The Curvy Yoga Guide to Curvy Backbends & Inversions
with Anna Guest-Jelley
Curvy Welcome
Hi there!
Welcome to your guide for curvy backbends and inversions! After many requests for just such a guide, I am
excited to be bringing it to you!
Before we dig into the specifics, let’s talk first about the poses. Because let’s be honest: If I had to choose
pose categories that bring up fear for people, it would be these two. Both types of poses offer us a new
perspective -- literally and metaphorically -- and challenge us to try things we might not have before (or in a
long time). Yikes and yay!
Although those fears are true regardless of a person’s shape or size, curvy folks do face some challenges that
may be less of an issue, or not an issue, for our less curvy counterparts: death-by-boob-smush in inversions,
extra questions about the safety of balancing on your head or hands, belly compression in on-the-belly
poses, etc.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 2
I’ve certainly faced my own fears in these poses and still do to varying degrees (Handstand, I’m looking at
you). What I hope you most gain from this book is a way to work with these poses that works for you
today. These are all poses that people often work with for years before “getting there” (in quotes because we
all know there’s no there there, right?). So if you find yourself in a similar boat, please know that you’re not
alone. This isn’t shape/size specific; the good and the bad (so, neutral?) news is that they’re challenging poses
for just about everyone.
And that’s what makes them useful, in my opinion: they remind us that yoga is called a practice for a reason.
And they also teach us that, when we do make our way into these poses, while it may feel good in the
moment, we’re still the same lovely people we were before we did the pose. All of the poses in yoga are
tools for self-awareness, and these are no exception.
Happy practicing!
xo
P.S. - All of the photos in this eBook can be seen in a larger format on a specially created, password-
protected page on our website. You can access that page here:
http://www.curvyyoga.com/backbends-inversions/
Password: backbends-ebook#
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 3
How to Use This Guide
It is my hope as you read through this guide that you feel empowered to play with the poses you find.
Sometimes it can feel scary to try new poses when you’re not sure if/how they might work for you. So read
along, check out the photos, and please meet me in the space where I created them: experimentation and
curiosity. Some days these poses are more available to me than others, and I know the same will be true for
you.
When experimenting with the various options in this guide, you can see how they work for you both in
home practice and in class. Both can be nice, and it’s always good to have some options in your pocket
whatever you choose.
What You Need
To play with all the options in this guide, you will need: 4 yoga blocks, 2 yoga blankets, 1 yoga strap, 1 yoga
chair (a metal chair with the back knocked out) and 2 yoga bolsters.
That’s a lot, I know! The good news is that if you don’t have all of it, you can use household equivalents for
most of the options:
Yoga blocks = something to add height, like a stack of books or a canned good. Note: If you try the
Headstand option with blocks, do NOT use anything but yoga blocks for that.
Yoga blankets = other firm blankets you have around the house
Yoga strap = belt from a bathrobe, long piece of ribbon/fabric/gentle rope, etc.
Yoga chair = doesn’t have to be an official yoga chair. Can use another metal chair; the most important
qualities are that the chair doesn’t have wheels and that it is VERY stable
Yoga bolsters = Firm pillows (or you can also use several blankets)
If you are in the market for some yoga props, I recommend YogaAccessories.com for good quality, affordable
options.
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The other things you need are: (1) To warm up first. Backbends on a cold back = not a good idea (ouch!).
Focus particularly on shoulders, hips and quads, but really an all over body warm-up is best. For inversions,
focus particularly on shoulders and necks, but really the all over body warm-up thing is good here, too. (2)
An open mind and heart, with lots of gentle reminders and permission to meet yourself exactly where you
are today.
Safety First
Big disclaimer time: Please only go as far as feels safe and good for you. If you go a step further than you are
physically/mentally/emotionally ready for (and yes, all three are particularly important with these poses!), you
may risk injury. If you have any questions about whether or not something is safe for you to do, do not
proceed before talking to your doctor and a yoga teacher who you can meet with in person and help you
assess what is right for you. After all, your neck and back are pretty handy things to keep feeling good.
Backbend Precautions
If you have any of the following going on, or even close, please consult a doctor first before proceeding. As
always, listen to your body, only go as far as feels good and if something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it:
• Back and/or neck injury/problem
• Headache
• Heart problems/issues
• High or low blood pressure
• Insomnia (particularly if you practice at night because these poses are often quite energizing)
• Pregnant or could be pregnant
Inversion Precautions
If you have any of the following going on, or even close, please consult a doctor first before proceeding.
