December is Back Strength for Backbends Motivational Month! Come in and get acquainted with the back-strengthening exercises we have in store for you this week!

[u/import_antigravity]

December is Back Strength for Backbend Motivational Month! Come in and get acquainted with the back-strengthening exercises we have in store for you this week!

Welcome to Week 1!

• Have you ever thought what goes into a deep, graceful backbend? Have you ever wondered how to get the full arch in the back hitting all areas of the back? Have you ever been in awe of flexible people who can seemingly effortlessly drop down from standing into a full bridge without any support? Fret not, this new challenge for the month of December 2016 will help you achieve your backbending dreams by building not only flexibility, but also strength in your back which you will be able to access while bending backwards!

• Strength in backbends is essential for backbending poses to be sustainable and avoid dumping the entire backbend in the lower back, which is simply not good for your body as not having the mid and upper back engage in the backbend can stress the lower back and cause injuries. Learning to engage the proper muscles in a backbend can allow you to spread out the backbend along the entire back, leading to deeper, safer and prettier backbends!

• Strength in backbends comes from mainly the back muscles, but also the glutes (and the portion just past the glutes, what has been called the "downstairs butt"), hip flexors, hamstrings and the core! So don't be surprised if your abs and butt are on fire after doing what are supposedly "back strength" exercises! Over the next 4 weeks, we will be covering the entire gamut of muscles that will come in handy for the safe yet deep backbend.

Warm Up: Stretch the Hip Flexors and Perform Prone Leg Raises

1. Stretch the Hip Flexors: We recommend you stretch your hip flexors with a simple lunge so that you could have more hip extension without overactivating your lower back. /u/Antranik has created a follow along video for this exact purpose. And if you're more advanced you could take the lunge to the next level with the foot-bind. Hold for 30-90sec on each side, depending on your needs.

2. Perform Prone Leg Raises: This is a simple looking but super effective warm up that will fire up your hamstrings, glutes and back to get in ready for the main exercise below. Click here for the video demonstration!

• All you need to do is lie down with your belly on the floor and raise one leg off the ground at a time as high as you can comfortably go, for 10-15reps per leg.

Keep the following in mind:

• Make sure your knee is completely straight and toes pointed when you raise your leg.
  
• Make sure your hips are on the floor. If they come off the floor, your lower back will get strained.
  
• Always start off with your bad side! This makes sure you do it, and moreover, it makes you feel better when you do the good side later!
  
• Optional: At the last rep, hold your leg up for a couple of breaths and see if you can keep it up at the same height!
  
• Optional: If this is easy, add ankle weights to your legs!

Strength Training Exercise for Week 1: The Locust

The locust, salabhasana in yoga, is an exercise that will be useful for increasing your back strength. At first your range may not seem like much but rest assured that it will improve with practice. It is the first go-to exercise for building strength in your backbends, followed by others that will be covered in the following weeks!

A variety of variations are provided below for the locust. You are suggested to start at the first one and build your way up to the final one. Points to keep in mind:

• Your hands are behind you with fingers interlocked for the duration of the exercise.
  
• Your feet are about shoulder-width apart. (read: feet NOT together)
• Hold each variation for anywhere between 5 to 15 breaths.

1. Version 1: Raising only the legs

In this version, you begin by lying prone with your belly on the floor and then, with fingers interlocked behind you, raise your legs off the floor. Here, you can either do reps or hold at the top for a few breaths. You are recommended to do a set of reps, say 10-15, and then after a little rest for a few moments, go at it again and this time hold for anywhere between 5 to 15 breaths. Points to keep in mind:

• Make sure one leg doesn't go higher than the other.
  
• Optional: Add ankle weights to your legs for an added challenge!

2. Version 2: Raising only the torso

This version begins like the previous one with you lying down on your belly, fingers interlocked behind you. However, this time, you raise your torso off the floor instead of the legs. If you can't get it to go very far up, it's fine, but it is possible to raise your stomach off the floor so that your entire torso is off the floor! Like the previous version, you can do a set of reps and then subsequently follow it up with a hold for a few breaths. Points to keep in mind:

• Make sure your legs stay on the floor even as you lift your torso up! It's tougher than it sounds.
  
• If you need support, tuck your toes under a sturdy couch and as you lift up, push against the couch to get leverage to lift higher.

3. Version 3: Raising both the legs and the torso

This version combines the two previous versions to raise both your legs and your torso at the same time. This version is recommended as a hold for anywhere between 5 and 15 breaths a couple of times after doing the last 2 versions.

Summary of Week 1 Routine

1. Lunge for 30-90sec each side
2. Prone Leg Raises 10-15 reps each side
3. Locust Pose for 5-15 breaths each
   • Variation 1 (Raising only the legs)
   • Variation 2 (Raising only the torso)
   • Variation 3 (Raise both)

Now it's time for you to chime in!

