When exercising, we often focus on parts of our body, like “leg day” or “arm day” or even abs, but building back strength is crucial for good posture and will support all your other sports. With these yoga moves, you won’t need any gym equipment and you can build your back strength from the comfort of your lounge or garden
Pose 1: Bridge Pose
Strengthens: Lower back and glutes and quads
How: Lie on your back and bend your knees, bringing your ankles close to your bum, hip-width apart. Place the arms alongside the body with the palms facing down. Exhale and tilt your tailbone towards your pubic bone to flatten your low back. Inhale and lift your hips up, then your lower back and then your upper back all off the mat. Use your core and quads to hold your pose. Stay in Bridge pose for 5 breaths and slowly lower back down to the mat. Repeat 3 times.
Pose 2: Cobra
Strengthens: muscles supporting the spine as well as the glutes and opens up the shoulders, neck and collar bones.
How: Lie down on your stomach with your legs and feet together. Place your forehead on the floor and your hands next to your chest with fingers spread wide. Inhale, and lift the head and chest without putting any pressure on the hands. Lift the hands an inch off the floor to further challenge back strength. Hold for 5 breaths and slowly lower back down to the mat. Repeat 3 times.
Advanced – add this variation:
Place your chin on the floor and interlock your fingers behind your back, resting the hands on the buttocks. As you inhale, lift your head and chest, raising your arms and stretching them behind you. Hold for 3-5 breaths and slowly lower back down to the mat. Repeat 3 times.
Pose 3: Half Locust
Strengthens: Mid to lower back and into the glutes.
How: Lie on your stomach and interlock your fingers underneath your pelvis (this might feel uncomfortable if you’re not used to it). Straighten your arms and place the chin on the ground. Inhale and slowly raise one leg, making sure not to twist the pelvis. Exhale and slowly lower, then switch legs. Repeat these movements several times on each side, moving slowly and holding for your leg as it’s raised for 3 breaths.
Pose 4: Chair Pose
Strengthens: Mid back, shoulders, core and into your quads.
How: Standing up straight, lift your arms above your head, palms facing each other. Sit down, as if to sit in a chair, bending your knees, but keeping your back straight and arms up. Aim to get your knees close to a 90-degree angle. Hold for 5 breaths and slowly lower back down to the mat. Repeat 3 times.
Pose 5: Cat & Cow Pose
Strengthens: spine, shoulders and upper and lower back, while releasing tension.
How: Kneel on the floor and place your hands beneath your shoulders in a Table Top position. Inhale deeply while lifting your head up, dropping your belly and tilting your pelvis up like a “cow”. Exhale deeply and bring your abdomen in, arching your spine and bringing your head and pelvis down like a “cat”. Repeat 10 times, moving slowly with intention.