Warriors, who out there wanted to add yoga to their repertoire this year? Especially as of late, this seems to be one of the more common exercise “adds.” And you know I am here for it. The last couple of weeks I have posted some more general content, but let’s get after February with some back bends!
Bow Pose is, truthfully, a bit of a more advanced asana. Although, it certainly isn’t on the same level as handstands. As the pictures indicate, Bow Pose is a back bending posture. And in case you haven’t read my post on Camel Pose, I am happy to give a refresher.
Back bends are poses where the spine arches backwards. These are extremely beneficial. First and foremost, these create flexibility in the spine. Many of us are sitting or engaged in single posture activities for long periods. Over time, the spine deforms to accommodate those postures. Back bends help counteract that deformity and allow the spine to regain some of its natural flexibility.
Back bends are also chest opening postures. Anything that opens the chest will aid in respiration, in particular getting oxygen into the body. More oxygen equals happier cells. Due to the base of support in Bow Pose, namely the hips and lower belly, this pose is also great for a little internal organ massage which benefits digestion. Balancing on your tummy will literally get the juices flowing. That sounded less gross in my brain.
As with any back bend, though, there are risks. Any spine or vertebrae injury means you should take extra care and modify this pose. For Bow Pose in particular, shoulder injuries or issues (i.e. rotator cuff problems or impingement) should be approached with caution. And tightness in the hips, hip flexors, and quadriceps can also create limits.
As is my schtick with this series, though, I’m not here to tell you that you can’t do something super beneficial. I am here to help you learn to modify the pose so that you can reap the rewards. And Bow Pose has a ton of different options that we can explore.
Proper Prep Work
Bow Pose requires proper prep. No matter how flexible you feel your spine is, it is ill advised to go whole hog into an intense backbend without some advance work. First and foremost, make sure that Bow Pose is located during the last third of your workout. This will allow you to fully warm up the body with other poses. A warm spine will cooperate with less complaint than a cold one. Much like a lifter completing a general and specific warm up (i.e. general = short, low intensity cardio or some body weight exercises, specific = easy versions of lifts and joint prep), you should be thinking along the same lines for Bow. The pose placement at the end of the workout will serve the general warm up purposes. But you should complete at least one other backbend of lower intensity (like Camel) prior to attempting Bow Pose.
General Back Bend Recommendations
As I mentioned with Camel, there are some general guidelines with any backbend posture. The posture should be completed several times, making sure to work with your breath. Due to the chest opening nature of these poses, the breath is critically important and especially helpful here. The first round through of the pose should be a modified version. Full stop. I don’t care if this is a pose you’ve completed a thousand times. Always start with a modified version. Choose any of the options below.
Traditional Bow Pose
Begin by laying on your tummy with your feet and neck relaxed. Inhale and lift your head, bend one foot (doesn’t matter which side you start with) at the knee towards your tush. Exhale and reach the same side hand back to grab the foot from the outside along the arch (where your shoelaces cross). Repeat the process on the second side on the next inhale/exhale. Pause for a moment to let any discomfort in your hips or shoulders ease. Inhale and arch up allowing the belly to round to the floor. You should settle on the lower belly/top of the hip bones. You may notice that your body rocks front to back slightly with each breath, that’s completely normal. Hold for several deep breaths. Exhale and relax your chest back to the floor while slowly releasing your feet and returning to prone.
No Arch
The simplest way to modify Bow Pose if you are able to fully reach both feet, is to not arch up. This posture is still a pretty intense back bend and the front side of your body will get plenty of stretch.
Half Bow
Another easy modification is Half Bow. Instead of reaching both arms to both legs, take it one side at a time. This creates a more manageable arch. It also relieves some of the tension in the shoulders and hips. And I don’t have it pictured because I didn’t think that far in advance (#trainerfail), but Half Bow also allows you to prop the forearm of the other arm under your torso, thus aiding in the arch. If you are going this route, just make sure to leave enough time to complete both sides.
Sun Bird
This is probably the most friendly of the modifications. Start with a table top spine, wrists under shoulders (use a rolled up towel if you have wrist pain) and knees under hips. Exhale and stretch one foot (again, doesn’t matter which side you start with) behind you with the tips of the toes remaining in contact with the floor. Inhale and bring the leg up extending from the hip. Exhale and contract your core to create balance. Inhale and stretch the opposite arm. Hold for several breaths. Exhale and return to table top. Repeat on the second side.
Sun Bird is an excellent warm up pose to any back bend, but it is a really effective and less intimidating modification for Bow Pose. The spine will naturally bow in this posture, but as you aren’t creating unusual tension with limb position and breath, the body will stop where it needs to.
Use of Props
Bow Pose is one of those poses where sometimes the best help comes from a prop. You can place a towel under your hip bones if it is uncomfortable during the arch up when they press into the floor. You can also use a rolled up towel or yoga strap to help reach your feet in either Full Bow or Half Bow. In Full Bow, bend both legs in at the same time and thread the towel around the tops of the feet. Grip one end of the towel in each hand, stretching back. Inhale and arch up as usual and the towel will act as hand extenders. In Half Bow, grip both ends of the towel in the same hand after threading.
As always, take your time. Use your breath. Be mindful and recognize that your body may need different modifications day to day.
Until next time, be well friends!
