Inflexible lower back- with (bad) diagrams :-)

[Poirotspen]

Can any of you wise folk give me any advice please? I have very stiff hips but otherwise reasonably flexible. I've noticed that when doing forward folds or seated folds, all the bend comes from my upper back and not hips/lower back.

The rubbish diagrams attempts to illustrate the lovely bendy people swooping forwards with a nice aligned spine and me ..... Lower back stays at 90 degrees and the bend happens from upper back.

Can anyone say whether this is tight hamstrings or stiff lower back or something from the hip and how can I concentrate on improving it? Doing more folds just seems to make upper back bendier!

Thanks for any help

Darn! Bad diagram is also sideways! Turn it 90 degrees and I'm the first stick person in the forward fold and the first stick person reaching for toes in seated fold. The others are bendy people.... off to drawing school...

Do you feel tension in backs of your thighs? If yes then hamstrings likely at least contributing.

TBH you don’t really want lots of forward bend in your back, it puts a lot of pressure on your discs. You want to hinge at the hips-imagine there’s a car door behind you and your hands are full. Bump your bum back to ‘shut’ the door. That should be the first movement you make before you come forwards.

Lying on your back and hugging your knees to your chest (keeping tailbone in floor) is a safe way to stretch the muscles of the low back. It’ll also stretch out your hips a little.

For proper help if woukd obvs be best to see a Chiro/osteopath/physio.

Happy bending!

You have to open your chest and push up from your lower back first before you fold if thak makes sense. I have the same problem. My teacher comes and pushes me from the sacral part of my back which gives you more height first. I also have a slight bend in the legs when folding. You work on straightening legs out later. I would have no idea on this if I didn't have a teacher but I have tight hamstrings. Its also about making space in your abdomen area. It takes lot of practice and lot of getting used to! But remember a bend in the knees is fine and maintain a flat back, unbending the knees little by little.

Thanks both! I suspect it is probably hamstrings and or hip. I agree, my hinge point is upper back, not hips and that probably isn't good for the back. I worry when I try more folding I'm making the upper back worse.

Thanks for the tips. I'll concentrate on those at next yoga.

I see loads of this (Teacher). Would suggest sitting on block to raise hips & leading with the chestbone, keeping head in line with spine.
Also work on hamstrings when lying down ie one leg bent, foot on floor, other leg outstretched to the ceiling then drawing towards body slightly with strap (or belt/tie/scarf) around ball of foot. Hope that makes sense!
Lastly, accept it might be a feature of your skeletal make up and you might never get much further! Getting your nose to your knee doesn’t make you a better person :-)

Can anyone say whether this is tight hamstrings or stiff lower back or something from the hip and how can I concentrate on improving it?

Sounds like tight hamstrings.

My yoga teacher tells us to prioritise our spine, so having a straight back is more important than straight legs. This means it's fine to have slightly bent legs when doing seated forward fold, and a micro-bend in knees when standing fwd fold. Same as down facing dog, get into the posture with bent knees so your spine is nicely elongated, then try to gradually straighten knees but stop if hamstrings become tight or trembly.

Eventually you may find over the months your hamstrings will release a little.

Thank you all so much. Have to disagree with Always though- nose to knees would definitely make me a better person

I'll concentrate on chest first, spine elongated and straight and a bend in the knee (slight or otherwise).