Salabhasana or Locust Pose effectively preps beginners for deeper backbends, strengthening the back of the torso, legs, and arms

Salabhasana takes some back and abdominal strength, plus mental fortitude to hold the pose. Focus on lengthening your spine and distributing the backbend evenly through your upper, middle, and lower back.
No crunching that lumbar area! Engaging all of your back muscles instead of just those in your lower back will help open your chest and shoulders. Building up strength and stretching your chest not only feel good to those of us that spend most of our days hunched over our computers, but will also result in better posture.