Camel Pose is a backbend that stretches and strengthens the entire body. It is especially beneficial for the spine, hips, and shoulders. Camel Pose also helps to open the heart chakra, which can promote feelings of love and compassion. In this article we will cover how to do the yoga pose camel along with its benefits, the chakra associated with it, and some tips to make the most of your experience.
What is Camel Pose?
The yoga pose Camel is a deep backbend that stretches the front of the body, including the chest, abs, and quadriceps. It also opens the lungs and shoulders and strengthens the back muscles. Camel pose is an advanced posture, so it’s important to warm up before attempting it.
It is considered an intermediate level pose that helps with the heart charka along with healing crystals, which is the energy center associated with love, compassion, and self-acceptance.
Benefits of Camel Pose
Camel pose is a versatile pose that can be used to improve your spinal flexibility and breathing capacity. Camel pose stimulates the kidneys and helps to improve digestion. In addition, camel pose creates space in the chest and lungs, increasing breathing capacity and helping to relieve respiratory ailments. Finally, the camel yoga pose is excellent for fixing poor posture from slouching and bending your spine forward on a daily basis.
Camel pose is a “heart opening” yoga pose that can stimulate and balance both the fourth and fifth chakras.
When practicing camel pose, it is important to keep a calm awareness of your feelings; fear of your emotions can create stiffness in the body and may lead to injury.
How To Do Camel Pose
Camel pose is a great way to open up the front of the body and stretch the spine. Here’s how to do it:
Start on your hands and knees, with your palms flat on the ground and your legs hip-width apart. With your chin tucked, move from the upright kneeling position. As you inhale, arch your back and tipping your pelvis forward, so that your tailbone points up to the sky. Raise your shoulders to allow the trapezius muscles between your shoulder blades to lift up and protect your cervical spine region. Reach back with your right hand and grab hold of your right ankle. Then, reach back with your left hand and grab hold of your left ankle to complete the gentle backbend. You should feel your upper body and lower body around your back muscles open up as you arch your back. If you can, continue to reach back and grab hold of your heels for a full camel. If this is too difficult, you can place your hands on your lower back for support to perform a half camel.
Stay in this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. To release, slowly bring your chin to your chest and exhale as you return to the neutral position. The video below will guide you through the camel pose.
Camel pose is an excellent way to increase flexibility in the spine and open up the chest and lungs. It’s also a great heart opener taught by many yoga teachers to intermediate students practicing yoga. So if you’re feeling sad or blue, this is a perfect yoga pose for you!
Camel Pose Variations in Yoga Practice
Below are modifications and variations of the camel yoga pose that you can use to find the right level of intensity for your practice:
If you have any neck pain, place your hands on your lower back instead of reaching for your ankles.
Hands on Hips
If you are a beginner and not able to reach your ankles, you can place your hands on your hips and slowly lower your head back until you can feel the lower spine and lower belly open up. You can also place a block under your pelvis for support in this position. Doing this will help you to keep the correct alignment of your spine and lower back and avoid rounding your back.
Interlace Your Fingers Behind You
If you are able to reach your ankles, you can try interlacing your fingers behind you towards your lower back. This variation helps to open up the chest even more.
Use Blocks
If you cannot reach your ankles, you can place blocks under your hands. This will help you to keep the correct alignment and avoid rounding your back.
To make the pose more challenging, try placing a block under each hand. This will help you to get a deeper stretch.
Camel Pose Tips
1. Warm up before attempting the pose. Camel pose is an advanced posture, so it’s important to warm up your muscles first. Try some gentle cat-cow stretches or other backbends before moving into camel pose.
2. Keep your awareness on your breath. When practicing camel pose, it is important to keep a calm awareness of your feelings. Fear of your emotions can create stiffness in the body and may lead to injury.
3. If you have any neck pain, place your hands on your lower back instead of reaching for your ankles. This will help you to keep the correct alignment and avoid rounding your back.
Against-the-Wall Variation
When practicing Camel pose against a wall, try to keep your thighs and hips against the wall through the entire pose. This will help you to maintain the correct alignment in the pose. In addition, you can really focus on the backbend without worrying about falling over.
A tip I once received from another teacher was to practice this pose against a wall. This is a great way to get the full benefit of the pose without having to worry about balance.
Try out this pose at home as part of your practice. I personally love to practice Camel pose on hump day, mixing it in to my Wednesday practice.
What chakra is Camel Pose associated with?
