areas of focus include chest opening and thoracic spine mobility, hip flexor flexibility and hip extensor strength, as well as shoulder flexibility for the specific backbend you’re training for. We will also look at hip rotation issues that can contribute to knee pain issues in backbends.

The course will include selected poses that you can use to warm up for your backbend practice, and also incorporate into your daily practices to help make long term progress. 

Once you’re more comfortable backbending, you will reap the benefits of a more upright posture, improved breathing and digestion, and more energy. With improved energy flow, backbends may also help with depression.

What You Will Learn:

• The anatomy of backbends - main muscle groups and structural factors that impact backbending
• How to observe common musculoskeletal imbalances that create restrictions in backbends
• Common alignment issues in backbends and how to observe them
• Sequencing principles for more effective back bending
• How to open the chest and create greater mobility in the thoracic spine and shoulders
• How the muscles of the pelvis impact backbends and how to overcome common issues
• Key principles to structure a backbending practice to create a foundation for longterm progress

Take a Sneak Peek at Julie's Slides:​​

The Distributed Spinal Curve: Creating Strength Without Compression

Fundamentals of Backbends: Why Spinal Segments Must Share the Curve

Correcting Excessive Anterior Pelvic Tilt: A Mild Stretch to Lengthen the
Hip Flexors

Creating a Deep Hip
Flexor Stretch in
Warrior 1 Pose​​

How Sitting Wrecks Your Body and How Yoga Can Help Reset Poor Posture

Preparing for Back Bends: Dog to Plank Pose on Chair

Open the Energy Channels of the Body: The Power of
Simple Backbends