Yoga back bender is a great yoga gear that is used for supporting backbend poses. It allows you to completely relax into the pose and soothe nervous system, due to non-attachment of the body. It helps you to expand the front body (your chest and lungs) when lying on it for more effective breathing. With the help of the bender, your shoulder can be rolled down close to the floor, while your spine gets full support by the bender's curve. Yoga back bender has two different curves on each side - a steady arch at one end and a steep arch on the other end. The steep arch is meant for yoga practitioners who are more flexible. Usually Yoga back benders are made of lightweight wood, however some back benders are made of metal also.

Benefits of Yoga Back Bender
Yoga back benders offer several benefits. Its most common benefits are listed below.

* It helps to open the front body, shoulders and chest.
* It provides support for quieter restorative practice.
* It helps in supporting back, which otherwise gets hurt.
* Besides, it also enhances the final relaxation poses.

Types of Yoga Back Benders
Apart from the regular back benders, there are a few back benders discussed here.

Forward Bender
Forward bender is helpful to perform difficult forward bends. It is a triangle shaped prop with several open slots along its curvature that looks like a curved ladder. It extends forward stretch into the calf muscles, so that the spine is fully expanded and straightened. Forward bender can be used for 1 and 2-legged forward bends. It effectively stretches hamstrings, calf muscles and achilles tendons.

Whale Back Bender
Whale back bender is a popular back bender among people. It's wide enough to support your entire back, while offering comfort to your spine as you perform a stretch. It looks like the regular back bender, but actually it is much broader than the regular ones. It helps in tractioning your spine without stressing other joints.

Foldaway Back Bender
As the name suggests, Foldaway Back Bender is a prop that can be folded, or can be separated to make two new props. It can be used to practice drop-backs and forward bends. It occupies less storage space, making itself the most versatile and innovative back bench.