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As always, listen to your body, only go as far as feels good and if something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it:
• Back and/or neck injury/problem
• Headache
• Heart problems/issues
• High or low blood pressure
• Insomnia (particularly if you practice at night because these poses are often quite energizing)
• Pregnant or could be pregnant
• Menstruation (some women prefer not to practice inversions while they’re on their cycle for a few
reasons: to not potentially interfere with the downward flow required for menstruation and
because some women are fatigued during this time. I think women can trust their bodies, so go
with what feels good – and what your doctor recommends if relevant.)
• Headstand and Shoulderstand are generally considered intermediate or advanced poses (meaning
you’ve been practicing for a while and building towards them), so if this is your first day of yoga
(yay – congrats!), or you’re relatively new, begin working with the other inversions first and then,
with the help of an in-person teacher so they can help you assess when you are ready, proceed
step by step. The way we work toward so-called advanced poses is by doing the poses and actions
that precede them with mindfulness and patience.
Final disclaimer (thanks for bearing with me, we’re almost to the poses! But this is important): This guide in no way
substitutes the advice of your doctor. It is always best to consult a doctor before proceeding with any form of
movement. If you try any of the options within, Anna Guest-Jelley and Curvy Yoga are in no way liable for any injuries
or issues that may result.
Okay, phew! Now, let’s get to the poses!
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 6
General Tips
Here are some general tips to refer back to for many of these poses, both backbends and inversions. I’ll
refer back to these in the specific pose instructions by just using the all caps name of the action, so you can
always glance back here for a refresher.
1. BELLY TOE TUCK: When lying on the belly, tuck your toes under for a moment and walk your feet
back any amount (usually somewhere around an inch or so is available). Doing this makes a little space for
the thighs and low belly to rest more comfortably, which is always a good thing! Once you’re done with
that, you can untuck the toes.
2. SIDE BOOB MOVE: When lying on the belly, If your boobs feel smushed and/or like they’re slowly
trying to strangle you, try moving them out to each side a bit to make a little more room.
3. ACTIVE LEGS: Legs are active in these poses – not clenched (because some of us like to butt clench
our way through life, including our yoga – not that I’d know anything about that, of course), not like limp
spaghetti. Find the middle way.
4. NAVEL TO SPINE: In backbends, lightly draw your navel to your spine to support your lower back.
This action is a very gentle engagement, not an Abs of Steel kind of thing (I mean, that was so 1991). Also, it’s
easy to hold your breath when doing this, so if you find yourself doing that, it will be a sign to you to ease
up.
5. HEAD PILLOW: When resting before/after poses on the belly, it is nice to rest your forehead lightly
on the mat. If this is not comfortable or your boobs preclude you from doing it (you’ll know if you can only
rest the top of your head on the ground, not your forehead), bring a blanket nearby to rest your head on
(alternately, you could cross your arms and rest your head in your arms).
6. ELBOW HUG: In on the belly poses where hands are under the shoulders, hug your elbows in towards
your torso (they often have a tendency to wing out). This helps keep your shoulder stable and, trust me, a
stable shoulder is way happier than an unstable one – if you want to keep it functional, that is.
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7. EVEN HANDS: In any poses where you’re pressing the hands into the floor, do your best to press
down evenly under all the fingers. This sounds like a no-brainer, but by default, many of us will have a
tendency to dump into our wrists and the outer fingers, leaving the thumb and first finger practically waving
in the wind. As you might imagine, this doesn’t make for very happy wrists, so if you want to maintain your
ability to text and type with aplomb, give this a whirl. One way I like to do this is to make sure I’m pressing
under the pads of all the fingers.
8. JAW CHECK: Many of us have “hidden” places where we store tension. I say hidden because they’re
usually unconscious. And even when we do become aware of them, we quickly forget. The jaw is one of these
places. We often tighten the jaw without noticing it, as though the jaw could help us do the poses (which, of
course, it can’t). So while you’re doing a jaw check, you might also do a breath check (because if you’re
clenching your jaw, odds are good you might also be holding your breath), tongue check (yes, some of us
even grip the base of our tongue and/or press it vehemently behind the teeth), and wherever else you know
you hold tension. Yoga is such an interesting path of getting to know ourselves and our patterns, isn’t it?
9. ANTI-DEATH-BY-BOOB-SMUSH: So, clearly many inversions weren’t created with women’s
bodies in mind. Claustrophobia, suffocation or strangulation, much? To prevent this (because it otherwise
pretty much counteracts any positives of the pose – hard to enjoy it when you’re worried about your air
supply), we’ve got our friend the yoga strap to the rescue. Begin by creating a big loop in the strap (if it’s one
with a buckle, thread the tail up through the slot closest to the strap and then directly down through the
slot furthest away). Slip this circle over your head like you’re putting on a shirt. Cinch the loop at the top of
the breasts – right where the chest transitions to the boobs. The purpose of this strap is to counteract
gravity, hence why it goes at the top. Cinch it so it is snug but not so tight you can’t breathe.
