Kasturbai Azcona is a traveling photographer and movement facilitator raising her young kids in the farmlands of Guadalajara, Mexico. She specializes in mobility training and the nervous system, intuitive and creative sequencing, arm balancing, inversions, conotortion & more!
Over the past four years, my yoga practice has evolved from simple sun salutations into a deep exploration of advanced inversions and contortion. At the heart of this journey are two key focuses: handstands and backbends. What began as separate areas of curiosity has merged into a balanced and harmonious practice that now forms the core of my movement routine. These two practices–often seen as opposites–have brought equilibrium to my body and mind, offering strength, flexibility, and a profound connection to my physical self.
Backbends have opened my body in ways I never anticipated, not just physically but also mentally. Consistent practice and a growing understanding of the nervous system have allowed me to deepen my spinal extension while building the strength and breath required to support these movements. Developing flexibility in my shoulders, spine, hips, and neck has had a ripple effect throughout my body–enhancing my posture and bringing a sense of ease to my everyday movements.
Inversions and arm balances, meanwhile, provide the perfect counterbalance. While backbends work to strengthen and open the posterior chain, handstands and inversions demand strength and length from the anterior chain. Through these practices, I’ve refined my ability to balance upside down while deepening my connection to core strength and alignment.
Front to back: Finding harmony in backbends & handstands
Forward folds and press handstands engage the front side body, while backbends primarily work the backside body. Together, these two movements create a rhythm–a symphony of lengthening and strengthening, of relaxing and contracting. I’ve realized that I don’t need much more than this. The depth and range of motion I’ve gained through these focused movements have been more than enough to sustain a sense of balance, both physically and emotionally. I now move with greater grace and stability, not just on the mat but in daily life–a gift that extends far beyond the physical practice.
Spine mobility: Understanding each part
The spine is divided into four regions, each with distinct functions and mobility. Understanding how these parts move is essential for safe and effective backbends.
Cervical spine (Neck): The most mobile part of the spine, capable of forward/backward bending, rotation, and tilting. This mobility is key in finding length through the neck during backbends.
Thoracic spine (Upper Back): Connected to the ribcage, the thoracic spine allows for some rotation and bending, but its range is limited by the ribs. In backbends, creating a curve in this area is vital to avoid overloading the lumbar spine, which can lead to pain.
Lumbar spine (Low Back): The lumbar spine is primarily designed for flexion and extension, playing a major role in backbends. However, it is prone to strain if flexibility is forced without muscular support, making core engagement essential.
Sacrum: The sacrum, a fused triangular bone at the base of the spine, has minimal independent movement but provides a solid foundation for the rest of the spine, especially in weight-bearing postures.
The spine in relation to the nervous system
Spine mobility is deeply interconnected with the nervous system. Each movement of the spine sends signals throughout the body, affecting not only muscular engagement but also the state of the nervous system itself. When we deepen backbends or engage in inversions, we’re not just working on physical flexibility but also influencing how our nervous system responds to movement and tension. Proper breath control, combined with an understanding of the spine’s role in regulating the nervous system, is key to unlocking deeper flexibility. Breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic or controlled exhales, help soothe the nervous system, allowing for greater ease and depth in backbends. Ultimately, by nurturing this connection, we create a practice that not only enhances mobility but also cultivates a sense of calm and balance in both body and mind.
Shoulder mobility: The key to stability and flexibility
Shoulder mobility is crucial for both backbends and arm balances. As a ball- and-socket joint, the shoulder allows for a wide range of movement but requires a balance of flexibility and stability, especially in weight-bearing poses.
Importance in backbends: In poses like wheel, shoulder mobility creates space and length through the front body. Tight shoulders can restrict spinal extension and put strain on the lower back. Flexibility in the shoulders helps distribute the stretch more evenly, improving alignment and reducing injury risk.
Importance in arm balances: For arm balances like crow, the shoulders must be both strong and mobile to provide stability. Without proper mobility, it’s easy to collapse into the joints, causing misalignment. Developing strength alongside shoulder mobility ensures that the body is well-supported and lifted safely in inverted poses.
Hip mobility: Unlocking flexibility and stability
The hips are another critical area that must be both strong and mobile to support deep flexibility. The hip joint, like the shoulder, is a ball-and-socket joint capable of a wide range of movements.
Importance in backbends: In poses like wheel or camel, hip flexibility allows the pelvis to tilt and the spine to extend safely without compressing the lumbar region. Having open hip flexors is crucial for finding depth in backbends, while strong glutes and hamstrings support the lower spine and stabilizes the pelvis.
Importance in forward folds and inversions: In forward folds and press handstands, hip flexor strength allows for compression and stacking to be accessed more easily. The deeper the hips can compress the thighs to the low belly, the easier it will be to stack the hips, shoulders, and wrists in one line to press into handstand and balance.
The joy of being upside down: Inversions and arm balances
Inversions and arm balances bring a unique sense of freedom, strength, and joy to any movement practice. When we go upside down–whether in a handstand, headstand, or any arm balance–we experience a literal shift in perspective.
Moving the blood from our feet to our head brings both physical and mental benefits, and the feeling of being weightless and strong at the same time can be exhilarating.
The heart over the head: Circulatory and energetic benefits
One of the most profound effects of inversions is the way they reverse the typical flow of blood in the body. With the heart above the head, inversions encourage a redistribution of blood, which can help improve circulation, flush out stagnant energy, and leave you feeling refreshed. In traditional yoga philosophy, inversions are believed to move energy through the body in new ways, stimulating the brain and calming the nervous system.
