Do a Backbend

Want to impress your friend with a backbend? This amazing gymnastics move will instantly make spectators ooh and awe. Make sure you stretch and work up to the move before performing it in front of an audience. Good luck and don't get hurt!

Steps

  1. Stretch well. The first and most important thing you should do before attempting to do a back bend is to stretch. If you rush into your backbend without stretching, you can injure your back, wrists, or ankles. Having the patience to do just about 15 minutes of stretching will help you do a back bend the right way. Here are some stretches to do:
    • Warm up before stretching to get blood flowing with jumping jacks, jump roping, or better yet, do the backbend after a workout.
    • Stretch your ankles. Sit down and hold your ankle with one hand, while rolling your ankle or even spelling out the alphabet with your foot. Stretch both ankles equally please make sure.
    • Stretch your wrists. Extend one hand with your palm away from you, and pull your fingers back with the other until you feel a nice stretch. Then do the same with the other hand. Next, hold your wrist with one hand while you roll the wrist of the hand you're holding, and repeat.
    • Stretch your back. Stretching your back is the most important stretch of all. You should stretch your back with some simple yoga poses, such as the camel pose, bow pose, or cobra pose.
  2. Do a bridge. Before you can do a backbend, you should be able to do a bridge. Learning to do a bridge can take time, so it may be a while for you to go from the bridge to the backbend. Don't be impatient and learn to stick the bridge before you move on, or you will injure yourself. Here's how to do a bridge in just a few easy steps:
    • Lay on the floor or a comfortable mat. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and bend your knees at a 90 degree angle.
    • Put your palms by the sides of your head. Your fingers should be facing your feet, mimicking the wrist stretch you were doing earlier.
    • Point your elbows toward the ceiling.
    • When you're in position, gently push off the ground with your hands while keeping your hands and feet planted. Push off each hand at the same time and with the same force.
    • Keep pushing until your arms are straight and your legs are only a little bit bent. Your gaze should fall between your hands.
    • You should be pushing with your finger pads and palms, and taking the pressure off your wrists.
    • Hold the pose for at least ten seconds to be comfortable with it and come down gently when you're ready. Practice the pose a few more times but take breaks, or you may be putting too much pressure on your back or wrists. When you stretch make sure that you don't push yourself too hard because even stretching can really damage your bones and joints.
  3. Do a backbend against a wall. Once you've mastered the bridge, you will be ready to try a backbend against the wall. This will simulate what it will feel like to do a real backbend, but it'll give you a little extra help and confidence before you stick it. Here's how you do it:
    • Stand with your back to a sturdy wall. Stand two feet away from the wall or a little closer, depending on how easy it is for you to comfortably reach the wall.
    • Your feet should be wider than the distance between your shoulders.
    • Raise your arms by your ears.
    • Slowly bend your back and look at the wall behind you.
    • Touch the wall with your palms, and walk down the wall until you reach the floor and are in a backbend position.
    • Slowly lower yourself to the ground.
  4. Take a final step before you do a backbend on your own. Now that you've mastered the bridge and the backbend against a wall, you're almost ready to do the backbend on your own. Before you reach that step, you should do the following things:
    • Practice doing half of a back bend onto a raised surface, such as a bed or a couch. Then you'll only have to reach halfway down and will get a better sense of how a real backbend will feel.
    • Try doing a backbend against the wall, but don't hold on to the wall as soon as you bend back. Instead, every time you try a back bend against the wall, lean back a little further before you touch the wall so you're not using the wall for the entire process.
    • When you're ready to a backbend on your own, you should always have a spotter. The spotter should put one hand on your back and one hand on your side as you lower yourself to the ground.
  5. Do a backbend on your own. Now that you've mastered all of the pre-backbend techniques and were comfortable doing a backbend with a spotter, you're ready to do a back bend on your own. You'll be repeating a variation of what you already did against the wall. Here's how to do it:
    • Stand up straight with your legs positioned shoulder width apart.
    • Raise your arms over your head and flatten your palms until they face the ceiling. Your fingers should be pointing right behind you.
    • Slowly bend backwards and shove your thighs forward. Make sure to keep your arms locked as you move closer to the ground.
    • When you reach the ground, plant your hands and keep your feet firmly in place. You should be looking in between your hands.
    • When you've held the backbend for a few seconds or for however long you were comfortable, lower yourself to the ground. When you're done with backbends, remember to stretch.
  6. Once you've mastered going down into a bridge try coming back up from it. Be very careful not to hurt your back though.