Some people don’t like the feeling of being bound in any way, so if that’s you, you can also try a more secure
bra to see if that helps – or, just work with the poses that work for you and leave behind the rest. My
favorite practice question is this: What’s the benefit of the pose? You can get the benefit of inversions in less
suffocating poses like Legs Up the Wall, so that’s always a great way to go (and typically my personal
preference).
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Backbends
Let’s get started! Backbends are up first, and just like in my classes, we’re starting from the most accessible
(generally, though depending on what’s going on with your body, that may be more or less accurate for you)
and moving along from there.
Sphinx
To get started, lie on your belly. The
tops of your feet will be resting on
top of your mat and parallel to each
other.
BELLY TOE TUCK
SIDE BOOB MOVE
Bring your arms in front of you and
rest your forearms on the ground;
elbows are directly underneath the
shoulders (this will lift your head and
chest up). Sometimes the shoulders
like to hang out high by the ears
here, so see what happens when you invite the shoulders to drop down any amount.
If the low back feels compressed at all, play with walking the elbows a little bit forward.
ACTIVE LEGS
NAVEL TO SPINE
Head stays in line with the spine, meaning you don’t look up, though you can turn the gaze down towards
the floor if your neck prefers that to looking forward. Stay here for 1-3 breaths, or however long feels good
to you.
JAW CHECK
To come out of the pose, walk the hands forward until you are lying on the ground.
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HEAD PILLOW
From here you can move onto other poses on your belly or shift up and back onto your hands and knees to
come into poses where you are seated, standing or lying on your back.
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Baby Cobra | Baby Bhujangasana
Begin lying on your belly. Tops of the feet should be parallel to each other and lightly resting on the ground.
BELLY TOE TUCK
Bring your hands
underneath your shoulders.
EVEN HANDS
ELBOW HUG
NAVEL TO SPINE
ACTIVE LEGS
From here, lift your
sternum, or breast bone; this
will cause it and your head
to lift. Hands will continue
pressing lightly into the mat
here, but the movement is
coming from the back, not from mashing your hands into the ground and forcing yourself up (as fun as that
sounds). Head stays in line with the spine; gaze is at the mat or forward, depending on what follows naturally
from your head position.
JAW CHECK
Continue to work here, perhaps lifting up another smidge more on your inhale. After staying here for several
breaths, lower back down to the ground.
HEAD PILLOW
To come out, bring the hands under the shoulders again and gently press up to a hands and knees position.
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Other Baby Cobra Option
You can also try this pose standing – to work
with the alignment in a different way and/or if
coming down to the floor is not an option for
you.
To do so, come to stand in front of a wall, with
your front body in contact. Then, bring your
hands to the wall in front of your shoulders.
ELBOW HUG
Inhale, lift your sternum; exhale, roll your
shoulders back. Continue like this, head in line
with the spine (AKA not dropping the head
back) until you come as far as feels good today.
Pause there for a breath and then slowly come
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 13
Cobra | Bhujangasana
Begin lying on the belly.
BELLY TOE TUCK
Bring the hands underneath the
shoulders.
EVEN HANDS
ELBOW HUG
ACTIVE LEGS
NAVEL TO SPINE
The difference between this one
and Baby Cobra comes once you
get an inch or two off the ground.
From here, press more firmly
through the hands (keeping in
mind that it’s easy to use the force of the hands to muscle into the pose, but that’s not what makes backs
happy. What makes backs happy is going slowly to notice when they whisper a complaint, not waiting until
they shout). Lift more through the sternum. I describe this as a reaching and lifting movement through the
chest rather than an arching movement through the back so that you’re not taking the whole pose in the
low back (because, ouch!). Continue this process, moving on the inhale, until you go as far as feels good
today (which may be one breath), up to and including straightening the arms. When you get to that point,
hold for 1-3 breaths.
Head is in line with the spine. If it is cool with your neck, eyes could also look slightly upward, with the head
following along.
JAW CHECK
When you are done, lower down slowly, hugging the elbows in as you go.
HEAD PILLOW
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Upward-Facing Dog | Urdvha Mukha Svanasana
To begin, lie on your belly.
BELLY TOE TUCK
Bring the hands on either side
of the lower ribs.
EVEN HANDS
ELBOW HUG
NAVEL TO SPINE
Press your hands into the floor
firmly (finger pads, too!). Begin
to straighten your arms as you
lift your torso, pelvis and legs
off the ground any amount (feet
stay on the floor – thank
goodness!). You might like to inhale, lift; exhale, lower. Alternately, you could stay up for one full breath and
then come out. Either way, once you’re up, invite your shoulders to drop down so they’re not having to do
all the work of the pose, as they so love to do sometimes.
