Backbends

[Bonnie]

Hello everyone!

Can anyone offer me any instructions on doing backbends? You know, how you do it, how you get back up from it, when to do it? Any advice would be appreciated very much!!
Thank you!

 

[Samirah]

Shira has a great article on her site with exercises to increase your flexibility & to prepare & train your body to perform backbends safely:
Dear Shira: Learning Backbends

 

[Bonnie]

Thank you!

 

[nicknack]

That's a fantastic article. I'd also add take it slow but regular, from what I remember learning walk-overs, it took 30 minutes a day, five days a week for 2 months to get all the muscles trained.

 

[Bonnie]

I appreciate your advice!

 

[Sara]

HOw did they train you to do walk overs?

 

[Dheisha]

Sorry for being so ignorant, but...what are walkovers? :redface:
I`ve never heard that expression here in Norway

 

[phoenician]

backbends

hi - I teach different styles of bellydance plus polynesian dance
the trick to doing a backbend is to use your thighs and butt muscles to
lower yourself to the floor and lift back up again.
the muscles in your stomach area will tighten but it is actually your thighs
that are doing most if not all of the work and control/
to build up you muscles you need try kneeling on the floor resting your butt
on your heels// now lift up about an inch or two above your heels and do about
5-10 pelvic circles /// now slowly lower yourself back down and rest a bit
before you try it again
surprisingly this works quite well for strengthening the leg muscles to get you
started
let me know if you need more help ok?
happy dancing

 

[Bonnie]

Thanks for the advice Phoenician I will get practising straight away! The Shira article is also very good.
By the way, I don't know what a walk-over is either, Dheisha!!

 

[Sara]

It's when you lean backwards sort of and put your hands on the floor behind you and the flip (but slowly) over.

 

[nicknack]

Sara with the backwards walkover everyone first had to be able to hold the bridge position (I think that's what it's called in yoga) steadily, from there we learnt to drop back into the bridge using a wide stance....usually to avoid falling on our heads we put our backs to a wall and used it to support our hands as we lent back, when we could fall back into the bridge and bring ourselves back up from it unaided we started to learn the move using the correct stance (arms straight up, weight supported on one leg). We did this with one of the coaches supporting the small of our back and helping the leading leg over. And after we perfected it on the ground, we started learning it on the beam which just goes to remind me how good my coordination used to be:lol:

I'd also add that with any floorwork, yoga classes can be a gift from G-d

 

[Sara]

I hate the bridge. It really is boring to do. I did Gym n all and it used to be fun at first but then I got fed up with it and gave up.

 

[phoenician]

walkovers

hi bonnie as far as I know a walkover is a gymnastic move
the closest I can explain would be a handspring combined with a FORWARD
cartwheel (not the typical side ) or somersault/
I have never seen bellydancers do this/// unless they mean a tribal or turkish drop/
pretty well anything that requires backbends,serpent undulations and the above mentioned drops require a lot of leg strength and control
hope I am helping you
let me know if you need anymore info
thanks very much

 

[phoenician]

quick add to walkovers

sorry fairly new to forums I did not realize that capitals meant shouting
it was to explain differences
anyway sorry guys

 

[charity]

HOw did they train you to do walk overs?

oh boy. i took gymnastics many years back in my youth, we had a spotter to support our "fall" back.

i do not recommend this for anyone who has not first conditioned/prepared these muscle groups.

#1, stretch out quads and abdominals and lower back first.

#2, get against a wall, facing away with back to wall, stand close enough to arch back to the point where you can get your hands on the wall, fingers facing down. slowly walk down the wall to the point of stretching. hold 30 seconds. walk up.

#3 when you are comfortable with the stretch at 30 seconds, increase time in position to 1 minute.

#4 when you are comfortable with the stretch at 1 minute, walk your hands further down the wall, deeper into a backbend.

if you feel you are going to slip down further into the stretch than you would like, get a spotter to support your lower back.

and repeat hold 30 seconds for a few days, repeat at 1 minute, progress further down wall and deeper into back bend.

once hands are on the ground, walk, forward, backwards, forward, backwards, it further stretches your quads and abdominals, and gives a feel for weight transfer between the four points of contact. repeat for a few weeks. after the walking in back bend position, rock the weight distribution from the hands to the heels of the feet while simultaneously liftiing upper body from strength of legs into standing position.

at this point you should be able to arch back and into a back bend. using the momentum of "falling" back you should be able to kick your legs over, but NOT at the same time otherwise its a different move. walk over as if fanning your legs out.

perhaps that makes sense. but i dont know if a walk over is the best method at achieving a back bend. simply because in a back bend your weight is supported solely by your bottom half. in a back bend, the wieht is distributed between 4 points. perhaps it would be a good start in getting those muscles stretched out.

 

[Salome]

A 'walk over' in "belly dance language" can also mean an outer vertical figure eight, lifting the heels or walking with it.