Prishthasana (back pose) is a part of the Advance group of asanas mentioned in the book “Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha” by Swami Satyananda Saraswati that are designed to further improve the health of a person who is already very healthy.
How to do Prishthasana (Back Pose)
- Stand erect with the feet about 30 em apart and the toes turned out to the sides.
- Bend the knees, bringing them as close to the floor as possible.
- Simultaneously, bend the trunk backward from the waist.
- Move the arms back and reach down to grasp the ankles. Bend the head back.
- Without straining, lower the head and back nearer to the floor.
- Hold the final position for as long as is comfortable. Alternatively, the hands may be placed on the waist to support the backward movement of the spine, and then moved down the thighs and legs.
Breathing pattern while doing Prishthasana (Back Pose)
- Inhale while in the standing position.
- Exhale while bending backwards and grasping the ankles. Breathe normally in the final position.
- Retain the breath inside while returning to the starting position.
- Exhale in the standing position.
Sequence of doing Prishthasana (Back Pose)
- Those suffering from slipped disc, sciatica or dislocation of the hip joints should not practise it.
- Follow with a standing, fotward bending posture such as utthita janu sirshasana.
Benefits of doing Prishthasana (Back Pose)
- This asana beneficially stretches the abdominal muscles and organs. It increases circulation in the back, stimulating and toning the nerves of the spine.
- It streng thens the legs and develops balance.
Precautions while doing Prishthasana (Back Pose)
- Those suffering from slipped disc, sciatica or dislocation of the hip joints should not practise it.
- Not for people with stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, coronary thrombosis or any back ailment.
Advanced variation of Prishthasana (Back Pose)
- Stand erect with the feet about 30 cms apart and the toes turned out to the sides.
- Raise the arms over the head and slowly bend the trunk backward from the waist.
- Simultaneously, bend the knees and bring them fotward.
- Move the arms to the sides and reach down to grasp the ankles.
Advanced Yoga Poses Series
Advanced yoga poses take your yoga practice to the next level. If you’ve perfected beginner, and intermediate yoga poses, you can explore advanced yoga poses. The advanced poses should not be attempted unless the body is very flexible. Prishthasana (Back Pose) is one of the yoga poses classified as advanced yoga poses.
Advanced Yoga Poses and perfecting them can make you an expert in Yoga asanas. Before attempting advanced yoga poses, it’s important to perfect yoga poses and sequences including Sun Salutation, Pawanmuktasana Series, Padmasana group of asanas, forward bending yoga poses, spinal twisting yoga poses, postures for meditation, inverted yoga poses, and balancing yoga poses.
Be mindful of all the precautions to take while doing these poses to avoid injury. It’s advised to learn these in presence of a trained instructor to make sure you do these properly.
List of Advanced Yoga Poses
- Poorna Bhujangasana – Full Cobra Pose In Yoga
- Koormasana – Tortoise Pose In Yoga
- Poorna Shalabhasana – Full Locust Pose In Yoga
- Poorna Dhanurasana – Full Bow Pose In Yoga
- Dhanurakarshanasana – Archer’s Pose In Yoga
- Prishthasana – Back Pose In Yoga
- Parighasana – Beam or Cross-bar pose In Yoga
- Chakrasana – Wheel Pose In Yoga
- Hanumanasana – Hanuman’s Pose In Yoga
- Brahmacharyasana – Celibate’s Pose In Yoga
- Grivasana – Neck Pose In Yoga
- Sirshapada Bhumi Sparshasana – Head And Foot Touching The Ground Pose In Yoga
- Poorna Matsyendrasana – Full Spinal Twist Pose In Yoga
- Mayurasana – Peacock Pose In Yoga
- Padma Mayurasana – Lotus Or Bound Peacock Pose In Yoga
- Moolabandhasana – Perineal Contraction Pose In Yoga
- Gorakshasana – Yogi Gorakhnath’s Pose In Yoga
- Astavakrasana – Eight-twists Pose In Yoga
- Vrischikasana – Scorpion Pose In Yoga
- Eka Pada Sirasana – One Foot To Head Pose In Yoga
- Utthan Eka Pada Sirasana – Standing Foot To Head Pose In Yoga
- Dwi Pada Sirasana – Two Feet To Head Pose In Yoga
- Dwi Pada Kandharasana – Two-Legged Shoulder Pose In Yoga
- Padma Parvatasana – Lotus Mountain Pose In Yoga
- Kashyapasana – Sage Kashyapa’s Pose In Yoga
- Vishwamitrasana – Sage Vishwamitra’s Pose In Yoga
Conclusion
We hope you found this article on Prishthasana (Back Pose) useful. It covers how to do Prishthasana (Back Pose), the benefits of the pose, precautions while doing the yoga pose, and important notes for practitioners. You can check out other advanced yoga poses from the list mentioned above.
Articles related to Prishthasana (Back Pose)
The following articles are recommended for you. Apart from these, do read The Basics of Yoga, and eight limbs of yoga.