Yoga for Sore Backs

Keep your back happy and healthy as you shovel! Try these yoga poses before and after you shovel and stay safe!

Nameste- Twisted Tree Yoga

Marjaryasana and Bitilasana: Cat-Cow Pose

On  your hands and knees with your hands directly below your shoulders and knees below your hips in a table top position with neutral spine, exhale and round your spine toward the ceiling as you release your head and neck down.  From cat pose, move slowly and smoothly through neutral spine and into cow pose as you inhale and lift your sit bones and chest toward the ceiling and sink your belly to the floor. Repeat the flowing movement for a gentle warm-up to the spine and overall back.

Salambhasana: Locust Pose

Although the locust might not necessarily look like one of the most impressive back-bends out there, it's a great strengthener for the back and torso that can also increase spinal flexibility. Lie on your belly with your arms down along your sides and palms up. On an exhale, lift your head, neck, shoulders, and legs up and away from the floor to rest on your lower ribs, belly, and pelvis. Look forward without crunching the neck, and firm your muscles as you lengthen your legs to create space in the spine.  Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute and lower gently toward the floor.

Jathara Parivatasa: Supine Twist

This lying twist is a great way to realign and lengthen the spine. Lying on your back, bring your arms out to the sides, palms down, in a T position. Bend your knees to your chest, and on an exhale, drop both knees down to the left side and up toward the left arm to twist the lower back. Turn your neck to look at your right fingers. Settle gently into the twist and continue to breath.  To release, come back to neutral spine on an inhale.

Balasana: Child's Pose

Kneeling on the floor with big toes together, separate your knees to hip width. Exhale, and lower your torso down between your knees to release your shoulders across the floor. Lay your hands down alongside your body, and then lengthen your tailbone away from the pelvis as you lift the back of your skull away from your neck. Child's Pose is a fantastic restorative pose that can stretch the back and side muscles while providing support and stability for the spinal column.