6 Great Back Strengthening Yoga Poses to Try Out

Feeling back pains lately? You can do yin yoga for back pain. These back strengthening yoga poses can help alleviate the pain that you’re feeling from the upper to lower back. You don’t have to worry about it being too complicated because there are beginner stretches that you can manage on your own. Try these great poses, and you can feel how each one gives you a slight relief in an instant.

Back Strengthening Yoga: Start with Child’s Pose

The Child’s Pose, or Balasana, is an easier way to receive some of the benefits of the Seated Forward Bend without requiring the need to stretch far enough to reach your ankles.

One of the benefits of child’s pose is it allows you to release tension in the chest, shoulders, and back. By lengthening the spine, this posture is an effective way of stretching the entire back and relieving built-up tension.

1. Start this pose by resting your knees and feet underneath your body while you remain seated up.
2. As you exhale, push your hips back towards your heels while naturally allowing your torso and arms to be lowered to the floor.
3. Keep your head down and position your arms in front of yourself, allowing your palms to be spread out on the floor. You can also keep your palms upward, positioned directly underneath your forehead, or clenched in a fist depending on what feels most comfortable.
4. Breathe consistently as you hold this position for 5-10 breaths.
5. Bring your arms slowly back under your shoulder and raise your body to the seated position to release this posture.

Downward-Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog is an excellent way to focus on pain in your upper and lower back.

Performing this posture with the right alignment allows your back to be more flexible, preventing it from storing too much tension (which would otherwise lead to pain). This pose also increases blood flow throughout the body, which can further reduce swelling in your back.

You can also find other downward dog variations depending on how comfortable your body feels.

1. Position yourself on your hands and knees, keeping your knees directly below your hips and your hands in front of your shoulders. Keep the palms of your hands spread out and keep your toes turned inward.
2. Exhale and lift your knees from the floor, keeping them partially bent while your heels lift off of the floor. Lift the tailbone towards the ceiling and push your legs towards your thighs.
3. As you exhale again, push your legs back and allow your heels to touch the floor. Without locking them, begin to straighten your knees while allowing your thighs to move inward.
4. Hold this position for 5-10 breaths while making sure you are breathing consistently.
5. Apply pressure on the floor through your index fingers and allow your arms to align themselves with the top of the shoulders. Keep your head between your arms during the stretch and prevent your head from freely hanging.
6. Release this posture by slowly bringing your knees back to the floor and allowing your arms to lay freely in front of you.

Locust Yoga Pose

The Locust Pose is another great way to not only relieve back pain by isolated stretching but also as an exercise for strengthening the lower back to reduce the prevalence of injury in the future.

This pose is especially valuable for those with back pain because it is said to promote good posture when you are standing or sitting down, which may be a contributing source to the pain.

1. Start by laying on your stomach with your chin resting on the floor. Keep your legs stretched out and your arms down by your sides with the palms facing down.
2. Push your kneecaps upward and allow your legs to be held out in mid-air while pushing your pubic bone towards the floor.
3. As you inhale, lift your head, chest, arms, and legs off the floor, making sure to keep your neck and spine aligned the entire time.
4. Allow your shoulders to drop down while pushing your chest forward. Keep your legs lifted while still pushing your pubic bone towards the floor.
5. Hold this pose for 5-10 breaths while steadily inhaling and exhaling.
6. Release the posture by slowly lowering your chest and shoulders to the floor. Then lower your legs to the floor and keep your arms to your sides.

Standing Half Forward Bend

Also known as the Ardha Uttanasana, this easy pose helps strengthen both the lower back and the core.

Often used as a warm-up for other yoga stretches, the Standing Half Forward Bend is a useful way to stretch your legs, hips, and back. This posture also strengthens the back and spine, which would contribute to better overall posture.

1. Start this pose standing upright while keeping your arms hanging to the sides. Ensure that you are standing entirely straight at the start of this posture.
2. Bend down in front of yourself using your hands to touch the floor while pushing your hips backwards. Allow your bent upper body to rest on your arms with your palms flat on the ground,
3. While resting your upper body on your arms, be sure to keep your legs strong for even weight distribution during this posture.
4. Hold this pose for 3-6 breaths using consistent breathing technique.
5. Release this posture by slowly unbending your body backwards until you are standing upright once again.

Supine Twist

The Supine Twist, also referred to as the Knee Down Twist, is a fantastic stretch used to strengthen the  back muscles and realign the spine.

By isolating the lower and middle back, this posture is another great way to not only alleviate back pain through stretching, but also strengthen the back to prevent injury or pain down the line.

1. Begin this posture by laying on your back with your arms held out to the sides of your body. Make sure to keep the palms of your hands upward during this posture.
2. Bring both knees as close to your chest as possible.
3. As you exhale, allow both knees to twist over the right side of your body and keep them as close to the right arm as possible. This motion should cause a twist in your back and spine.
4. Keeping your shoulder flat, hold this position for 5-10 breaths with consistent breathing.
5. Release this posture by twisting your legs back into the resting position, with your body entirely positioned on the floor.
6. Repeat the twist on the left side in order to gain the full benefits of this posture.

Cat-Cow Pose

If you’re looking for upper back yoga poses, the Cat-Cow Pose is a fantastic posture used to alleviate back pain.

Requiring only limited flexibility to perform, this pose can be used to prevent chronic back pain by strengthening the back.

1. Start by sitting up on your knees. Rest the palms of your hands down in front of you allowing your body to rest on your arms and knees with your back straightened out in the air.
2. Take a deep breathe and push your tailbone towards the ceiling to arch your spine and back.
3. Bring your shoulders down slightly and allow your head to look up at the ceiling as high as possible without feeling any tensions or resistance.
4. On an exhale, round your spine towards the ceiling and pull your belly button up towards your spine. Be sure to engage your abs. Then, tuck your chin towards your chest and let your neck release.
5. Flow between the two poses at your own pace. Connect your breathe with each movement.
6. Repeat this 10 times.

Takeaway

Don’t you just love how these back strengthening yoga poses are giving you a better feeling already? You can do these poses every day, especially when you wake up, and you can feel the difference as you do it regularly. You can add poses or increase the reps if they start to feel too easy. For now, these beginner poses would do. Namaste.