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= 7 w =) al a HEALTHY , BACK i Y Support o| e your spine : , a / Stretch stress away » Y Prevent and ease pain Therapeutic moves & sequences for a. HEALTHY BACK EditorMary Comber ArteditorKelly Flood Chiefsub-editor Sheila Reid YogainstructionSimone Klein Photography Danny Bird @ Tapestry RetouchingColin Beagley Hair & make-up Louise Heywood@ Artistic Licence ModelRhiannon Bailey WModel @ Clothes Coverand inside: Sweaty Betty Stamina Sports Bra, 35 (sweatybetty.com); Gymshark Vital Seamless Leggings, 40 (gymshark.com). Youryoga for back care plan: Girlfriend Collective Paloma Bra Clasic, 35 from The Sports Edit (sportsedit.com); leggings from a selection at Lululemon (lululemon.co.uk) Props Bolsters, blankets and straps from a selection atYogamatters (yogamatters.com) NewstradeDirectorDavid Barker ManagingDirectorDharmesh Mistry ChiefOperatingandFinanceOfficerBrett Reynolds ChiefExecutiveJames Tye MAGBOOK, Copyright DennisPublishingLimited2019.Allrightsreserved.TheMagBookbrandisaregisteredtrademark.Neitherthewholeofthispublicationnoranypartof itmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemortransmittedinanyformnorbyanymeanswithoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublishers. YogaforaHealthyBackISBN978-i1-78106-710-9 TolicensethisproductpleasecontactCarlottaSerantonion+44(0)[email protected] WhileeverycarewastakenduringtheproductionofthisMagBook,thepublisherscannotbeheldresponsiblefortheaccuracyoftheinformation oranyconsequencearisingfromit.DennisPublishingtakesnoresponsibilityforthecompaniesadvertisinginthisMagBook.Thepaperusedwithin thisMagBookisproducedfromsustainablefibre,manufacturedbymillswithavalidchainofcustody.PrintedbySterlingPressLimited. Thehealthandfitnessinformationpresentedinthisbookisaneducationalresourceandisnotintendedasasubstituteformedicaladvice. Consultyourdoctororhealthcareprofessionalbeforeperforminganyoftheexercisesdescribedinthisbookoranyotherexerciseprogramme,particularlyifyou arepregnant,orifyouareelderlyorhavechronicorrecurringmedicalconditions.Donotattemptanyoftheexerciseswhileundertheinfluenceofalcoholordrugs. Discontinueanyexercisethatcausesyoupainorseverediscomfortandconsultamedicalexpert. Neithertheauthoroftheinformationnortheproducernordistributorsofsuchinformationmake anywarrantyofanykindinregardtothecontentoftheinformationpresentedinthisbook. Contents Welcome 66 POSES FOR A HEALTHY BACK Howtousethisbook 68 Theposes 10 How’syourback? 12 Yogaforahealthyback 94 SEQUENCES FOR DAILY LIFE 96 Strongand supple 18 THE FOUNDATIONS 98 Core stability 20 Yogaandyourspine 100 Relieve tension 22 Perfectyourposture 102 Ease stress 26 Breathe yourselfbetter 28 Perfectprops 104 YOGA FOR BACK PAIN 30 Beforeyoustart 106 Introduction 110 Youryogaforbackcareplan 32 MOBILISE YOUR BODY 112 Thepostures 34 Prepare yourbody 122 Release andrelaxationsequence & 35 Warm-up moves 124 Mobilisationand strengtheningsequence bs 48 AWAKEN YOUR SPINE 126 Meditation 50 Salute the sun 130 Resources 51 Sunsalutationmoves 62 Sunsalutationsequences elcome How is your back today? Perhaps it’s feeling stiff from sitting at a desk all day or niggling from running around after your children. You're not alone. More than one in 10 of us will have a back problem during our lives. Sedentary lifestyles, poor posture and stress can lead to joint stiffness, muscle tension and imbalances that take a toll on your spine, leading to pain, Injury or chronic conditions, such as sciatica. Most of us don't give our backs much of a second thought - until something goes wrong! Yet this impressive anatomical structure that supports our every move, needs TLC if it is to operate smoothly throughout our lives. Yoga offers the perfect package of care for a healthy back. This ancient system of exercise is now scientifically proven to not only keep your back strong and supple, it can also ease back problems from stiffness to sciatica. for Yoga aHealthy Back offers a complete guide to the postures, breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques that can help keep your spine in shape. And, if you're suffering from a back problem, youll also find a tailored yoga therapy plan, designed to help safely ease pain and bring your body back into balance. a Pore’ s to healthy, happy, Back => The information in this book does not replace medical advice. Please consult your GP or health practitioner before embarking on any new exercise programme, including the yoga poses in this book, especially ifyou have a back condition, are pregnant or have a chronic medical condition. How to