Having a healthy spine is the essence of life itself.
As the famous saying goes “You are as young as your spine”.
Cutting edge research shows that Yoga is a very special type of exercise almost magical helping both your body and mind.
And building a healthy spine protects you from any type of back pain therefore, you can enjoy an amazing, exciting, fun, and happy life!
Practicing Yoga with Mais – a high level Corporate Law Expert who teaches Yoga as a passion means you will be happy, strong, and healthy every day for the rest of your life!
Yoga for the spine exercises will help you maintain the integrity of your back vertebrae by using the best stretching, strengthening, and lengthening of your back muscles.
Customised yoga for a healthy back will safely strengthen the muscles in your cervical, thoracic, lower back and your core and abdominal muscles.
But…this is not all.
- Do you know that Yoga exercises can also eliminate blockages and increase energy flows throughout the body?
And…
- Did you know that a customised Yoga for the spine practice will gently stretch, lengthen and condition your spine muscles in balance therefore, it can release different types of body tensions and pains?
Your back and your core muscles are essential components of the muscular network of your spine.
Consistent Yoga practice will help you safely stretch the muscles in your back, elongating your spine structures reducing the risk of a back injury.
The network of muscles in your back help the body maintain its correct upright posture and movement.
But do you really know…
- What kind of forces the exercise you do are creating in your spine, vertebrae, and joints?
- And how these movements are affecting your joints health and movements?
One of my Yoga teaching mantras is safety first therefore, when you work with me, I fully take into account your :
- Medical history
- Safety,
- Challenges and
- SMART Goals.
I laser sharp customise all Yoga for the spine exercises you will use in your programme.
Your spine health, spine movement, and spine alignment posture are all key factors taken into consideration.
This helps you enjoy the best healthy back programme for your specific goals which includes the best yoga stretches and yoga balances exercises to keep your spine strong and young.
In order to help you to increase your flexibility, tone up fast and safe and protect your spine vertebrae from unwanted wear and tear.
I take into account the forces that your vertebras and joints will be put through in the course of maintaining a particular posture and performing movement.
Some of these things are:
- Your original spine vertebrae alignment
- Rotational force applied to your spine vertebrae
- Tension force or pulling away your vertebras
- Sheer force
- Compressive force
- Degree of abdominal pressure
Did you know that…
- When your muscles are smartly conditioned (smart is a keyword), back pain and back injuries can be greatly reduced, avoided and even eliminated.
- Would you like to learn how to maintain your spine and back to be super amazing, strong, vibrant, and healthy?
- Do you sometimes experience any cervical, thoracic, and back tension ?
If you answered Yes to any of these questions this article is for you, keep reading.
4 Best Yoga Tips for A Healthy Spine
1. Exercise 5 times a week
This is the well-known path, regular exercise is the best for your mind, body and soul.
It stimulates your endocrine system and releases good chemicals, your metabolism, strengthens your spine and muscular structure which is encapsulating your back.
Regular yoga practice creates a positive mood, regulates your appetite and helps you sleep better and enjoy life more.
Exercising regularly is the best way to keep a healthy spine!
- Regular exercise like back strengthening, gentle jogging, sprinting, HIIT, calisthenics, and yoga will not only help your spine from numerous back related disorders but it helps to keep your whole body strong and healthy as well.
Maintain a habit of at least 45 minutes exercising 4-5 times a week for the best results.
All at your pace but, go for it.
2. Keep a Healthy Work Posture
Incorrect spine movement or spine alignment postures will affect the health of your spine.
Many people overlook this, or they have poor postural habits at work and they don’t know how to correct this.
This can happen due to either sitting down for too long, poor seats ergonomic which will disrupt your back health.
Or simply we develop back conditions like kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis and vertebrae degeneration which gets worse over time.
If your job requires you to spends long hours sitting while working, then teach yourself how to become conscious of your posture.
The position that you sit can disrupt your back posture which put more stress on your:
- Cervical spine,
- Thoracic and
- Lower back.
Have a look at this picture below so, you will understand better where some of the back risk factors are.
When you add the compounding effects over time.
It’s understandable why actually having a standing desk might be a better option!
That is why it is so important to have regular yoga stretches and yoga balances exercises that you do even for 5 minutes at a time during your work day to preserve optimal spine movement and the health of your spine.
If you have to sit down, select a chair that provides back support, ensure your feet are resting comfortably on the floor and your knees should be 90 degrees same level as your hips.
Do this while working on your laptop, phone, or reading table and always take breaks at an interval.
The clothes you wear and bag you carry will also affect your blood circulation, health and body posture.
Therefore, you might want to become aware that “fashion doesn’t always have your back.”
- Would you like to get rid of stress, increase your body flexibility, tone up, transform your body and have very strong, healthy, amazing, flexible, youthful joints, knees and back and a very happy positive outlook on life?
- Contact Mais now and request a FREE CONSULTATION!
3. Take regular walking breaks!
Ideally, you should not sit down for more than 20 – 30 minutes without having a walk for a couple of minutes.
