Peak Pose: Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Hatha Yoga is the mixture of postures and respiratory practices. For hundreds of years, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika outlined bodily yoga observe. Many of the 15 poses described within the textual content are seated postures, with one lone backbend, Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). As yoga has tailored to trendy life, nevertheless, backbends have turn into ever extra vital. This submit will function one in every of yoga’s emblematic backbends, Ustrasana (Camel Pose).

Working towards backbends is vital due to the thoracic backbone’s tendency to stoop ahead over time. It’s comprehensible. Most of our each day life actions require that we bend ahead—over digital units, counter tops, steering wheels, and so forth. Add to that the tendency for gravity to tug us ahead over time. Common backbending can assist us keep upright.

It’s vital to level out that the thoracic backbone isn’t really designed to increase (backbend). After we observe backbends, it’s the lumbar backbone that’s really doing the backbending. However there are issues we are able to do to verify we don’t overuse the lumbar. We do that by getting ready different areas of the physique correctly earlier than we try Camel Pose, or any backbend.

The way to Put together for Ustrasana

It’s vital to heat up earlier than working towards any backbend. Listed here are the actions that may put together us for working towards Ustrasana, together with poses that help these actions:

Cautions for Ustrasana

Bear in mind that Ustrasana isn’t a wholesome pose for each particular person. Please keep away from this pose in case you have hypertension or extreme fatigue. Listed here are another cautions and contraindications from Yoga Journal:

• Keep away from or modify if you happen to really feel any pinching or ache in your low again.
• Keep away from or modify in case you have any shoulder ache, shoulder arthritis, or shoulder accidents.
• Keep away from or modify in case you have any again ache or accidents, together with surgical procedures.
• For many, it’s best to not drop your head again on this pose, significantly in case you have a neck damage or are in danger for stroke. As an alternative, raise your chin barely and use your neck muscle mass to stabilize your head in place. You’ll be able to even draw the chin in towards the chest.
• Keep away from or modify in case you have shoulder accidents or ache within the pose.

The way to Apply Ustrasana

After you’ve spent a while getting ready your physique, you’ll possible be able to attempt Ustrasana. This model will use a yoga bolster throughout the calves that will help you get most raise and lengthening within the backbone.

The way to Put together

1. Start by sitting in your heels on a yoga mat. In case your knees is not going to enable this, be happy to put a rolled blanket or block beneath your hips to start out.
2. Take a second to really feel your physique. What’s the character of your power? Sluggish or fast? Downward or upward shifting? Calm or agitated? There’s no have to attempt to “right” what you’re feeling; merely discover what’s current.
3. Press your knees and shins into the ground to raise your hips off the heels, bringing you to a kneeling place, along with your pelvis straight over your knees.
4. Place a yoga bolster throughout your calves.

Proceed to Camel Pose

1. Place your fingers in your pelvic rim. Floor your knees and shins, lifting your sternum towards the sky, in order that your low again lengthens. From this lengthening, root your pelvis proper over your knees (don’t let it fall again towards your heels), and start to bend again from the waist. Maintain lengthening your backbone as you bend again.
2. Attain your fingers again behind you and place them in your bolster. Breathe and broaden.
3. Keep right here, respiratory absolutely, for five to 10 breaths.
4. Press your knees into the ground to assist convey your physique again to upright. Launch each arms to your sides and return to sitting in your heels or your block or bolster.
5. Shut your eyes and pay attention to your physique’s power. Has something shifted?
6. In case your lumbar is versatile in backbends, you are able to do this once more, putting your fingers in your heels as an alternative of the bolster. Should you do this and discover that your respiratory is restricted or your pelvis collapses again over the toes, return to an upright place and observe once more with a bolster. Additionally, be happy to maneuver on to the following step.
7. After working towards Ustrasana, observe Jathara Parivrttanasana (Revolved Stomach Pose). Then observe at the least one seated ahead bend to stretch the again physique and settle your nervous system. End with Savasana (Leisure Pose).

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced educating in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Apply and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed by Rodmell Press. Her third e book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.