JAW CHECK
To do so, slowly lower down, perhaps pausing with forehead to the ground/blanket.
To get the feel of this pose without having to lift everything off the ground, try it with a bolster or block under the
pelvis. You can then work on the actions/alignment of the pose without the physical lift.
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Locust | Salabhasana
Begin lying – you guessed it! -- on your belly.
BELLY TOE TUCK
SIDE BOOB MOVE
Arms are by your sides here,
palms resting on the ground and
facing up.
HEAD PILLOW
NAVEL TO SPINE
Inhale and lift your left arm a
couple inches off the ground,
hovering it there. Exhale and
lower; repeat on the right side.
Next, inhale and lift both arms off
the ground and hover (your head and chest will lift a bit here, too); exhale and lower.
JAW CHECK
These are subtle movements that aren’t about jackknifing your body but rather growing your ability to
engage muscles we rarely use and experience extension in a new way.
HEAD PILLOW
NAVEL TO SPINE
We’ll now move to the feet and legs while keeping the arms and head on the ground (HEAD PILLOW).
Begin by inhaling and lifting your left foot and leg off the ground any amount. Exhale and lower down; repeat
on the right side. Next, inhale and lift both feet and legs off the ground; hover and lower down.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 16
HEAD PILLOW
NAVEL TO SPINE
Finally, we will combine these movements. Inhale and lift both arms and legs off the ground, allowing the
chest to reach forward, which will move it up. The head will lift a bit, too; your gaze can be in front of you or
down at the mat. Hold here for a couple breaths and then lower down.
HEAD PILLOW
When you’re ready to come out, place your hands under your shoulders and slowly press up onto hands
and knees.
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Camel | Ustrasana
Hint: Think your back isn’t flexible enough for this pose? Check on what’s going on with your quads. They’re easy to
overlook, but doing something to open them before
this pose is crucial.
Begin kneeling; you might like to have a blanket
under your knees for extra cushion/support. We’ll
also begin with the front body to the wall and a
bolster nearby.
Bring your front body to the wall and your hands
to your hips, fingertips pointing down if
comfortable (or out if not). Tuck your toes under
so the bottoms of your feet are facing the wall
behind you. Place the bolster on the backs of
your calves.
JAW CHECK
Once you’ve got all of that, Inhale: lift your
sternum and roll your shoulders back. Exhale;
pause. Continue this process as far as you’re able.
If it becomes available, slide your hands off your hips and bring your fingertips/hands towards or to the
bolster. Maintain the upward lift of the chest here. Head stays in line with spine. It drops back if and only if it
is appropriate for your neck.
To come out, lightly tuck the chin to the chest and come up. Rest your forehead forward onto the wall for
1-3 breaths, then come to sit your butt on the bolster behind you before moving on to whatever you’re
doing next.
To continue working with this pose over time, play with lowering the height under your hands (bolster to a
couple blankets, to one blanket, to tucked feet, to untucked feet), against the wall or not. If working without
the wall, continue focusing on lifting the sternum and rolling the shoulders back. The hips will move forward,
but the primary action can’t only be that or else your low back will definitely not thank you.
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Other Camel Options:
1. In a chair: Sit so your feet can plant firmly
on the ground. Bring your hands to the arms or
back of the chair. Inhale: lift your sternum and
roll your shoulders back; exhale: pause.
Continue this process as far as feels good, then
pause for one breath before coming out by
tucking your chin towards your chest, bringing
your torso upright, and resting with chin to
chest for 1-3 breaths before staying fully upright.
2. Standing: Stand with your front body to
the wall; bring your hands to your hips,
fingertips facing down towards the booty.
Inhale: lift your sternum and roll your shoulders
back; exhale: pause. Continue until you come as
far as feels good.
Both of these options are wonderful for working the actions of Camel without kneeling, particularly if your knees are
not down with that.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 19
Fish | Matsyasana
Begin lying on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing down.
Slide your hands under your hips, palms still facing
down (yes, this feels a little weird).
NAVEL TO SPINE
Press your hands and forearms firmly into the
ground. Begin to bend your elbows as you lift your
chest up from the mid back (your head will come
along for the ride, of course). Pelvis stays on top of
the hands without lifting.
JAW CHECK
Roll your shoulders back, lift a little more through your sternum, and then, maintaining that lift, place the
back or crown of your head (whatever is available) back on the ground, without any strain in the neck. The
weight on your head should be minimal. If the neck feels uncomfortable, come on down.
Other Fish Option:
I personally find this pose a li’l awkward, and I know other
people do, too. If you find yourself in that camp, or the pose
isn’t available to you for other reasons, try this:
Fold a yoga blanket (or its household equivalent) in half and
then in half again so that it ends up about 2’ wide. Now roll
it up tightly, like you were wrapping up a sushi roll or a
burrito.
