One of the reasons I started practicing yoga was that I had potential lower back problems every time I sneezed or bent over. I was extremely tight in my hamstrings and my lower back and bending over was a challenge.
Yoga certainly does provide a flexibility in both your back (and there are many muscles there that need to be addressed) as well as your hamstrings but it also provides a focus on strengthening your core abdomen and lower back muscles. I think this core strength is as important as flexibility in reducing back injuries.
If I am doing a non-Yin practice, I incorporate a series of core focused exercises (both Yoga and non-Yoga). I really feel the effects of this (I started about a year ago) and it was a great thing to do.
Here is what I do.
30 - 40 Bicycle Crunches
2 to 2.5 minutes Forearm Plank (need a timer) - You need to build up to this.
25 Rolling Crunches (Start on back with bent legs up in the air and then bring chest and legs together) Sort of like a hanging crunch only you start with your back on the ground.
10-15 leg lifts (start from ground, slowly lift up until all the way up and then lower down.
10 breath side planks on each side (about 30 seconds)
15 Supermen on each side (alternating) . You left up one arm and the alternate leg at the same time in rapid alternating succession.
2 Locus Poses held for 10 breaths each time.
This takes about 15 minutes to complete and with stretching beforehand, about 25 minutes. A great start before a good Yoga flow.
Namaste.
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| 30-40 Bicycle Crunches on Each Side |
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| Forearm Plank |
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| Locus Pose |
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| Superman |
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| Side Plank. Legs up makes it 2x harder |
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