Tips

  • Stretch regularly to improve your flexibility and so that you can do the backbend better.
  • What's probably stopping you is that you're scared and you think you might hit the ground. Just remember to not immediately drop and know that your arms will catch you.
  • If you are a beginner, keep your legs further apart and get lower, then you will be able to do one.
  • Have a mattress under you so if you fall, it won't hurt your head or any other body parts.
  • If you want to be the best at it keep on practicing and you will get faster and faster at doing it.
  • Spread your legs out wider to help you get down lower. When you get really good at it like that, you can bring your legs closer together.
  • To get your back more flexible, get in a handstand and let your back slide down until your back is arched.
  • If any of your body part is hurt after stretching, you should stretch until you feel no aches of pain.
  • Consider taking a hot bath first, relax, maybe drink a cup of warm tea. This will help loosen your muscles and you will be able to bend easier.
  • Never start without a spotter.
  • Don't forget that people who do back-bends on TV are most likely to be professionals.
  • Don't do a back bend without plenty of practice.
  • Do not keep your legs too far apart because if you do your head is going to bump onto the floor and your legs should only be a little bit bigger than your shoulder width apart.
  • If you want to do a backbend then first do a bridge.
  • If you feel any pain, seek assistance, whether its from your parents or medical.
  • Make sure to look at your hands as you go down into your back-bend.
  • Practice on a sofa or bed.
  • Make sure you can not only do a bridge, but you can stick it. For you beginners, this means perfect it. For a better bridge, push upwards and then lean back so your chest is further than your head.
  • If you have a friend who knows how to do a backbend really well, ask them for help.
  • Don't forget to keep your fingers together so it doesn't cause pain.
  • Try and do it on a hill outside (preferably grass) and put your feet about 30 centimeters from the top of the hill.
  • Try practicing by leaning back on something, then gradually lower it each time.
  • Reach down to lower objects until you hit the floor.
  • Don't spread your legs to apart otherwise you will get into a bad habit of doing it.
  • Create a diamond with your hands and look through it. Slowly lean back and you should end up in a bridge.
  • Don't do a backbend on your own unless you are completely confident with the wall or bed backbend. IF you have doubt, get a spotter or just keep practising on the wall.
  • Always stretch beforehand. You WILL get injured if you haven't stretched.
  • Never give up!
  • If you want to do a backbend, don't rush yourself. It will take a while but worth the wait.
  • If you are a beginner, go down slowly one hand at a time.
  • Once you get your backbend, hold it for as long as you can every time to improve back flexibility and for it to be easier.
  • You can also ask your coach or someone you can trust who is strong to hold your back while you go down.
  • When doing a back bend, lock your arms as you are going down. This is going to help you because they will catch you every time ! Also, look for the floor when you are doing it so that if you don't do it that time, you know how far you got and you could try and improve that next time! Never give up!
  • Make sure you always have someone spotting you. Spotters can help you at any moment if you slip, and they will save you from hurting yourself. Always use a spotter, especially if you're a beginner. Just have someone hold your back gently, not forcing you down, just helping to guide you and keep you safe from the few injuries that could occur. Good luck, have fun, and be safe!
  • Try first with a pile of cushions underneath you, and take one away each time so it gets lower and lower!
  • If your back is starting to hurt dont keep going practice some stretches so that your back i use to it.
  • Keep your body tight.
  • Only go as far as you feel you can go, as this overworking yourself could cause serious injury or worse.
  • Try it on a mattress or trampoline; it won't hurt as much if you fall and that gives you more confidence.
  • Do it with out socks on because you might slip and fall on your back.
  • If you are a beginner, after you try a wall try to use a tall bed/couch next. It it easy and will provide a soft landing if you happen to fall!
  • If you start to hurt and you really want this skill don't push yourself get up and go lay down in your bed or rest until it feels better. Preferably don't do the skill until the next day so you body can get a chance to rest.
  • Always bend your knees.
  • Go slow. Don't go fast while you're going down, as you might slip and lose your balance.

Warnings

  • Never start without stretching or your muscles won't develop good flexibility skills and you will injure yourself
  • Keep your elbows locked or you may hurt your head.
  • If you're outside do it on grass, not cement.
  • Make sure you can hold a strong bridge for about twenty seconds before trying this or you may seriously injure your back or wrists.
  • Always be supervised, especially if you're doing a backbend for the first time. Performing a back bend could cause neck or spinal injuries.
  • If you start to feel dizzy after doing the back bend, stop and rest or drink some water.
  • Make sure when you are first doing a backbend, you have someone to spot you, if not you could seriously hurt yourself by doing the exercise wrong.
  • Remember that a backbend is not a party trick. You shouldn't do it to show off around a big group of friends because you won't be able to give the skill the patience and attention it deserves.
  • Make sure you don't get hurt, or else it won't be fun
  • It is best not to eat or drink too much at least 2-3 (4-5 hours if possible) hours before doing your back bend exercises.

Things You'll Need

  • A coach or trained person, possibly teacher
  • Mattress or yoga mat

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