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From Tadasana to Standing Backward Bend. Standing Backward Bend is one of the most challenging
poses that I know of. And, it's important to understand the support of the core in your
Standing Backward Bends. Very frequently, we'll bend backwards by pushing the hips forward
and taking the chest back. Or, we'll pull the hips back and push the chest forward.
But, a true Standing Backward Bend everything comes forward and everything elongates. So,
establishing it's called Urdhva Hastasana isTadasana with your arms over your head.
Reaching the arms up, widening the ribs, drawing the lower belly in and you can see how that's
sending some energy into my middle back. So, please not here. Really here. Up. Up. Up.
Up. Belly is hollow and no one can say I'm doing a backward bend right now. My spine
is completely elongated. Tail is rooting down. I'm going to squeeze my sitting bones together.
You'll hear a lot about squeezing the sitting bones together in this program. Immobilization
of the root. Pulling the root muscles together to give support to the coccyx of the tail.
Then, I'm drawing the lower belly in. And, I take the pelvis forward and I take the front
of the pelvis up. I take the ribs forward and I pull the arms back and up. Mostly up,
mostly up. Squeeze the legs. Now, start small and build up over time. Because, you want
to preserve this absolute distance between the ribs and the hips with no pressure or
compression in the lower back. Lifting is primary. Lifting. Lifting. Still lifting.
Still lifting. And, then you pull the ribs forward to come down and just balance right
on top of your center.