I have to take yoga assists where I can. On holiday in Ibiza earlier this summer my husband was recruited to help me with my "dropping back". He is not a yoga teacher, but as an osteopath with an MSc in Sports Science/Sports medicine, he has an excellent understanding of the body. It was a bit scary but I figured that he more than anyone was not going to drop me on my head ;-)

Yoga Om 133 , originally uploaded by yogamama.co.uk . Back bend variation. A gentler version of a back bend that I use in prenatal yoga classes.

Back bends are one of my greatest challenges, so to observe Sharath Rangaswamy, a great teacher practising them is incredible. You are really able to listen to the flow of his breath throughout the asana practice too, reminding ourselves that this is about the breath as well as the pose.