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I have to admit to having a fear (it has been a while now) of doing backbends. I can do the bridge pose but as soon as I have to lift up it's all over for me. My breath starts going crazy, my legs and arms shake I can't seem to get over it. I saw someone mentioned about using a chair in another thread but we don't have them where I do yoga. Is there another way to practise this without the fear of falling on my head!?

Hi Leaf.
First of all, I believe that NOBODY says that you have to do a full backband like the urdhva dhanurasana (the wheel) which you probably talk about. It is a very demanding pose which requires a lot of strength in your arms, legs and core muscles and flexibility through the spine and all this can only be build with time, not overnight. Moreover, it is also an inversion in which the whole body and nervous system are being placed in an abnormal position.
I know many people who have been doing yoga for a quite some time and still can't do the full pose and there is nothing wrong with it!!!!

A very safe option is to use a swiss ball (the huge gymnastic ball) and lean over it. The ball fully supports your weight and you can practice the movement of the spine and head without having to worry about supporting yourself.

However, you should not force practicing it, you will see that as you keep doing all the other asanas, this one will also become more accessible. Please be gentle with yourself and allow yourself the time to develop everything which is needed to do this pose safely. And if all the others in the class can do it, WHO CARES?!!! You are unique, as everybody else is, and noone else has your body.

Hey Leaf - don't worry if you can't do this pose - it's tough. What you could perhaps try is staying in setu bundhasana, the bridge pose (but if you're trying to build strength to do the wheel then think about staying up longer in this pose). Check your foundations - make sure your feet are firmly pressed into the floor, toes spread wide, and really draw your thighs in together so that your knees don't drop out wide. Also roll your shoulders under so that you really have your weight on your shoulders, press down firmly into the floor with your feet. Try and keep your breath as even as possible. This is a GREAT preparitory pose for the wheel. When your body is ready and open, you will then find that the full wheel will come.

Another suggestion is to ask your teacher to support you in the full wheel, so that you can experience the pose safely.

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