COPENHAGEN - CHRISTIANSHAVN
BACKBENDS-COURSE
OPEN YOUR BACK SAFELY
4 WEEKS - 8 WORKSHOPS
Learn stable backbends without squeezing the lower back. We build strength in the back, open the shoulders and hips, and work step-by-step with safe entries, smart alignment and controlled progression.
A targeted 4-week course
When Anatomy Meets Practice - Master Your Backbends
Our Backbend Course is a 4-week course with 8 × 90-minute workshops where you gradually learn to work safely and effectively with backbends. We combine technique, strength and mobility, so you can open up the front of your body without straining your lower back, shoulders or neck.
- 8 × 90-minute workshops spread over 4 weeks - with time for recovery and integration.
- Every week: one technique/strength workshop in the non-heated hall + one deeper practice in the heated hall.
- The heated sessions take place in our hot room at Hot Yoga Copenhagen (same address).
- Focus on both classic backbends (e.g. Cobra, Camel, Wheel) and more advanced variations - always with clear techniques.
Each session combines:
- Thorough warm-up of shoulders, hips, core and spine
- Technique drills for safe extension and stabilization
- Progressions from gentle backbends to deeper variations
- Warm-down, counter positions and nervous system calming
The course is divided into three phases: Foundation & anatomy (spine, shoulder girdle, hips and core), Strength & stability (active back and shoulder strength, pelvic control and safe transitions) and Advanced variations & creative flows (deeper backbends, drop-backs and fluid transitions in and out of backbends). You always know what you're working on - and why.
Sign up for the Backbend courseFrequently asked questions
No - this course is designed for anyone who wants to get serious about backbends, regardless of their starting point. You'll be guided step-by-step to build strength and mobility and learn how to protect your lower back, shoulders and neck throughout.
The entire program provides the clearest progression because each workshop builds on the previous one. You'll have time to integrate between sessions and can follow your development week by week. At the same time, the price per workshop is lower when you sign up for the full course. However, each session is designed to work as a standalone workshop if you only want to drop-in.
Yes - when done with proper technique. We work strength-based with a focus on core, legs and shoulders, so the spine is supported instead of pressured. You'll learn to differentiate between "good stretch" and overload and get clear counter positions and breaks along the way.
Always inform the instructor of any injuries when you arrive. We work with a gradual build-up, many variations and clear alternatives so you can adapt the practice to your body. The focus is on safety, sustainable strength and mobility - not on "forcing" the body into a certain shape.
The course is for both dedicated yoga students and teachers. As a teacher, you'll get plenty of inspiration for sequences, cues and safe ways to build backbends over time. As a student, you get structured training, understanding of anatomy and concrete techniques you can take back to your own practice.
VANJA Wylie
Lead trainer - Backbends & heart opening
Growing up between two cultures, Vanja's life has always been characterized by movement, change and curiosity. Her bi-national background gave her the courage to travel, explore the world and immerse herself in different cultures - something that is reflected in her open, down-to-earth and caring teaching style today.
Her yoga journey began in Germany in the midst of a demanding career in the automotive industry. The pressure and pace became too much, and yoga became first a sanctuary - then a turning point. Through her own practice, she found peace, balance and a clearer relationship with herself and quickly enrolled in her first teacher training program to understand what yoga can really do for the body and nervous system.
Today, Vanja combines her analytical side with a gentle, conscious approach to movement. For her, yoga is slow, intentional transitions rather than quick shapes. In backbends, she focuses on gently opening the spine, chest and shoulders - always with a focus on supporting the legs, core and breath. In the Backbend course at Yoga Bible, she guides you into deeper backbends in a safe, progressive way, where strength and softness go hand in hand, so you can feel freedom, stability and more room to breathe.
What are backbends?
Backbends are backbends where the spine moves in a controlled curve - from gentle chest openers to deep full-body backbends. It requires strength, mobility and precise technique to work your back safely.
In this course you'll learn how to work with backbends in a technical and anatomical way. We look at how the spine, shoulders and hips work together to build support around each vertebra instead of "hanging" in the lower back - with an active core, legs and breath.
Some workshops take place in our infrared heated room, where the heat helps muscles and connective tissue to let go. Others are in a non-heated room, so you learn to use the technique - not just the heat. Overall, it provides a balanced workout for the entire spine.
We work the thoracic and lumbar spine, shoulder girdle and hips - focusing on evenly distributing the curve, protecting the neck, lower back and sacroiliac joints and creating backbends that feel uplifting and stable rather than compressive.
