Back flexibility - forward

HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor started this discussion · 2/6/2013

Hi Veeners! So I have a pretty bendy back when it comes to things like bridging or anything that involves bending backwards... BUT I have essentially no flexibility bending forward. I'm talking specifically in my back - I can bend forward and touch the ground, so I'm not referring to working on hamstring flexibility or anything like that. From about mid back down to my butt, I can never get it to curve forward, flat is the best I get. I can't find any medical explanation for it, I do have a bit of excessive lumbar lordosis (the normal curve in your lower back), so I do realize it is one of those things that will be a bit harder for me to do. Wondering if anyone has any tips or thoughts they can offer?

19 replies

Lina Spiralyne · 2/6/2013
Lola, is there any specific goal with improving your frontbending ability in the back area or is it just for a challenge?
HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor · 2/6/2013
Spiralyne - no specific goal really, I just think that it would probably be helpful to improve it in general!
Dwiizie · 2/6/2013
So what happens when you "touch your toes and rolllllll up" like you do with a lot of warm ups and cool downs in dance/fitness classes? Do you flat back into standing or are you able to hunch a little? What happens when you try to hunch your shoulder blades and let your arms hang down and sway side to side? Maybe its more of a mobility thing than a flexibility thing, especially if you know you have a bit more of a lower back curve than is typical....
HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor · 2/6/2013
I can hunch from mid back upwards, but I can never get more than just a flat lower back... I can't see any reason why I would have limited mobility even with excessive lordosis. I've never had an injury either.
Dwiizie · 2/6/2013
Hrm. I can't really get my lower back curved to the front either. If I had to count from my tailbone up, I'd say it starts being able to "hunch" about 7 vertebrae up. I mean, I can tuck my pelvis, but the lower back still just gets flat. Always thought that was normal.
IchigoMewMew · 2/6/2013
Spines are naturally less flexible in the lumbar area because the vertebrae are a different shape, they are there to take the weight of your upper body rather than to provide mobility to the body so I guess it will be a challenging area to bend. I've just tried bending forwards myself and it seems like all the stuff in front of your spine gets in the way a bit, intestines tend to be packed pretty tight. Not trying to discourage you or anything but it does strike me as a challenging area to bend in the way you describe x
HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor · 2/6/2013
I understand that it's not going to curve like your thoracic spine does. I guess I wasn't really clear about that. Mine doesn't get anywhere near what almost everyone else I see - in class or online. That's where I want to see improvement. I just want to get where others are.
HilaryKate aka LolaSlaytor · 2/6/2013
I'm not talking about anything too crazy here... I'm in my residency training for anesthesia and when we give patients spinal anesthetic or epidurals, even the patients can get a bit more forward flex than I can (at least the ones who are cooperating with positioning)!
Dwiizie · 2/6/2013
Do you have any pictures or video of where you are now, and perhaps a comparison picture of someone being where you want to be? Have you asked a chiropracter what they think? Mine has been a life saver with both back and leg flexibility :)
Lina Spiralyne · 2/9/2013
Sorry for delaying...was busy but wanted to post these pics of frontbending exercises which are not too crazy. I don't have as a goal to increase forward back flexibility but after doing backbend it's good to compensate with frontbends. I do this: http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/DM-Resize/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/142/51/77280586.jpg?w=600&h=600&keep_ratio=1 Try to get your knees down to the floor. Also this (but I put my arms in the kneepits instead): http://www.asanajournal.com/images/Yoga Rock back and forth in that position. Hope it will help some!
Asana - International Yoga Journalyoga – Asana – International Yoga JournalYoga Poses, Yoga Therapy, Meditation, Ayurveda, Healthy Food
Lina Spiralyne · 2/9/2013
I don't know why the images don't show, they did when I added them in the text (by URL). How do I solve it?
LimaFoxrot · 2/10/2013
So, to quote Wiki, "Most contortionists are categorized as either "frontbenders" or "backbenders", depending on the direction in which their http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spine_(anatomy) is more flexible. Relatively few performers are equally adept at bending both frontwards and backwards." I don't think that makes it impossible for you to bend both ways, you might just find that front bending moves are aways more challenging. If it's any consolation, I'm the opposite. My backbending flexibility is crap.
Lina Spiralyne · 2/10/2013
The ones in contortion usually pick either front or back but they want to get really good at their stuff. Since everyone (?) can improve their backbending everyone should also be able to improve their frontbending, and Lola wasn't aiming for the extreme. Here's the long links for the pics, it works for me to copy and paste into the browser. The first pic: https://www.google.se/search?hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=643&q=frontbending+&tbm=isch&tbs=simg:CAQSYgksRVY7B1ObnRpOCxCwjKcIGjwKOggBEhSbB6wHnweuB6YEswewB6cEtgXmBRogtrgSR7rwqLWRUFylrGLdxvxAVYw6pmjK6Aesy5KkI5cMCxCOrv4IGgAMIUWn1dR4L_1VH&sa=X&ei=3HAXUbqcEqqK4gSHyoCgAQ&ved=0CCUQwg4 The second pic: https://www.google.se/search?hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=643&q=frontbend+&tbm=isch&tbs=simg:CAQSYgk8SpoXUrcP8BpOCxCwjKcIGjwKOggBEhSaB7cHnge4B7oGnwe2BrcFvAW4BhogtYZ5nY9zVAWyDEb0i7DX0cyQRmxc6mGp6QoX7ZZ2hbQMCxCOrv4IGgAMITQSuU6EfG_1h&sa=X&ei=124XUbewF-n44QTahYCACg&ved=0CCUQwg4
google.seGoogle Search google.seGoogle Search
karrie · 2/10/2013
Still can't open the links...k
Ajrt2118 · 2/10/2013
I can't open the links either Lina. Although I'm not sure I understand what you guys mean by forward back bending.
Lina Spiralyne · 2/10/2013
I don't know what to do with the pics, I tried two different ways now: pasting the link into the text-field and using the picture-button and past the URL there. I'm sorry :(. By "forward back bending" I meant bending forward. Rounding the back forward instead of arching it backward.
Veena · 2/10/2013
Lina, Usually just posting a link works best, not trying to use the picture button thing. Anyway, this video might help you understand how your spine works. At 18 seconds it shows forward bending (flexion) after it shows backward bending (extension) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kweC-1XCoY This diagram may help too. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/wc/images/f5-8.gif&imgrefurl=http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/wc/wkc-7761-p.htm&h=201&w=521&sz=7&tbnid=rMCJacSR-tUa7M:&tbnh=54&tbnw=141&zoom=1&usg=__yH_pKhRhZG-qGtPoI_KzMEVgz_E=&docid=mxU8ujVOUQHC4M&sa=X&ei=DgQYUajyBcyQqwGyl4HABQ&ved=0CEcQ9QEwBA&dur=312
google.comRedirect Notice
Veena · 2/10/2013
Try this link instead. http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/wc/images/f5-8.gif
Veena · 2/10/2013
Well it works if you just copy and past the link....Not sure why it wont work tho...