fbpx

How to Backbend: A Yoga Basics Tutorial on Floor Bow or Dhanurasana

by

Curious about backbends?  

Think you can’t do them?  

I’m here to tell you, YES, YES YOU CAN!  And guess what, backbends are GREAT for you too! 

Backbends actually strengthen the muscles along your back so practicing them can actually help you experience LESS low back pain if you practice them!  Here’s the catch, you have to do them regularly…  

In today’s tutorial, Join Jennifer Dixon with Thrive Yoga and Wellness and Thrive Online or a quick tutorial on Floor Bow, or Dhanurasana Pose.  

In this Yoga Basics tutorial, you will learn all about this beginner to intermediate level backbend pose called Floor Bow, or Dhanurasana as in Sanskrit.  This is a basic yoga pose found in many different types of yoga classes and has many different modifications based on where you are in your yoga practice. Here, Jennifer talks about “best practices” you can do to help keep your back safe and pain-free.

What to Remember When Practicing Floor Bow or Dhanurasana:

  • Lay on the ground, preferably harder surface 
  • Be sure to engage your abdominal muscles to help relax your back, and to keep your tail bone pointing down / away from your head as much as possible, even while attempting to do this posture.
  • Start out with just one leg, so bend that knee, and reach back to grab hold of the foot, ankle or calf.  The opposit arm can be in front supporting you.
  • Next, trying to kick into the hand that is grasping the foot and hold for several counts.  Do this on the other side.
  • If you’re feeling up for it, trying to do both feet at one time.
  • Try to keep your knees closer together, they will try to splay apart.
  • To intensify this pose, bring your knees closer together, kick into your hands more, and try to straighten your legs.
  • Hold this for several breaths.  

Remember, you belly muscles being engaged help protect your back, so pull that belly button in!

If you would like to learn more about Jennifer or if you would like to practice with Jennifer in person and you’re in the Chattanooga, TN area, check out www.Thrive Yoga and Wellness.com.  We offer almost 40 classes each week in a variety of modalities from beginners to advanced, to chair and seniors all the way to super physical HIT yoga. It’s a great studio in the suburbs with ample parking and the community vibe. 

Or if you’re not in the area and still want to practice with me, you can totally do it for free for one month, virtually inside the Thrive Online community.  

In the video, I was practicing on my Mantra Lux Pro mat.  A Chattanooga Based Yoga and Lifestyle company. Here’s a link for you to get 10% off!This post was written by Jennifer Dixon MBA ERYT 500 and Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher.  She is the lead teacher in the Thrive Yoga and Wellness 200 hr Yoga For Every Body Teacher Training program: the Chattanooga area’s ONLY modular 200 hr Yoga Alliance approved Teacher Training program that allows you to train when YOUR schedule allows.  With two semesters each year and plenty of opportunity to practice and train year round, this is the BEST yoga teacher training program for busy folks. Gone are the stresses about missed training weekends, you don’t have to worry about exhaustion and tears from super long intense weekend training every month–with the Thrive Yoga Teacher Training program, you train when your schedule allows and live your best life now.  Yoga Teacher Training should be fun, come practice with us and let us show you how! Another great perk of training at Thrive? You get an unlimited membership to the studio for one full year while you train! NO ONE ELSE offers this amazing deal (worth $1100!) and it’s the PERFECT way to get the training you want with the practice you need. Our next semester starts in August of 2019! See you on the mat soon!

44 thoughts on “How to Backbend: A Yoga Basics Tutorial on Floor Bow or Dhanurasana”

  1. Excellent post. I wwas checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
    Extremely useful information. I care for such information a lot.
    I was looking foor this certain information for a very
    long time.Thank you and good luck.

  5. Hello! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to foloow you iff that would be okay.

    I’m definitely enjoying your blog and look forward too new articles.

  6. I simply couldn’t go away your site before suggesting that
    I extremely enjoyed the usual information an individual provide to your visitors?
    Is gonna be again continuously to check out new posts

  7. I do not even know hoow I ended up here, but I thought this post was great.

    I don’t know who you aare but certaily you are
    going to a famous blogger if you are not already 🙂 Cheers!

  8. I’d like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website.

    I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future
    as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get
    my own, personal website now 😉

  9. Regrettably, we aren’t very good about twitter, although our handle is @thriveyogaandwellness

  14. This is the right website for anybody who hopes to understand this topic.
    You know a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa).
    You definitely put a brand new spin on a topic that has been written about for many years.
    Great stuff, just excellent!

  20. Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative.
    I am gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this
    in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing.

    Cheers!

  24. Your mode of describing all in his piece of writing is in fact pleasant, all be capable oof simply be awware of it, Thanks a lot.

  30. Its like you read my mind! You appear to know
    so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
    I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message
    home a bit, but other than that, this is wonderful blog.

    An excellent read. I’ll definitely be back.

  31. I am now not positive where you are getting your info, however great topic.
    I must spend a while studying much more or understanding more.
    Thank you for excellent info I was on the lookout for this information for my mission.

  34. Normally I don’t learn post on blogs, however I would like
    to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and do so!

    Your writing style has been surprised me. Thank you, very great post.

  35. wonderful points altogether, you just gained a brand new reader.
    What might you recommend in regards to your put up that you simply made some days ago?
    Any positive?

  37. I am now not certain the place you’re getting your information, but good topic.
    I must spend a while learning more or understanding more.
    Thank you for wonderful information I was searching for this info for my mission.

  38. I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be
    exactly I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for yourself?

    I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating on a
    number of the subjects you write about here. Again, awesome
    web log!

  41. I do not know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everyone else experiencing problems with your site.

    It appears as though some of the text within your posts are running off the screen. Can somebody
    else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well?
    This could be a problem with my browser because I’ve had this happen previously.

    Many thanks

Comments are closed.