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Pose collection · 13 poses

Backbend yoga poses, from Sphinx to Wheel

By the YogaPhilippines.com editorial teamPublished Updated

Backbend yoga poses arch the spine and open the front of the body. Start with gentle shapes on the belly, such as Sphinx, Cobra and Locust, move to Bridge and Camel once you are warm, and leave Wheel for later. Lift through the upper back, keep the lower back long, and come out slowly.

Beginner

A woman on hands and knees rounds her spine toward the ceiling in the Cat shape of Cat-Cow, head dropped, in a bright oak-floored room.

Cat-Cow

Marjaryasana Bitilasana
The warm up for every backbend: arch and round the spine slowly with the breath.
A woman in a stone set lies on her belly propped on her forearms in Sphinx Pose in an open-air Siargao shala.

Sphinx Pose

Salamba Bhujangasana
Forearms down, chest lifted. The gentlest belly-down backbend.
A man lies on his belly with hands under his shoulders and elbows bent, lifting his chest into Cobra Pose in a sunlit studio.

Cobra Pose

Bhujangasana
Hands under the shoulders, elbows bent, lift the chest with the back rather than the arms.
A man lies on his belly and lifts his chest, arms and straight legs off the mat in Locust Pose, in a warm studio with palms.

Locust Pose

Salabhasana
Lift the chest and legs from the floor. Builds the back muscles that support every other backbend.
A woman in an oat set lifts her hips into Bridge Pose, knees over ankles and arms flat beside her, on an oak floor beside a monstera.

Bridge Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
On your back, feet flat, press up through the feet. A block under the sacrum makes it restful.

Intermediate

A woman in a cream set lies in Fish Pose, legs straight and chest lifted on her forearms, crown of the head resting on the mat.

Fish Pose

Matsyasana
Lying on the forearms, lift the chest. Keep the weight off the head and neck.
A woman in an oat set lifts into Upward-Facing Dog on straight arms, thighs off the mat, in a Makati studio at golden hour.

Upward-Facing Dog

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Straight arms, thighs lifted, shoulders away from the ears. Part of many Sun Salutations.
A woman in an espresso set holds her ankles and lifts her chest and thighs into Bow Pose in an open-air Siargao shala.

Bow Pose

Dhanurasana
Hold the ankles and kick back into the hands to lift the chest and thighs.
Line drawing of Reverse Plank (Purvottanasana)

Reverse Plank

Purvottanasana
A face-up plank that opens the front of the shoulders and chest.
A woman in a cream set kneels in Camel Pose, chest lifted and hands on her heels, in an open-air shala with palms behind.

Camel Pose

Ustrasana
Kneeling backbend. Hands on the lower back first, heels only if the neck stays easy.
A woman in a stone set balances in Dancer Pose, holding her raised back foot behind her and reaching her other arm forward.

Dancer Pose

Natarajasana
A standing balance with a backbend: kick the back foot into the hand.

Advanced

A woman in an espresso set arches into King Pigeon with a strap from her back foot held overhead, in an open-air shala.

King Pigeon Pose

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Deep hip opening and backbend together, often with a strap around the back foot.
A woman in a sage set presses up into Wheel Pose, arms and legs straight and back fully arched, in a warm plaster-walled studio.

Wheel Pose

Urdhva Dhanurasana
The full backbend, pressed up from the floor. Learn it after a long warm up, with a teacher.

Backbend yoga poses bend the spine backwards and stretch the front of the body: the chest, the belly, the front of the shoulders and the hips. They tend to feel energising, which is why many classes place them in the middle of a practice, once the body is warm.

This page lists them roughly in order of effort. The first five are suitable for most beginners. The middle group asks for open shoulders and hips, and the last two are for later, ideally learned with a teacher.

How do you choose the right backbend?

Start on the belly. Cobra Pose, the first belly-down backbend and Locust teach you to lift with the muscles of the back instead of pushing with the arms. Bridge Pose, lifted from the floor adds the legs. Camel and Bow follow when those feel steady.

A good backbend spreads the curve along the whole spine, so the upper back, which is usually the stiffest part, gets its share. Most of the effort should come from the legs and the upper back, with the lower back long. Breathing will feel shorter in deep backbends, but it should never stop. Come out on an exhale, slowly, rather than dropping out of the shape.

Who should go carefully?

Ease off or skip the deeper shapes if you have a back, neck or shoulder injury, and stop at any sharp, pinching or travelling pain. See a doctor or physio if back pain lasts. In pregnancy, belly-down shapes are usually left out and deep backbends kept gentle; prenatal and postpartum yoga with Joahnna Lee covers what to do instead.

On days off the mat, the back exercises built on yoga holds build the strength that makes backbends feel steadier, and the upper back stretches open the part of the spine that usually needs it most. When Wheel Pose, the full backbend, is your aim, give it months, not weeks.

What are the different types of backbends?

Backbends are easiest to sort by what supports you. Work through them roughly in this order:

  1. Belly-down: Sphinx, Cobra, Locust and Bow.
  2. Lying on the back: Bridge and Fish.
  3. Arm-supported: Upward-Facing Dog and Reverse Plank.
  4. Kneeling: Camel.
  5. Standing: Dancer.
  6. Full and deep: King Pigeon and Wheel.
Safety noteYoga is not medical care. Stop if anything feels sharp, pinching or numb, and see a doctor or physiotherapist about pain or an injury before you practise. With back pain that is severe, follows an injury, or comes with numbness or weakness in the legs, see a doctor before you practise. If you are pregnant or have recently given birth, check with your OB or midwife first. Read the health and safety note.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, Fitness program: 5 steps to get started; NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety; NHS, Exercise in pregnancy; CDC, Pregnant & Postpartum Activity: An Overview; Canadian Family Physician (Chan et al., 2014), via PubMed Central, Hot yoga and pregnancy: Fitness and hyperthermia; NHS, Back pain. Last reviewed 2 October 2026.

Questions

How do you warm up for backbend yoga poses?

Move the spine gently first with Cat-Cow, then open the front of the hips with a low lunge and the shoulders with a few arm circles. A couple of Sun Salutations warm the whole body. Deep backbends belong in the second half of a practice, never at the start.

Why do backbends feel uncomfortable in the lower back?

The lower back bends most easily, so it tends to take more than its share. Lengthen the tailbone toward the heels, lift through the chest, and let the legs do more of the work. If you feel pinching or sharp pain, come out and choose a gentler shape.

What should you do after a backbend?

Rest flat for a few breaths, then take a gentle neutral shape such as a supine twist or Child's Pose. Avoid jumping straight into a deep forward fold. Give the spine a moment to settle.

What are backbends called in yoga?

Most teachers simply call them backbends or back bending poses, and many also call them heart openers, because they lift and open the chest. Each one has its own name, such as Cobra, Bridge, Camel or Wheel, often with a Sanskrit name alongside, like Bhujangasana for Cobra or Urdhva Dhanurasana for Wheel.

What are backbend yoga poses good for?

Backbends stretch the front of the body, the chest, belly, front of the shoulders and hips, and build strength in the muscles along the back. Many people find they feel energising, which is why classes place them in the middle of a practice. Gentle ones also balance long hours of sitting slightly rounded.

Keep reading

Bow PoseDhanurasanaCobra PoseBhujangasanaYoga photoshoot poses that look good and are safe to holdWheel PoseUrdhva Dhanurasana

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