Physically, this upside-down orientation provides a moment of respite for the heart, which no longer has to work against gravity to pump blood to the brain. This can bring about a calming, grounding effect, reducing stress and improving mood. Inversions also engage the entire body, from the core to the stabilizing muscles in the arms and shoulders, which builds both strength and endurance.
Merging inversions and backbends: A beautiful symbiosis
Practicing inversions and backbends on their own provides immense benefits, but when combined, they can create a uniquely dynamic and fluid practice.
These two seemingly distinct disciplines–one focused on balance and control, the other on flexibility and expansion–can come together to enhance each other in remarkable ways.
In a handstand, the body is fully engaged, demanding strength from the shoulders, core, and arms to maintain balance. When you begin to incorporate backbends into your inversion practice, you open up a whole new range of motion and expression. For example, transitioning from a handstand into a wheel pose (falling back gracefully into a backbend) showcases not only strength and control but also flexibility and freedom.
This fluid transition is a beautiful marriage of two practices that seem opposite but are, in fact, complementary. Inversions like handstands require not only upper body strength but also mobility in the shoulders and hips to create balance and alignment. Backbends, on the other hand, demand flexibility in these same areas. When practiced together, you cultivate a balance between control and release, power and openness.
The strength gained from arm balances and inversions directly supports the deep flexibility needed for contortion-like backbends, while the mobility cultivated in backbends provides greater ease in inversions. Together, these practices create a balanced approach to movement, ensuring that the body is both strong and flexible, stable and mobile.
For those who practice both regularly, the boundaries between backbends and arm balances start to blur. You might find yourself moving from one to the other seamlessly, as the body learns to integrate these seemingly distinct elements. This dance between strength and flexibility, between being grounded and airborne, is what makes the combination of backbends and inversions such a joyful, satisfying practice.
It’s not complete without twists & pulls
While this practice is great in building strength through pushing movements–like press handstands and other weight-bearing postures–it often lacks the complementary pulling actions necessary for a well-rounded practice.
Incorporating pulling movements helps balance the body, preventing overdevelopment in some areas while neglecting others. By engaging in pulling exercises, you strengthen muscles that are less targeted in traditional yoga practice, ultimately enhancing your mobility, strength, and overall stability in both backbends and arm balancing.
Here are a few ways to bring pulling movements into your routine
Calisthenics: Exercises like pull-ups are a powerful way to build upper body strength, particularly for the back, shoulders, and arms–muscles essential for inversions and backbends.
Rock climbing: This full-body activity strengthens the pulling muscles in the upper body and engages the core, making it a fantastic complement to your yoga practice.
Pole dancing: A dynamic and creative way to build upper body strength, particularly in the lats and shoulders, which are crucial for arm balances and backbends.
Gardening: Even functional activities like pulling weeds or raking can help you develop strength in the back and arms, while grounding your practice in everyday movements. A huge way I counterbalance my physical practice is by working in my garden often.
Twists: Creating space and counterbalancing deep backbends
Twists play a crucial role in counterbalancing the deep extension that occurs in backbends. Twisting helps decompress the spine, creating space between the vertebrae, and alleviating tension that might build up after repetitive
backbending movements. Incorporating twists into your practice not only improves spinal mobility but also supports overall balance in the body. They realign the spine after intense backbends and provide a gentle yet effective way to restore equilibrium. Twists allow for a healthy rotation of the spine, facilitating better movement and helping you find more space and freedom in your backbends.
Creating a playful, integrated practice
Incorporating both inversions and backbends into your practice adds an element of playfulness and creativity. As these movements flow together, the practice becomes more dynamic, shifting from a focus on mastering individual poses to exploring how each can lead into the next in a seamless, intuitive way. This approach encourages a more creative, free-flowing movement practice, where strength and flexibility support each other in both physical and mental growth.
By blending backbends and inversions, you move beyond rigid sequences, embracing a playful exploration of your body’s potential. This integration allows for deeper self-expression, as each practice complements the other, cultivating a balance between control and release. It’s through this creative play that true growth occurs, as both the body and mind learn to flow freely in new and joyful ways.
A holistic practice for strength, flexibility and joy
The combination of backbends and inversions offers a truly holistic approach to movement, merging strength with flexibility, control with release, and grounded-ness with lightness. Together, these practices form a well-rounded physical routine that works the entire body, from the deep muscles of the spine and core to the shoulders, hips, and beyond. By engaging both the front and back sides of the body, they create balance not only in movement but also in how we feel–bringing a sense of harmony and wholeness to our practice.
Beyond the physical benefits, backbends and inversions have the power to bring profound joy and a sense of play into our lives. The exhilaration of being upside down, the freedom of opening the heart in a deep backbend, and the satisfaction of flowing between strength and flexibility offer a practice that feels complete, both for the body and the mind. Whether you’re cultivating mobility, exploring new limits, or simply finding joy in the movement, combining backbends and inversions can transform your practice into an expression of creativity, strength, and inner balance.
Read more from Kasturbai L Azcona
Kasturbai L Azcona, Movement Instructor & Photographer
Kasturbai is a certified yoga teacher and fitness instructor for english and spanish speakers around the world. She teaches with intention for hypermobile yogis and adcvocates for strength within flexibility. She is also a traveling photographer that document reatreats and events of all kinds!