Place that rolled up blanket horizontal across your mat,
towards the top (but leave at least a foot above it). Sit in
front of the blanket and lay back so that it’s at your shoulder blades. Sometimes it takes a little adjusting to
make that happen, but once you’ve got it, lay over it fully with your head on the mat behind you. Knees can
be bent with feet on the floor, or legs can be extended – whatever feels best for your low back.
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Bow | Dhanurasana
You might like to have your strap handy for this one.
Begin lying on your belly.
BELLY TOE TUCK
SIDE BOOB MOVE
NAVEL TO SPINE
Bend your right knee and reach back
with your right hand to hold onto
your foot (you might like to come up
onto the left elbow here for some
extra reach). If it’s possible to do that,
hold here for a couple breaths,
opening up the quad a bit. Then,
release that foot and repeat on the other side.
Now, if it’s available, hold onto one of your feet (your choice of which one to go with first) then go get the
other one, too. If that’s not happenin’ today (for either the solo or both feet option), come up to seated for
a moment.
Take your strap and place it over the front of both of your ankles. Now bring the two sides of the strap
together behind your legs, so that you’ve sort of lassoed your legs. Hold on to both sides of the strap
together, close-ish to where the legs are so that you don’t lose it when you lie down. Still holding onto the
strap, lie down on your belly, bringing the strap up towards your shoulders. Both feet should still be in the
strap. The strap is acting as an extension of your arms, and you can now put the left side in the left hand and
vice versa.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 21
JAW CHECK
With that, bring the legs back into position and press your feet back into the strap (or your hands if you’re
not using the strap). This will lift the upper torso and head off the ground, too. To increase the stretch, walk
the hands closer to the feet and press back even more into the strap; to decrease, do the opposite.
To come out, slowly release one foot from the strap and then the other.
HEAD PILLOW
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 22
Wheel or Upward Bow | Urdvha Dhanurasana
Begin by placing two blocks on the
wall, shoulder-distance apart, with one
end on the floor and the other above
the baseboard (or just a couple inches
up the wall) so that they’re on an
angle and stable.
Now place 1-2 bolsters a few inches in
front of that, parallel to the long side
of the mat. If you use 2 bolsters, they’ll
be stacked on top of each other.
Sit on the very front edge of the
bolster(s). Bring the feet a
comfortable distance apart with
knees bent and feet parallel to each other on the floor.
Lie back on the bolsters so your back is supported but your head is gently hanging off.
Bring your hands to the blocks behind you. You want to be able to firmly ground your hands here, so if you
find you’re too far away or too close, adjust accordingly. They’re in this position on the wall to decrease wrist
flexion for anyone with wrist issues and to ask a bit less of the shoulders.
As you are ready, stabilize the arms by hugging the elbows in a bit. Do the same with the legs to prevent
them from bowing out.
NAVEL TO SPINE
JAW CHECK
Now begin to press firmly into the hands and feet, starting to straighten the arms. As you do, you might like
to pause with your head on the bolster before continuing to press up. Do this only if it’s okay for your neck.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 23
Once you’ve come up as high as feels available today, take one breath. To come out, slowly lower down,
pausing on the bolster. Then, when you’re ready, you can slowly roll off the bolster to one side and then
come on up to seated.
To continue working with the pose:
Over time, you can play with lowering the bolster(s) and/or removing the blocks and bringing the hands to
the floor behind you. This step-by-step process gives you a way to work with the pose in ways that work for
you.
Other Wheel Option:
A nice way to begin experimenting with this pose is
with a wall and a chair. So if you’d like to try it, go
grab those (or, grab the chair; the wall might be hard
to grab).
Place the chair directly in front of the wall, with the
back to it.
Now, come to sit on the chair seat, towards the
front (you want your feet to be able to press firmly
into the ground). Bring your hands to the wall
behind you, elbows hugging in.
Press your feet into the floor and your hands into
the wall firmly. As you do, begin lifting the hips up
and straightening the arms. Head stays in line with
the spine or can drop back a bit, as is comfortable
for your neck. This gives you a feel for the actions of
Wheel.
When you’re ready to come out, you can press up to standing or gently sit back down in the chair.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 24
Inversions
Bridge | Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
This one can be considered a Backbend or Inversion, hence why it’s our transition pose.
ANTI-DEATH-BY-BOOB-
SMUSH
Begin lying on your back
with your knees bent and
your feet on the floor. Arms
are by the sides, palms facing
down.
Walk your feet in a little bit
closer towards your feet:
however close feels
comfortable and stable.
EVEN HANDS
NAVEL TO SPINE
Inhale and press down firmly through your hands and feet as you begin to lift the hips up any amount
(sometimes they stay on the ground and sometimes they come off; it’s all good). Exhale and lower back
down to the ground gently.
