A backbend is a

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...

contortion Contortion (sometimes contortionism) is a performance art in which performers called contortionists showcase their skills of extreme physical flexibility. Contortion acts often accompany acrobatics, Circus (performing art), circus acts, street ...

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

and

ice skating Ice skating is the self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. Ice skating may be per ...

move, where the

spine Spine or spinal may refer to: Science Biology * Vertebral column, also known as the backbone * Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite * Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants * Spine (zoolog ...

is bent backwards, and catching oneself with the hands. Throughout the move, the

abdominal muscles The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...

, obliques, and

legs A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ...

are used to steady the performer while curving backwards.

Modern yoga Modern yoga is a wide range of yoga practices with differing purposes, encompassing in its various forms yoga philosophy derived from the Vedas, physical postures derived from Hatha yoga, devotional and tantra-based practices, and Hindu nation-b ...

includes some backbending

asana An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose,Verse 46, chapter II, "Patanjali Yoga sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda, published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math p. 111 and later extended in hatha yoga ...

s. Backbending can be acquired from intense training or genetics.

Overview

The spine consists of 24

vertebra The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic ...

e and between the vertebrae are small cushions referred to as disks. The movement of the vertebrae and the compression ability of the disks give the spine its flexibility. It is easier to perform a backbend after mastering a

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

. A bridge helps familiarize the bones and muscles to the positions and movements of a backbend. There are over a dozen yoga positions that are variant of the backbend. A "rib thrust" is common and deleterious to a good yoga pose, and one of the more common of several errors associated with the backbend.

Uses

The backbend is important in gymnastics because it is essential to perform a back

handspring Handspring may refer to: *Handspring (company), a company that made personal digital assistants *Handspring (gymnastics), a gymnastics move involving forward or backward rotation of the body *Rising handspring or nip-up, an acrobatic transition fr ...

. Backbends are part of the

repertoire A repertoire () is a list or set of dramas, operas, musical compositions or roles which a company or person is prepared to perform. Musicians often have a musical repertoire. The first known use of the word ''repertoire'' was in 1847. It is a l ...

of professional and competitive ice skaters. For example, a backbend was performed by

Jimmie Santee James "Jimmie" Santee is an American former competitive figure skater. He is the 1981 Golden Spin of Zagreb champion, 1982 Ennia Challenge Cup silver medalist, and 1983 Prague Skate silver medalist. Since 2006, he has served as the executive dire ...

in the 1994 production of '' Walt Disney's World on Ice: Aladdin.'' Backbends and other contortions were a feature of the performance of Mr. Frick from the 1930s ice comedy act

Frick and Frack Frick and Frack were a comedic ice skating duo of Swiss people, Swiss skaters who went to the United States in 1937 and joined the original Ice Follies show. "Frick" was Werner Groebli (April 21, 1915 – April 14, 2008), born in Basel. "Frack" wa ...

Injuries

When performed correctly, backbends can increase the range of motion of the spine. However, there is a significant risk of injury. These injuries include

low back pain Low back pain (LBP) or lumbago is a common disorder involving the muscles, nerves, and bones of the back, in between the lower edge of the ribs and the lower fold of the buttocks. Pain can vary from a dull constant ache to a sudden sharp feeli ...

, injuries to the spinal discs,

muscle spasms A spasm is a sudden involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ such as the bladder. A spasmodic muscle contraction may be caused by many medical conditions, including dystonia. Most commonly, it is a muscle c ...

and

paralysis Paralysis (also known as plegia) is a loss of motor function in one or more muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory damage. In the United States, roughly 1 in 50 ...

; In 2016, a 5-year-old girl from

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

became paralysed after attempting a backbend that resulted in damage to numerous areas of her spine.

Backbending asanas

includes backbending

s such as the kneeling

Kapotasana Kapotasana ( sa, कपोतासन; IAST: ''Kapotāsana'') or Pigeon Pose is a kneeling back-bending asana in modern yoga as exercise. Asanas based on One-legged King Pigeon pose, Rajakapotasana, are also sometimes called "Pigeon". Etymolo ...

and

Ustrasana Ustrasana ( sa, उष्ट्रासन; IAST: ''Uṣṭrāsana''), Ushtrasana, or Camel Pose is a kneeling back-bending asana in modern yoga as exercise. Etymology and origins The name comes from the Sanskrit words उष्ट्र U� ...

, the inverted

Urdhva Dhanurasana Chakrasana ( sa, चक्रासन, lit=Wheel Pose, translit=Cakrāsana) or Urdhva Dhanurasana ( sa, ऊर्ध्वधनुरासन, lit=Upward-Facing Bow Pose, translit=Ūrdhvadhanurāsana) is a backbending asana in yoga as exercise. ...

, and the sitting

Rajakapotasana Eka Pada Rajakapotasana ( sa, एक पाद राजकपोतासन; IAST: ''Eka Pāda Rājakapotāsana''), Rajakapotasana, or ne-leggedKing Pigeon Pose is a seated back-bending asana in modern yoga as exercise. The Yin Yoga form of t ...

. These are described as "strenuous" poses, and should be worked on gently by beginners or people with stiff backs to avoid injury. The spine can be released after backbending asanas with twisting asanas such as

Marichyasana Marichyasana ( sa, मरीच्यासन ; IAST: ''Maricyāsana'', the pose of the sage Marichi) is a sitting twist asana in modern yoga as exercise, in some forms combined with a forward bend. Etymology and origins The name of the pose ...

and

Matsyendrasana Matsyendrasana ( sa, मत्स्येन्द्रासन; IAST: ''Matsyendrāsana''), Matsyendra's Pose or Lord of the Fishes Pose, is a seated twisting asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. The full form is the difficult P ...

, or by forward bends such as

Janusirsasana Pashchimottanasana ( sa, पश्चिमोत्तानासन, translit=paścimottānāsana), Seated Forward Bend, or Intense Dorsal Stretch is a seated forward-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. Janusirsasana is a ...

, practised gently.

References

{{reflist Contortion Backbend asanas

Overview

Uses

Injuries

Backbending asanas

See also

References