Yoga Backbends
14 poses, every one explained in full
Backbends extend the spine, from small prone lifts like Cobra and Sphinx through Bridge and Camel to full Wheel. Most of us spend the day rounding forward over a desk or a phone, and this is the direct counter to that shape.
The work is to spread the bend rather than hinge at one point. A backbend that hurts is almost always a lower back doing the job a stiff upper back and tight hip flexors declined to do — which is why the shoulders and the front of the hips matter more here than the spine itself.
What to watch for
Pinching in the low back. Lengthen before you lift, and stop where the sensation turns sharp and local rather than broad — sharp means one segment is taking all of it.
New to these? Start with Cobra Pose, Bridge Pose, then Sphinx Pose.
Beginner (6)
Cobra PosebeginnerBhujangasana
A gentle prone backbend where the chest lifts and the legs stay grounded. Cobra is the everyday backbend most people meet first, and it rewards patience more than height.
Sphinx PosebeginnerSalamba Bhujangasana
A forearm-supported backbend that lets the spine curve gently without much effort. Sphinx is the mildest prone backbend and a staple of slow, yin-style practice.
Upward-Facing DogbeginnerUrdhva Mukha Svanasana
The flowing backbend of vinyasa practice: arms straight, chest open, thighs lifted off the mat. Stronger than Cobra, it asks the whole body to work, not just the spine.
Locust PosebeginnerSalabhasana
A prone backbend powered entirely by your back body — chest, arms, and legs lift with no help from the hands. Locust looks modest and works hard.
Bridge PosebeginnerSetu Bandha Sarvangasana
A supine backbend where the feet and shoulders carry the load and the hips rise between them. Bridge is the friendliest doorway into backbending, and with a block under the sacrum it becomes a resting pose.
Reverse TabletopbeginnerArdha Purvottanasana
A bent-knee version of Upward Plank: hands and feet down, hips lifted until the torso is flat like a tabletop facing the ceiling. Accessible, sturdy, and a satisfying counterpose to sitting.
Intermediate (6)
Full Locust PoseintermediatePoorna Salabhasana
The stronger locust from the Bikram/Hot 26 series: arms out like wings, everything lifting at once, the body shaped like a shallow airplane. Pure back-body strength, no props, no hands.
Bow PoseintermediateDhanurasana
Lying on your belly, you catch your ankles and let leg power draw the chest open — the body curved like an archer's bow. The kick of the legs, not the pull of the arms, creates the shape.
Camel PoseintermediateUstrasana
A kneeling backbend where the hips press forward and the hands reach back to the heels. Camel opens the entire front body and can feel intense quickly — going halfway is a complete practice.
Wild ThingintermediateCamatkarasana
A one-armed backbend that flips open from Side Plank or Three-Legged Dog: one hand and both feet grounded, chest spiraling toward the sky. Playful, but the supporting shoulder is doing serious work.
Upward Plank PoseintermediatePurvottanasana
The mirror image of Plank: face up, legs straight, hips pressing high while the hands and heels hold you up. A strength pose as much as a backbend — the whole back body works so the front body can open.
Half Frog PoseintermediateArdha Bhekasana
A prone backbend with a deep quad stretch: propped on one forearm, you press the other-side foot toward your hip. Half Frog quietly combines a chest opener with one of the strongest front-of-thigh stretches in the practice.
Advanced (2)
Wheel PoseadvancedUrdhva Dhanurasana
The full backbend: hands and feet on the floor, the whole front of the body arched open toward the ceiling. Wheel demands open shoulders, strong legs, and honest preparation — it is a pose to build toward, not to force.
King Pigeon PoseadvancedEka Pada Rajakapotasana
The full expression of pigeon: from the hip-opening base, the back foot is caught and drawn toward the head as the chest lifts. It asks for open hips, open shoulders, and a mobile spine all at once, which is why it comes last, not first.
Other categories
Or browse every pose in one list, searchable by English or Sanskrit name.