Before you try that again, consider your knees and do your best to keep them parallel to each other the
next time you come up. Sometimes they have a tendency to bow out or collapse in, but keeping them
parallel keeps them safer over time.
Repeat that process four more times, going at your own pace and perhaps lifting up a bit more each time.
JAW CHECK
On your last time up if it feels available, walk your shoulders underneath you a bit and hold with your hips
up for 1-3 breaths. When you’re ready to come out, slowly lower down.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 26
Other Bridge Option:
If you’d like to stay in the pose a bit longer, a nice option is to take a block on its lowest setting (it has three:
low, medium and high) and place it under your sacrum (the flat, triangular bone at the back of your pelvis).
The sacrum is below the curve of your low back and above your butt crack (yep, had to say it!). Once you
get the block there, it feels a bit like it’s under a shelf.
If the low back is uncomfortable, don’t do this. If the body feels like it could hold at a higher height, you can
dial the block up a notch to the medium height.
If you feel like you would benefit from a wider base of support than just one block, use two side-by-side
horizontally on the lowest height, thus widening the base.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 27
Legs Up the Wall | Viparita Karani
I usually like to introduce this pose by
reminding everyone that – good news –
there are no demerits for getting into this
pose a bit gracelessly. Because, let’s face it,
there’s not exactly an elegant way in – but
goodness, once you get there, it’s worth it!
Now with that great introduction, let’s get
going. Ha!
It’s possible you might like to have a blanket/
pillow nearby to put under your head.
Begin seated next to a wall, with your legs
parallel to the wall and your right hip on
the wall (yes, ON). Now, scoot a little closer. If you can get that right butt cheek up higher on the wall, all the
better. Trust me on this: It’s way easier to scoot away from the wall once you get up if you find you need to
than it is to scoot closer.
So now that you’re up close and personal with the wall, begin to slide your left hand forward so that you can
lay your torso down on your left side.
After you get there, laying on your side-ish, move the legs up the wall as you roll from your side to your
back. Voila! You have arrived.
Now that you’re here, you can customize: If this feels like too much of a stretch for your hamstrings, scoot
away a smidge (go slowly because, again, it’s easier to scoot further away if needed than to scoot back in). If
you’d like, grab that blanket/pillow you got out earlier and place it under your head.
JAW CHECK
Hold here for a minimum of one minute, to as long as you’d like. To come out of the pose, bend the knees,
place the feet on the wall, and slowly roll to one side. Pause here for at least a couple breaths and then use
your hands on the ground to slowly press up to seated.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 28
Other Legs Up the Wall Options:
1. If you’d like to hold longer and let your legs completely relax, you
can strap them together. To do this, before you come into the pose,
create a loop with your strap a la Anti-Death-By-Boob-Smush. Slide
the loop over your legs to the top of the calves, just below the
knees, and cinch it tightish (but not so tight you can’t move because
you’re going to adjust it once you come into the pose).
Next, follow the steps above and get into position. Once there, you
can tighten or loosen the strap as needed. The goal is that the legs
can relax into the strap and let the straps hold the legs.
To come out, loosen the strap and slide it off – either here or once
you bring the legs down.
2. If bringing the legs up the wall is
uncomfortable, you can receive very similar
benefits from placing the legs on a chair seat.
Get a chair without wheels and, preferably,
place it up against a wall so that it’s very stable.
Now, sit with your right hip to the chair, as you
did the wall in the instructions above. Come in
the same way, but this time the lower legs rest
on the chair seat.
Stay here as long as you’d like, then come out
the same way you came in.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 29
Headstand | Sirasana
You’ll need (at least) four blocks for this one. When experimenting with
Headstand, it’s important to know what part of the head is in contact
with the ground. Sometimes people go more towards the front of the
head, even the forehead, but it’s further back than that. If you put the
heel of your hand at your brow bone and extend the fingers back onto
the top of the head, that’s about where it is – the crown.
ANTI-DEATH-BY-BOOB-SMUSH
Before you give the following a try, first work with Dolphin pose (see
lower right-hand side of this page for a photographic example of the
Dolphin pose.) To do this, come onto hands and knees in Tabletop. Come
down onto your elbows and interlace your hands; slide your bottom pinky
finger forward and up so that both hands can be even on the ground.
Elbows are shoulder-width apart, or just slightly wider, creating a shape
like 2 sides of a triangle. Now tuck your toes under and, keeping the knees at least lightly bent, pick the hips up and
begin to press them back, like you would for Down Dog.
NAVEL TO SPINE
JAW CHECK
As you may soon notice, this can be quite a li’l shoulder opener.
