This is a photo of Sharath Rangaswamy – grandson of Ashtanga Yoga master, Sri Pattabhi Jois – assisting an advanced student in backbending at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.
Don’t attempt this on your own! And, even with able assistance, only the most flexible among us will ever be able to do this. Why would any sane person even want to try? The motivation should not reside in your ego.
You will probably never come close to having a back so flexible that you can bend in half and grab your calves like this. Don’t be discouraged. This should not be the obsession or goal of your yoga practice. Such goals or obsessions will only set your practice back further. Don’t do backbends because they look good – do backbends because they are good for you.
Yogic backbends provide many tangible benefits for the least flexible among us – even if showing off will never be one of them. A healthy back will allow you to comfortably bend forward, backward – and sideways too. You will be able to perform physical activity without injury. A flexible and strong back will be pain and ache free. Your spine is the gateway of the nervous system, which is essential to your overall well being. Bending the back will help you feel better physically, emotionally and mentally.
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