Yoga Postures To Strengthen Your Back

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Locust pose

Lie on your front on your yoga mat. Place your arms down by the sides along your body. Your palms should be facing up and, your forehead should be resting lightly on the floor. Touch your big toes together as this helps to rotate your hips inwards. Firm your legs and move your tailbone towards the floor.

Exhale and lift your head, upper torso, arms and your legs off the floor. Your pelvis, lower ribs and stomach should remain on the mat. Keep your buttocks firm and extend well from your buttocks towards your heels. Make sure your big toes are touching throughout. Keep your arms parallel to the floor and extend well to your fingertips and your shoulder blades should pushed down. Keep your neck long and lengthened and gaze forward. Hold for as long as is comfortable, between 30 seconds to a minute. Then inhale and relax out of the pose. Repeat again two more times.

Step 3: Locust pose variation 1

Following the same instructions for the locust pose, get into the position ready to begin your lift. Bring your right arm forward. Lift the right arm and the left leg up at the same time and extend your right arm and left leg away from each other. Keep the leg firm and well extended and the arm extended through to the finger tips. Again, gaze forward and keep the neck lengthened. Relax out of the pose after 30 seconds to a minute and then repeat on the other side.

Step 4: Locust pose variation 2

Bring both of your arms out to the sides and round to the front of you so that they're resting on the floor above your head. Lift your arms and both your legs off the floor keep your buttocks and legs firm and arms well extended. Hold in this position for as long as comfortable but no more than a minute relax and then repeat twice.

Step 5: The camel pose

This pose is another great back strengthener. Start by kneeling down on the mat with your knees hip width apart and your upper body upright. You can support your knees on a blanket or fold over the yoga mat. Press your shins and tops of your feet into the floor.

Place your hands on to your lower back, with the palms resting on the tops of your buttocks. Brush your hands down your lower back, spreading the back pelvis and lengthening the tailbone. Press your front thighs back slightly and lift and open your chest and push your shoulder blades back and down. Lean back keeping your hands on your pelvis, and keep your head upright. Make sure your shoulders are pushed back and rounded and now if you are flexible enough, lower your hands down so that you are pushing firmly into your heels, take your head backwards too.

If you cannot do this, have your ankles raised so that they are higher up making it easier to take hold of your ankles. Push your pelvis up but relax your ribs. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

To come out of the pose, return to an upright position pushing up through from hips, then back and your head should be last to come up.