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Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Camel Pose is a transition between the simpler prone backbends like Dhanuranasa (Bow Pose) and the more challenging backbends like Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose). For this pose you can pad your knees and shins with a thickly folded blanket.

(oosh-TRAHS-anna)
ustra = camel

Benefits

• Stretches the entire front of the body, the ankles, thighs and groins,
• Abdomen and chest, and throat
• Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas)
• Strengthens back muscles
• Improves posture
• Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck

Contraindications

• High or low blood pressure
• Migraine
• Insomnia
• Serious low back or neck injury

Step by Step

Kneel on the floor with your knees hip width and thighs perpendicular to the floor. Rotate your thighs inward slightly, narrow your hip points, and firm but don't harden your buttocks. Imagine that you're drawing your sitting bones up, into your torso. Keep your outer hips as soft as possible. Press your shins and the tops of your feet firmly into floor.

Rest your hands on the back of your pelvis, bases of the palms on the tops of the buttocks, fingers pointing down. Use your hands to spread the back pelvis and lengthen it down through your tail bone. Then lightly firm the tail forward, toward the pubis. Make sure though that your front groins don't 'puff' forward. To prevent this, press your front thighs back, countering the forward action of your tail. Inhale and lift your heart by pressing the shoulder blades against your back ribs.

Now lean back against the firmness of the tail bone and shoulder blades...

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