Yoga trapeze for back pain

Following a back injury 3 years ago, I decided to train in a style of yoga that would support my spinal health - not only for myself, but also so I could offer this support to others suffering with back issues in my yoga classes.

Enter the yoga trapeze! And here’s why I think it is so marvellous…

Modern life has contributed to most of us experiencing back pain at some point in our lives – poor working postures, spending lots of time sitting and bent over screens and phones, as well as incorrect alignment in yoga classes, particularly fast flowing types of yoga which ask us to move and flex and twist our bodies with little awareness of posture and safety of our joints, over-zealous lifting in the gym, sedentary lifestyles etc.

Yoga trapeze offers both a therapeutic approach plus a functional practice which targets the health of the spine in feeling relief from compression, plus building flexibility, mobility and strength in the posterior chain for prevention of injuries and building stability.

Traction pose is the pose which draws students to trapeze initially. This pose is taught in all of my classes. It might look tricky to achieve but I promise everyone gets there in the first class even after a few attempts.  Here the spine is relaxed, spaces between the vertebra are opened, and intervertebral discs as a result decompress. It really is an amazing pose and most students will experience a blissful relief immediately. I keep students here for at least a minute, encouraging them to close their eyes and completely relax their upper body, either clasping opposite elbows or allowing their arms to dangle freely, fingers lightly grazing the floor. The first time being upside down like this can feel strange and often students squeeze their legs together for fear of falling out, however the more we can relax the legs and hips, the more the spine can relax and that blissful feeling of decompression is enjoyed.