use this book Yoga can make a huge difference to the health of back. Whether your you want to keep It flexible and free from or injury \ suffer from back b you this book can pain, help. aadus gdh Ikechileil Here's how ant toed eA N Tal a. INTRODUCTION revention is better than cure, so in Yoga fora shape for life. In Part Two, you'll find therapeutic advice HealthyBackyou'll find both preventative and and postures specifically designed to safely soothe and therapeutic advice. Part One ofthe book offers ease painful back conditions and help restore your body a step-by-step guide to the yoga techniques, to full health again. Read on to ensure you get the right poses and sequences that will keep your spine in good help and maximum benefits from this guide. How'syour back? 10% -mrpuigom 69% ta wate people DISCOVER THE BENEFITS of LEARN THE BASICS Surprisedtohearthatyogacan It’s notjusttheyogaposesthat in the UK helpyourback? Inthis section boostyourbackhealth. Learning you'll discoverthe manyreasons suffer from the foundations, suchasposture, whyyogacanboostbackhealth breathworkandmindfulnesswill andprevent common conditions, lower-back pain allhave apositive impactforyour suchaslowerbackache and back.You'llalso findthe safety sciatica. Readthe science and tips andpropsthatwillkeepyour hearfromthe experts onwhyyou backcomfortable andinjury-free should start doingyogatoday. duringyoursessions. eae Lie Terre — 2. i a PREPARE YOUR BODY HEALTHY BACK POSES YOGA THERAPY PLAN Likeanyexercise system,yoga Wanttokeepyourbackstrongand Doyouhavebackache oraback offers arange ofwarm-upposesto supple? Inthis section,you'llfind problem?Thenthissectionisfor prepareyourbodytomove. Many step-by-step guidestoposesthat you. Firstyou'lldiscoverhowyoga oftheexercises arealsotheperfect focus onyourspineandareasof isclinically-proventohelpease waytomobiliseyourspine.Youcan yourbodythatsupportit, such backpain, andhearaboutthetypes usethematanytimeofthe dayto asyourcore andglutes.Thereare ofyogathatarebeneficial.Then easetensionandstaysupple.You'll modificationsforbeginnersand you'llfindposesandsequences, alsofindclassic Sunsalutation tipsforkeepingyourbacksafe.The selectedbyanexpertinstructor, to movesthatwillawakenyourspine. sequences givemore ofaworkout. helpbringyourbackintoharmony. 9 Ho s your back? Fromstiff joints to muscle pain, back health issues are a modern-day epidemic. Here are the facts need to know you solution o you suffer from stand for long periods at work, are Yoga - backache? You’re farfrom common culprits and no, a daily The good news? Rather than simply alone. Lower back pain gym session isn’t enough to make popping painkillers and waiting affects almost one in 10 up foran otherwise near-sedentary for it to go away, there are plenty adults and is the largest single cause lifestyle. Stress can also play its part ofsteps you can take to address - - ofdisability in the UK, according not least because we tend to tense back problems and research to a 2014 study. It’s stopping us our muscles and alter our breathing suggests that yoga is among the doing our jobs, too: nearly 31 million patterns when we feel threatened, most effective strategies. A major working days are lost each year which in turn, puts our body under 2017 review found that practising due to musculoskeletal problems, pressure and triggers pain. yoga under the guidance ofan including back pain. And experts instructor once or twice a week warn the number of people can significantly reduce chronic affected will continue to rise due to lower-back pain within six to 12 - unhealthy lifestyle factors and our months. Another study led by the 12% ageing population. University ofYork and funded by - Arthritis Research UK found that Lifes le issues people who were offered a 12-week UnNCVnse So what's causing the problem? yoga programme experienced Rather unhelpfully, most back greater improvements in back pain is referred to by medics as in the likelihood of function and more confidence in ‘non-specific’, which pretty much performing everyday tasks than means there’s no obvious cause. disability from low those offered conventional forms Aside from awkward twists and of GP care, such as medication. strains, a multitude offactors can back pain over the And even better? You don’t have contribute to the pain in the first to wait until you have back pain to place, and make it more likely to past 20 years take action. Yoga is one ofthe best recur. Bad posture and lack of ways to maintain a healthy, flexible exercise, particularly ifwe sit or spine. Read on to discover why. 10 z=a°0ca= 3z Z C Z