But if you cannot do this because of work constraints then…
Try to get up even if it’s just to the tea maker or restroom every 50-60 minutes.
Spending too many hours in one position will cause your back muscle to become stiff, prone to injury and immobile.
Sitting, starring in from of computer and inactivity it can also increase your:
- anxiety,
- blood pressure,
- depression,
- diabetes,
- cancer and
- cardiovascular risks.
I advise moving as much as you can.
4. Stretch out those muscles
Stretch your back, legs, arms, and neck every day at least once in the morning and in the evening.
This will help you reduce muscle tension and maintain proper body alignment and joint functioning.
Doing Yoga stretches regularly keeps your muscles relaxed, supple, less inflamed and ultimately lean therefore, it reduces your chances of becoming stiff and getting your back injured.
This could even be 45 minutes of yoga throughout the day like:
- 10 minutes in the morning,
- 15 minutes on your lunch break, and
- 20 minutes in the evening.
Regular yoga stretches help to maintain healthy joint and muscular function thus encouraging your spine to stay healthy.
- Have you wondered what are the best yoga poses for spine?
- Are you looking to find the most effective yoga poses for spine alignment?
So, let’s find out together…
What Are Best Yoga Poses for Spine Alignment
Movements of the spine in particular yoga stretches for back, yoga poses on back and yoga poses for spine are all custom made in your bespoke healthy back programme.
- Is back strengthening yoga exercises something that you would like to try?
The below yoga poses on the back are some of my favourites!
Cautionary note:
We are all different.
Therefore, we all have different challenges and goals and your body will have different Yoga exercise requirements.
For this reason.
Before you will start to practise any of the Yoga exercises, I share with you below.
- You must ensure that you get approval from your medical doctor or health practitioner and you have clearance to exercise.
- Moreover, as the 1st Yoga tutorial is for beginners whilst the second tutorial is for advanced yoga practitioners.
Selected yoga stretches for back and yoga pose for spine are one of the most important back maintaining approach you can take.
Here are these 2 Yoga tutorials, and a few more ideas at the end.
1. VYAGHRASANA YOGA TUTORIAL
How to do the Tiger pose?
Bear in mind that this is a slightly modified, back centred asana variation.
- Start on your all 4 and facing down (prone position) from your shape box position
- Maintain a neutral neck position whilst gaze down on your mat
- Draw down your shoulder blade
- Tighten your abdominal slightly (about 15 – 20% of your max) and draw your navel to the spine
- Gently lengthen through your spine creating more space between your spine vertebrae (avoid spine compression) and breathe in
As you breathe out and continue to engage your abdominals, in a controlled manner…
- Gently extend the opposite arm and leg (just like a tiger stretching when wakes up), stay there for 1-3 seconds and return to a box shaped position.
- Maintain correct body alignment throughout and have a larger body picture in your mind vs just controlling your arm and leg extension.
Focus on:
- Maintain your core stability throughout and effective abdominal control
- Ensure shoulder blade / joint stability (glenohumeral joint stabilisation)
- Achieve an elongated decompressed spine
- Control your movements independently (think about a concert or a symphony)
- Increasing your back flexibility yoga abilities
What to watch out for:
- Incorrect setup alignment
- Shoulder blade (scapula) instability
- Insufficient core control
- Lower back overextension
- Spine and pectorals instability
- Body weight shifting
- Lack of synchronisation
- Insufficient / inefficient general body control
- Incorrect movements of the spine
What muscles are you targeting:
- Erector spinae
- Pelvic floor muscles
- Transversus abdominis
- Serratus anterior
- Trapezius muscle (middle – and lower-part fibres)
- Deltoid (anterior fibres)
- Clavicular head of your pectoralis major
- Coracobrachialis
- Glutes
- Hamstring
- Calves
Repetitions:
I recommend to repeat this 4 to 6 time for each side of your body then gently turn around and relax on your yoga mat
Benefits:
- Stabilises your core muscles,
- Increases your posterior chain strengths (back of your body)
- Increases body coordination,
- Increase your hip flexion as you move (in motion)
- Increases blood flow
- Increases proprioception and body movement awareness in space
- Train your upper back shoulders, glutes, tights, hips
- Loses your back tension
- Increasing your back flexibility yoga abilities
When performed with good form this back strengthening yoga exercise is gold for your back health!
What Chakra?
Vyaghrasana asana practice stimulates the root chakra (Muladhara Chakra).
2. URDHVA DHANURASANA YOGA TUTORIAL
Urdhva Dhanurasana is also known as Chakrasana.
The translation from Sanskrit of this asana (pose) is “upward facing bow” and we also know it as the “Wheel Pose”.
Cautionary Note:
- You must monitor your lower back throughout
If you experience any strain or pain in your neck, shoulders, arms, hips or back whilst you are in middle of this pose or whilst you are performing the exercise etc.
- Engage your abdominals tight and come gently on your back on the mat whilst maintaining these abdominals tightly engaged.
Bear in mind that whilst generalised yoga stretches for back are great, 121 yoga training is always the best for your back health goals!