It’s also a nice chance to play with moving the shoulder blades
onto the back. Just for a moment, allow the shoulder blades to
collapse down towards your head. Then, try sliding them up and
onto the back – towards the hips (but not to them, of course!
Ha!). If this action is difficult or not possible in this moment,
continue to work here over time (and I don’t mean just the next
few minutes, but the next few weeks, months, etc.) until it feels
easeful before proceeding along to Headstand. You MUST be
able to make that action with confidence before trying Headstand, or else you may seriously crunch your neck by
collapsing onto it (yikes!).
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 30
Create two stacks of 2 blocks each, close shoulder distance apart, 3-4” in front of the wall.
Come onto hands and knees in front of the blocks, with your head facing them. The goal here is to get your
head in tightly so that the blocks clip the front of your shoulders. You may need to pull the blocks in closer
once you get your head in. Hands can go directly in front of or to the sides of the block stacks.
Note: The purpose of the blocks is for them to be about the height of your head so that when you come
up, they can support you. People have different head/neck/shoulder ratios, so some people may find they
need two stacks of 3 blocks or some other configuration (with more blocks, not less). Two stacks of 1 block
each will not be enough.
NAVEL TO SPINE
JAW CHECK
Once you’ve got your head in there as close as it can be, tuck your toes under and lift your hips up, coming
towards Down Dog legs. Once you’ve got that, begin walking the feet in closer and closer towards you. If
you are new or newish to this pose, that might be perfect for today – giving you the feeling of the hips being
more above the head.
At some point, you may find the feet getting light so that you could pick one up off the floor. If that happens,
pick that foot up and see what it’s like to bring it towards the wall. In Headstand, as opposed to Handstand,
there is NO JUMPING. When the alignment is there and you are emotionally/mentally ready, too (because
that is such a big part of this pose!), the legs come up with alignment and core strength, not force in any
way. This is necessary because if you were to jump or force, your neck would be what’s bearing it, which is
not what the neck was designed to do.
If one leg gets close to the wall, you can bring the other up to meet it. Once you’re there, stay for 1-3
breaths and then, when you are ready, slowly bring one leg down, then the other. Once you come down, rest
your head down in a mini Child’s Pose or however feels good for at least one full breath before coming up to
prevent any potential dizziness.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 31
To continue working with the pose:
1. This is not one of the poses where the next step is to use
fewer blocks. We need the blocks as above because they’re
supporting the shoulders. Lower blocks would just distort
the head/neck ratio and not work.
So another option for working with the pose is to come
onto hands and knees in front of a wall, with your toes
touching the baseboard. You want to be quite close. Now,
set up your hands/elbows as above for Dolphin (photo on
right), but this time bring the crown of your head to the
ground in front of your hands. You want the cozy corner
you’ve created with your hands to hug the back of your
head, stabilizing it a bit.
NAVEL TO SPINE
Draw the shoulder blades actively onto the back.
Tuck the toes under and lift the hips up. If it feels
like maintaining the shoulder blades on the back
will be difficult, keep working here until the day
comes (which may not even be in this lifetime, who
knows) when it feels more easeful.
JAW CHECK
If that day arrives, play with picking one foot up and
pressing the sole of the foot into the wall behind
you, a few feet off the ground. If you get that one
there, you can bring the other one up to meet it.
The goal here is to be in an L-type shape. Once there, stay for 1-3 breaths and then slowly walk one foot
down and then the other. Pause in Child’s Pose for at least 1 breath before coming up.
Working with this option will help you continue to build strength towards the next one.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 32
2. If the above option is working for you, you can play with this next one. Come onto hands and knees in
front of a wall, setting up your hands as in Option 1 above, a few inches in front of the wall.
NAVEL TO SPINE
Draw your shoulder blades actively onto your back. Tuck the toes under and lift the hips up. If it feels like
maintaining the shoulder blades on the back will be difficult, keep working here until the day comes when it
feels more easeful.
JAW CHECK
If that day arrives, play with walking the feet in closer and closer towards you. If one begins to feel light,
experiment with picking it up bringing it toward or to the wall. Remember, NO JUMPING – especially in
this version without the blocks. If one foot makes it up, the other may want to come along for the ride. If
you’d like, stay here for 1-3 breaths.
To come out, slowly bring one leg down and then the other. Rest immediately in Child’s Pose for at least one
breath before slowly coming up to seated.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 33
Handstand | Adho Mukha Vrksasana
We’re going to use the wall for this one.
Come onto hands and knees in
Tabletop in front of the wall, with
soles of the feet near the baseboard/
bottom of the wall.
EVEN HANDS
Tuck your toes under and come into
Down Dog, possibly with heels on the
wall.
NAVEL TO SPINE
Now shift forward so that your
shoulders come over your hands.
Remember to press under all the
fingers!
