Poses >> Urdhva Dhanurasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Urdhva (Upward)
Dhanura (Bow)
Asana (Posture)

One of the key ingredients of successful backbends is to maintain an even breathing pattern. Those who are not ready for this posture will hold their breath. If you cannot inhale and exhale calmly best to modify this posture (see Bridge Pose). Urdhva dhanurasna is a preparation posture for advance.

1. First start by lying on your back. Feet hip width or wider and hand outside of the ears.
2. Inhale to the crown of the head and exhale, grounding through the feet and hands.
3. Draw the elbows in toward each other.
4. Inhale again and straighten your arms. Concentrate on lengthening the front of the body on the inhale, from the tip of the chin to the public bone, and softening the spine on the exhale, keeping the legs fully engaged. Stay here for five breaths gazing to the tip of the nose.
5. Release down on the exhale. Repeat three more times drawing the hand in closer to the feet. If working a deep backbend, it’s best to always walk the hand away from the feet slightly before lowering.

Standing
Working standing position from back bending.
1. Inhale either to the crown of the head or into the full position.
2. Begin to shift your weight into the feet, drawing the inner thigh in and down; legs are engaged.
3. Exhale lower down to the crown of your head and crawl your fingers in toward the heels of your feet.
4. On your next inhale, straighten your arms.�
5. Repeat two more times on the third round. you should be in your fullest back bending position for advanced practitioners; you will see the heels of your feet. Keep gazing at the nose.
6. On the next inhale shift your weight into your feet. Your sacrum will tilt forward as the pelvis presses forward. Root the heels of your feet down; hips and legs should both be working to support the lumbar region. Keep pressing the pelvis forward as you allow the front of the torso to lift and the spine to stack. Head comes up last. You will experience a surge of energy channeling through the nervous system and it is normal to feel a rush of energy from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. If you feel lightheaded you probably held the breath and it would be best to work the deeper back bending posture longer to open up the diaphragm before rushing to stand. Be patient. Back bending is not just about flexibility and strength but the intelligence to keep the body safe and healthy. When we hold our breath and force our bodies into postures we are not ready for, we create new resistance in the body and we aggravate the nervous system. A strong practice is one that allows the nervous system to come back to a resting place, with the parasympathetic nervous system neither in flight or fight.

Drop Backs
When working drop backs it’s best to work with a teacher with advanced understanding of back bending. When dropping back you must feel confident or fear will keep you from fully opening the front of the body. For most people the sensation of dropping back into back bending is too much for the lower back. This is caused from hinging at the lumbar region and dumping into the lower back.
1. Start by grounding through the feet. Engage the legs and hips fully. If your hipflexers, IT band or psoas are tight you might find it difficult to get the lift and extension you need and your heels with lift off the floor.
2. Bring hands to prayer at the heart. Inhale, lengthening the front of the body, and begin to press the pelvis forward. Don’t hold your breath! The sacrum will begin to tilt back and lift.
3. Bend your knees slightly.
4. Extend your arms to the back of the room. Feel the front of your body arching forward; keep reaching back until your hand touch down, resisting the urge to let your heels come up.
5. Keep the pelvis forward and legs engaged; inhale to return to a standing position. Repeat two more times. The breath should be steady and even. Some students find standing easier and others dropping back; just remember that it is a practice that takes time, so don’t get frustrated. And for those of us living a hectic go-go lifestyle, it is important to stay disciplined and focused and to not become attached to the asana. The beauty of the body is it never stays the same but is in constant flux. Yoga allows us to explore and experience its subtle changes.

Video and Text by Yogamates Featured Teacher: Alicia Johnson