Ustrasana: Camel Pose
Let's break down the asana, ustrasana, or camel.
Camel is an energetic backbend that can leave you feeling confident and ready to take on the day. This pose counteracts our flexion-driven modern lifestyles by broadening the chest & drawing the shoulders back.
Our lifestyles place us in flexion (forward) dominant positions like typing, texting, driving, cooking, and so much more. Over time, these postures can lead to muscle weakness and tightness. Camel pose directly counteracts these patterns through controlled extension of your spine, shoulders, and hips.
How To:
Kneel on the floor, keeping the legs and feet no more than hip distance apart. Toes untucked, pointing behind you.
Place your hands gently on your hips, start to stretch the thighs forward, and curve the spine backward. Take 3-5 breaths. Engage your core and lift the heart back slowly to return to step 1.
Repeat step 2, this time as you exhale, try to place the right palm on the right heel, and the left palm on the left heel.
Press your hands into your feet, slowly let the head drift back, opening the throat. Lift the sternum toward the sky. Keep pressing your thighs and your hips forward. Elongate the neck.
Engage your glutes by squeezing them together. Take 3-15 breaths.
Release the hands one by one, engage the core to slowly lift the head and the chest back to a neutral position.
Relax into a seated position.
Variations:
Keep toes tucked and try to reach hands to heels.
Place blocks by your feet or your shins and try to reach hands to blocks.
Keep hands on hips, or press fists into your low back, urging the hips and the thighs to press forward which you take a gentle backbend.
The entire spine is stretched during ustrasana, and the back is toned. The front of your body - including abdominals and thighs - stretches, while the back of your body engages. You may also feel stretching on the soles of your feet if your toes are tucked.
Try camel in the morning as a mood booster and to combat fatigue - or in the evening to counteract your forward posture from the day!