JAW CHECK
Play with beginning to pick one foot up here and press it into the wall at about your hip height. Sometimes
people want to just put their toes on the wall here, but that is not enough. The entire sole of your foot has
to press into the wall in order for you to be stable enough to bring the other foot up.
If/when one foot gets up there (which may not be today or this year), you can experiment with bringing the
other foot up to meet it. This version of Handstand gives you the feeling of weight being in your hands and
having your hips over your shoulders without having to come all the way up.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 34
Other Handstand Option:
If a time comes when you’re ready to play with another version of Handstand, turn yourself around and
come into Tabletop with fingertips a few inches away from the wall, facing it. Then press up into Down Dog
and draw your shoulder blades onto your back.
Step one foot a few inches forward so that your knee is bent. Your other leg is behind you, toes on the
ground. Now play with hopping the front leg foot off the ground any amount. As you do, the back foot will
also come up.
This may be where you stay for a long time – like weeks, months, years. At some point, though, as you
become more comfortable and continue getting stronger, you’ll find that back foot may come all the way up
and touch the wall behind you. If/when that happens, your next experiment is bringing the other leg up to
meet it.
Whatever you work with today, come down by slowly bringing one leg down and then the other. Pause with
your head down (in Child’s Pose if you like) before coming up to prevent any potential dizziness.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 35
Plow | Halasana & Shoulderstand | Salamba Sarvangasana
I’m going to tell you about these together because they’re often done together. For these, you’re going to need a strap,
2 yoga blankets, a chair and a wall.
ANTI-DEATH-BY-BOOB-SMUSH
Fold 2 yoga blankets in half, then in
half again, then in half again, so that
you end up with rectangles. Stack
them one on top of the other, with
the short end towards the wall, a few
inches away from it.
Place your chair about 6” in front of
the blankets.
Come into Legs Up the Wall on the
blankets, using the instructions from
earlier. You want your shoulders on
the blankets and the back of your head on the ground, creating some support for your neck.
Now, bend your knees and press your feet into the wall, lifting your hips up. If this is working for you, walk
your shoulders a bit underneath you and bring your hands to the tops of your hips, fingers facing towards
the booty. Hold here for at least one breath.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 36
This might be the perfect place for you to
be today. If you find you’d like to try
something else, though, begin playing with
lifting one foot off the wall and pointing that
leg and foot straight up towards the ceiling.
If that is feeling okay, you can play with
bringing the other foot up to meet it.
This is where the chair behind you can
come in handy. If you’d like, you can bring
one foot to the chair behind you (you might
need to adjust it closer or further away; you
want it to be where you can comfortably
straighten your legs and rest them there). With the legs on the chair in this position, you’re in Plow pose. The
legs on the chair (this could also be done in the opposite direction with legs to the wall) give you the
benefits of the pose with less suffocation. Win!
Once there, you can play with again lifting
one leg up, and then possibly the other.
Some people find it easier to balance when
coming from the wall; others have an easier
go at it from the chair. You get to see what
works for you – how great! When/however
both legs get up, bring the hands to the low
back/tops of the hips to support.
Whenever you’re ready to come out of
either option, slowly lower the hips down
and then rest in Legs Up the Wall until
you’re ready to roll to one side, pause on
the side and then come up.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 37
Note: While some people practice a different version of Shoulderstand without props, I do not personally ever teach
that. I find that people are too willing to flatten their neck to get a little extra momentum to get into the pose, and
I’m not in support of that. Our spine has curves (Did you know that? Woot!) for a reason, and we’re not meant to
flatten them – particularly in the neck.
THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 38
Closing Notes
New Perspectives
See what I mean about backbends and inversions giving you a new perspective? They totally do, right?!
That might be in a literal sense – seeing the world upside down. Or it might be from a more metaphorical
sense – learning things about yourself, your process, your practice. It’s the latter that I love. I’ve been
working with these poses for years and years, and I’m still working towards some of them.
When I was in the beginning years of my practice, I found that very discouraging. And sometimes, I can
certainly still get into that headspace. But what I’ve learned over time is that when I continue to practice, I
am right where I need to be. Inevitably, when the poses come, it feels easier than I’d expected – not because
it was all along, but because I got to the point where my body, heart and mind were ready (or at least ready-
ish). Getting my body into the pose before that was, and is, always a recipe for pain – often physical.
Go at your own pace and maintain a lighthearted approach while continue to work towards the poses. Is
that difficult sometimes? Yes, it is. But that’s why we have yoga – it teaches us how to navigate what
sometimes feels like a tightrope on the mat so that we can have more skill for doing the same off the mat.
Here’s to you and your practice! You inspire me!
xo
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THE CURVY YOGA GUIDE TO BACKBENDS & INVERSIONS CurvyYoga.com p. 40