How to do the Wheel Pose?
- Lie down on your mat facing up (supine positions).
- Bend your knees and bring them closer to your bottom at a hip-width apart
It will be ideal if you could keep them parallel with each other, just do your best.
- Reach out overhead with your arms
- Position your palms flat and parallel (ideal) on the mat close to your ears
- Flex / bend your elbows with your fingers forward
- Breath in to prepare and lift your hips off the mat wherever you feel more comfortable – it may be ¼ or half way
- Exhale, pause and assess your position
- Breathe in whilst push upward using your palms, arms and legs – lift your hips off the mat.
- Assess if you require to make any wheel adjustments like walking your feet towards your head.
- Stay there as long you feel safe and in control – breathe in and out!
How to return safely on your mat.
- Gently tuck your chin in and engage your abdominals throughout
- Start lowering your body in a controlled manner and place the crown of your head on the mat.
- Gently come down all the way onto your back and place your arms alongside your body
- Alternate one knee to the chest for 3-4 reps whilst stretch out the other leg.
Focus on:
- Press evenly down through your hands
- Using correct breathing patterns
- Maintaining your toes and knees pointed forward
- Maintain core stability throughout
- Achieving effective abdominal control
- Stretching and relaxation
- Spine elongation vs just push up your hips (overextension)
- Contracting your glutes to allow better hip flexors stretch
- Abdominals engagement when is required
- Achieve an elongated and decompressed spine
What to watch out for:
- Keep your elbow inside (if possible)
- Palms must be parallel with each other
- Strain and pain (if you experience any of this, stop immediately)
- Overextended back (exaggerated lumbar curve)
- Compressed vertebrae / spine putting pressure on the nerves root
- Lack of body segments synchronisation
- Insufficient general body control
- Use your own pace and speed
- Incorrect movements of the spine
What muscles are you targeting:
- Upper arms complex
- Shoulder girdle muscles like your rhomboid, trapezius, supraspinatus, infraspinatus muscles
- Hip flexors
- Glutes muscles
- Psoas major
- Thighs
- Tensor fascia lata
- Lower back
If you are an advanced practitioner this back strengthening yoga exercise will help you breathe better, eliminate muscle tension and become clearer in your mind.
Repetitions:
Based on your abilities and how you feel, repeat this 2-4 times
Benefits:
- Improves your spinal / vertebrae flexibility [1]
- Helps you achieve full spine extension
- Improves your breathing capacity
- Scapula retraction
- Shoulder girdle elevation
- Elbow extension
- Improves your posture
- Stretches your hip flexors and hips
- Stretches your abdominal muscle
- Improves your knee extension
- Expands your chest and shoulders
- Rebalances whilst stabilises some of your core muscles,
- Increases your posterior chain strengths (back of your body)
- Improves energy levels
- Increase calmness and it might improve adrenal glands
- Loses your back tension
Caution:
Do not practice this asana (pose) if you are suspect of or suffer from any of these:
- Tendonitis
- Carpel tunnel syndrome
- Low back pain getting worse with extension
- Elevated blood pressure
- Shoulder impingement
- Headaches
- Back tension
- Back pain
What Chakra?
According with the ancient Yoga philosophy, Vyaghrasana practice stimulates the following five chakras:
- Sahasrara Chakra (Crown Chakra)
- Ajna Chakra (Third Eye Chakra)
- Vishuddha Chakra (Throat Chakra)
- Anahata Chakra (Heart Chakra)
- Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus)
I hope that these 4 tips and 2 Yoga Tutorials has given you a glimpse into the work put towards creating your customised healthy and strong back programme.
If you want the strongest healthiest core, and to be capable of doing lots of amazing things with your body, you could complement your practice with yoga for abs and core strength.
I will guide you using the best customised exercises that will make you look and feel strong, athletic, sexy, and capable on the inside and outside!
Selected back flexibility yoga exercises will strengthen the movements on the spine reducing back tension and pain and are one of the keys to a happy life!
Come back soon for detailed Yoga tutorials on these asanas and more!
3. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
4. Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
5. Parivritta Trikonasana
6. Vasisthasana (and more Yogya related Side Plank variations)
7. Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Dog)
Who is Mais Talie?
Mais Talie is a top certified Yoga Alliance teacher teaching Yoga classes and also teaching private clients in London.
She is very passionate about helping your body heal through movement using a deep knowledge of different yoga styles.
Mais is also a top London law graduate with 10 years of corporate law working experience.
Although she has profound experience in training athletes, Mais uses personalised yoga poses and creates new movements not only to improve your body function but also to help your muscles and joints heal.
With her solid background and expertise in anatomy and physiology, you can make sure your body is in the best safe hands that will help you tone up fast, improve your flexibility and recover safely from stress without provoking your back or joint pain but making you stronger from the inside out and make it vanish instead.
Would you like to have an absolutely amazing back health, spine and just feel like a bright vibrant healthy soul forever?
- Are you keen to increase your body flexibility, get rid of your joint pains, body aches, and knee tension?
- Contact Mais now and request a FREE CONSULTATION!
