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The Heart is a great topic for a great set of Yoga Lesson Plans for Adults or Children Yoga alike. You might think Partner Yoga for Valentines Day workshop at your local Studio? Not only that but the long series of Chest or Heart Opening Poses that Yoga are great for. In a nutshell, Heart Opening poses can range from simple and accessible to advanced and tricky. The Spine extension (Backbends) itself is not the only prep that will be necessary, the whole front body will need opening and warming up properly so that it can lengthen.

In this article will explore the physical aspects, risks and contra-indications for Adults and Children alike

On a physical level, when preparing the body for back-bending, think about the main regions of the body that will need to warm up, lengthen and open. My teacher Jason Crandell ‘s approach to teaching Asana and Yoga Sequencing is really logical:’ think about what the main building block of the body is doing, that is the Hips, the Spine and the Shoulders’. Put like that, it is easier to break it down :-). Thanks Jason.

  • The front of the Hips (Psoas and Hips extensors) at the front of the body need to lengthen. Hip extension is when the knees are behind the hips, and in this case, the back of the body needs to contract and strengthen. Think about crescent and runners lunge, as well as gate variations to lengthen the front, and reclined backbend such as locust and low cobra poses to strengthen the back and prepare.
  • The Spine is clearly arched in a backbend and we are looking for an ‘even curvature of the all of the back’: this is however simpler said that done, as structurally in the 3 main sections of the spine, the vertebraes do not have the same shape, as they do not move the same way: different first for different function. The Lower back vertebrae are good at flexing and extending, but not twisting. The Middle back vertebrae get better at twisting, and can flex and extend although are not quite used to it. Whilst the Neck can do it all! To warm up the spine, use simple Cat, Cow poses, some dynamic strengthening sequences and multiple easier range backbends in a series, repeated own each round (such as Sphynx, Locust and Cobra poses).
  • The Shoulders will either be in extension (arms behind you) or in flexion (arms overhead) and different poses. You can’t go wrong with opening the front of the arm pits and lengthening the LATS with side-bends, it should help for both sets of positions, think W2 arms, cactus arms and side-bends.

Always start with easier range and low backbends and build them into your warm up, then work to a peak poses such as Camel Pose or Dancer Pose or Wheel Pose, using easier variations first (Bridge pose before Wheel pose for instance). Never press anyone Adult or Children towards a pose that they are not ready for.

For a full Children Yoga sequence working towards Camel, see

Should You and How Do You Teach Camel Pose to Children?

For the Emotional benefits of practising Backbends, look out for Episode 2 of this series

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