Camel Pose is a yoga pose that is associated with the Heart Chakra. The Heart Chakra is one of seven chakras and is located in the center of the chest and is responsible for our ability to love and be loved. This chakra also governs our connection to our higher selves and to Spirit.
What are some tips for doing Camel Pose?
When doing Camel Pose, take the pose slowly and only go as deep as your body will allow. It is also important to keep your pelvis stable as you lift and lengthen your sternum toward the sky.
Another tip is to gently draw your tailbone forward while pressing the front of your thighs back.
You can practice the pose while facing a wall to learn the alignment of your thighs, hips, and pubic bone. When you are first learning the pose, be careful not to bring your head so far back that you strain your neck.
Who should not do Camel Pose?
People with injury and surgery should avoid this pose.
People who lack body-breath connections should avoid this pose.
Students with high blood pressure, migraine, or nervous ailments like epilepsy need to avoid this pose.
People having herniated discs, acute back pain, and advanced spondylitis cannot take the pressure of this backbend.
Camel Pose Yoga Sequence Preparatory Poses & Camel Pose Stretches
There are prepatory poses which you can do in your yoga sequence which will help you to get deeper into Camel Pose.
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) – The sun salutation is a series of 12 yoga poses that are performed in a flowing sequence. The sun salutation is an excellent way to warm up the body for Camel Pose.
Bhujangasana — Cobra Pose – The cobra pose is similar to Camel Pose, but with the hands placed on the floor instead of the feet. This pose helps to stretch and open up the chest, shoulders, and spine.
Anjaneyasana — Low Lunge Pose – The low lunge pose is a great way to stretch the hip flexors, which can be tight from sitting for long periods of time. This pose also helps to open up the chest and shoulders.
Upward Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) – The upward facing dog pose is another backbend that is similar to Camel Pose. This pose helps to stretch and open up the chest, shoulders, and spine.
Virasana — Hero Pose – The hero pose is a great way to stretch the thighs, knees, and ankles. This pose also helps to open up the hips and groin.
Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana) – The cat-cow pose is a gentle way to warm up the spine. This pose helps to stretch and open up the chest, shoulders, and spine.
Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) – The puppy pose is a great way to stretch the shoulders, chest, and spine. This pose also helps to open up the hips and groin.
When you are ready to move on from the preparatory poses, there are a few things to keep in mind as you move into Camel Pose…
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Keep the pelvis stable as you lift and lengthen the sternum toward the sky.
Gently draw the tailbone forward while pressing the front of the thighs back.
Do not bring the head so far back that you strain your neck.
Camel Pose Yoga Sequence Counter Poses & Relaxing Follow-up
After Camel Pose (Ustrasana), the following follow-up poses should be done to relax the muscles around the spine:
Balasana (Child Pose): From Camel Pose, release the pose slowly and bring the body back and sit down on your knees and heels. Here stretch the body forward and place your forehead on the floor stretching the spine and bringing the chest close to the ground in front of you. Taking the arms behind you place them on both the heels behind you and relax the neck and shoulders. No efforts should be taken to “do” this yoga pose. The body should just fall down and relax.
Uttana Shishosana (Puppy Dog Pose): Most backbend yoga poses should end with bringing the spine back in a “neutral” position. The Puppy Dog Pose is the perfect pose to do just that. From Camel Pose, come down onto all fours with the wrists directly under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Walk your hands forward until you feel a stretch along your spine. If your hips are tight, you can place a block under your pelvis.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): Cobra Pose is a great way to open up the chest and shoulders after Camel Pose. From Camel Pose, release the pose slowly and come down onto all fours with the wrists directly under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Walk your hands forward until you feel a stretch along your spine. Then, place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and begin to straighten your arms to lift your chest off the floor. Keep your pelvis on the floor and do not strain your neck.
Corpse Pose (Savasana): The Corpse Pose is the perfect way to end your yoga practice. Lie down on your back with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by your sides. Close your eyes and let your whole body relax into the floor. Stay in this pose for 5-10 minutes.
Sequencing Tips
Before doing camel pose (ustrasana), it is important to do bridge pose (setu bandha sarvangasana) and cobra pose (bhujangasana). These two poses will help to open up the chest and shoulders, which will make it easier to do camel pose.
After doing camel pose, it is important to do thunderbolt pose (vajrasana) and child’s pose (balasana). Thunderbolt pose helps to stretch the back and child’s pose helps to relax the body.