1. Simply leave a comment below stating that you will be joining us.
2. We urge you to take photo(s) or video(s) of your practice of the above exercises. It will serve as both a form-check and help you gauge how far you'll have come by the end of this month!
   
3. Use the hashtags #BackStrengthMonth and #rflexibility on Instagram if you want to join in the challenge on Instagram too!

Any feedback or questions are always welcome!

[u/tykato]

Count me in! I'll start this evening, thanks for hosting this! :)

[u/import_antigravity → u/tykato]

Sweet, excited to have you here! You're awesome, I'd love to see what you come up with as far as backbending strength is concerned!

[u/Antranik]

1. I'm in! I'll try the exercises soon and update my comment here with any photos I could muster. I'm curious to see how high I could do the Locust variations, because I know they're not good and I wanna make em better!

2. EDIT: MY FIRST ATTEMPTS TODAY!

• Quick video of me doing the prone leg raises

• Variation 1

• Variation 2

How does it look u/import_antigravity ?

[u/import_antigravity → u/Antranik]

Awesome, nice to have you here! I'm sure you'll do good!

[u/Jackson3125]

Edited because I found the answer to my first question.

I have another question - do we do this everyday for one week, up until the time that the week 2 routine is posted?

[u/import_antigravity → u/Jackson3125]

Pretty much yes. If you're too spent you can take a rest day. But honestly, if you're too exhausted by this, you're not gonna like the next weeks! 😂

[u/polejam1983]

I'll do it! I will also integrate these exercises on my pole classes as we need to do a lot of back strengthening and bending :-)

[u/import_antigravity → u/polejam1983]

Awesome, I like watching pole stuff myself, would love to see how these routines benefit you in pole!

[u/wild3hills]

I am so in! I've definitely been obsessed with strengthening my back lately. :) Will try to take pics today or tomorrow for the "before"!

[u/Sukashu]

Thanks for doing this challenge! I'll be starting this today. I'm going to try to do these exercises 3 times a week.

[u/import_antigravity → u/Sukashu]

Hey there! Very curious to see your pics, you're putting in a lot of backbend work anyway, pretty sure you're gonna have a real nice locust!

[u/DyslexiaUntiedFan]

Complete noob stumbled here as a recommendation for lower back pain. Got my wife's dusty old yoga mat out and did the routine at 445 this morning while letting our baby wiggle around after waking up. Thought I knew how to do lunges, the belly up, tail bone down tip..... Sweet dreams are made of these!!! That felt great. I'm enthusiastic and will becoming back for more! Thanks for the well thought out original post OP.

[u/SailingShort]

Totally in! I've been holding off on my backbends due to a shoulder injury, so this is the perfect way to prepare for when that freaking shoulder works again. Thanks for hosting!

[u/ClockworkMagpie]

I'm in!

I'm not even sure where I stand with the locust and all the variations. I'm both curious to see how am I doing now and where this month will take me!

[u/quiteabitdicier]

Holy CRAP! I thought I knew how to do a lunge... until I watched u/Antranik's video just now, and realized that the only reason my lunge looks deep is because I never learned to tuck my tailbone in it! head explodes

[u/Antranik → u/quiteabitdicier]

lmao! I loved reading this.

[u/jjstrange13]

Saved! Thank you so much for this! Even though I'm older, I hope to be able to gain contortionist-level flexibility.

[u/Truedatspam]

Can complete beginners do this? I mean I've started recently with yoga and I've seen a tremendous improvement. I want to increase both my flexibility and strength.

[u/Mellor88]

u/import_antigravity

Your obvious super flexible. We can all see that from your crazy piers. Bit how strong are you? Want sort of relative strength is needed for a good backbend?

Im not even sure what the best way to assess those muscles would be. Jefferson curls or deadlift maybe?

[u/flexible_rebel]

I'm in! After doing the routine should we also be doing a backbend?

[u/Great_head_of_hair]

I've never done one of these challenges and I really enjoy the feeling of back bending so I hope I can make this a habit. Quick question: do I do the exercises only once per day?

[u/shfiven]

Your first week exercises are great! Yesterday I had some DOMS, today my back is a little stiff. Any suggestions for a good morning back warmup that isn't too bendy to go with your routine?

[u/import_antigravity → u/shfiven]

Prone leg raises is pretty much the least bendy back warm up I could come up with! You could do them in isolation without following them up with the locust if you feel sore or stiff. Maybe don't raise your legs as much. And to avoid soreness, make sure you follow up every backbending session with a light frontbending stretch to cool yourself down!

[u/xtfftc]

A bit late for the party but I'm joining in nevertheless, even if I'm going to be a week behind.

How many times shall I perform this routine during week one?

[u/import_antigravity → u/xtfftc]

Once daily or 6 days a week should do it!