Camel Pose Sequences
Warm up With Sun Salutations
Sun salutations can be a great way to warm up for any yoga sequence. They engage every major muscle group and prepare the yogi’s body and mind for the practice ahead. It is common to practice five sun salutation A’s and five sun salutation B’s before engaging in the main sequence. Deepika Mehta, the holistic yoga instructor, advises getting 3 rounds of sun salutations and 5 mins of backbend warm-up before getting into poses like ustrasana. Once warmed up, one can use the following steps to successfully enter ustrasana:
On a yoga mat, begin by starting on your knees (they should be hip wide) and your thighs perpendicular to the floor.
Push your buttocks slightly out so it is hinging a little.
Bring your elbows towards each other and open your chest.
Pull up your pubic bone and push your buttocks forward (this is to ensure that the pelvis remains neutral).
The position in which you feel a stretch on your thighs is your beginning point.
Bring your feet together and prepare to enter into the main pose.
Lift your chest up and bring your hands (rotating them outward) and grab your heels. You’re ready to enter into ustrasana!
Salabhasana — Locust Pose
Salabhasana – Locust Pose is a beginner pose that can be transitioned to Cobra Pose. Salabhasana – Locust Pose is a deep back bend that is good to start out with. Camel pose sequences are a series of poses that are good for stretching and strengthening the spine.
These sequences can be done any time, but they are especially beneficial in the morning or before bed. By stretching and exercising the spine on a regular basis, you can help prevent injuries and improve your overall balance and mobility.
Bhujangasana — Cobra Pose
From locust pose, the yogi can smoothly transition to cobra pose to deepen the back bend. Cobra pose is also known as bhujangasana and is a staple pose in the vinyasa and sun salutation sequences. Camel pose sequences start with locust pose and then move onto camel pose. Camel pose is a powerful forward-bending posture that stretches the legs, hips, and spine.
Anjaneyasana — Low Lunge Pose
If you are practicing Anjaneyasana, or camel pose, it is important to focus on the muscle group that will be used in this pose. This is done by practicing low lunge. Once you have mastered this pose on one side, you should repeat it on the other side.
Virasana — Hero Pose
Virasana is a pose that is a front body opener and exposes the yogi emotionally. It is an ideal stretch for the quadriceps and hip flexors, and can be built up by doing one or more of the following postures: Table, Hero, Child. Camel pose can be ended with Seated Yoga Mudra, Child, Rabbit.
Ustrasana — Camel Pose
Ustrasana is a seated pose that begins with reclined hero pose. The yogi inhales and then exhales, slowly using their hands to help them back up to sitting. The yogi sits up on their knees, moving the knees frontally hip’s width apart. The arms are placed comfortably on the tailbone or the tops of the hamstrings, with fingers pointed downwards. On the next exhale, the yogi slowly back bend into camel pose (ustrasana), inching the hands evenly down the backs of the legs. This inhale-lengthening-exhale-deepening cycle will continue as the yogi deepens gradually into the pose.
Dadho Mukha Svanasana — Downward Facing Dog Pose
Downward facing dog is a foundational pose that is very useful for back bends.
Downward facing dog is not a back bend but it is a pose that is very useful for strengthening the muscle groups needed for back bends.
Getting mentally prepared for back bends is important before leading up to an emotionally demanding pose such as camel pose. Downward facing dog stretches the hamstrings, calves, and shoulders while also strengthening the arms and legs.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Salabhasana (Locust Pose), Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge), Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose), Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose), and Clothes: Calia are five of the many poses in camel pose sequences.
Salamba Balanasana — Child’s Pose
If you’re looking to take a break from the intense action of camel pose, try Salamba Balasana. This sequence follows camel pose, providing a necessary respite for the lower back. Salamba Balasana is a very gentle counter-pose for camel pose as the low back broadens and rests from the back bend. To make the most of this pose, hold it for a minimum of 20 breaths to let the body recover.
Savasana — Corpse Pose
The final pose in any sequence should be corpse pose, or savasana. Savasana — Corpse Pose is a great way to absorb the benefits of all the previous poses. When you practice yoga regularly, you’ll eventually reach this final pose. During the course of your practice, you’ll gradually develop the strength and flexibility to enter into this pose. Once you’ve reached this point, savasana will provide you with an intense sense of harmonization and relaxation.
Camel Pose Sanskrit
Camel Pose is known as Ustrasana in Sanskrit. Camel Pose is a backbend pose that opens the heart. Camel Pose is a pose type that is classified as Backbend.
Camel Pose is an opener of the heart chakra. The benefits of Camel Pose include opening the chest and lungs, stretching the front body, and massaging the abdominal organs.
Camel Pose can be modified to fit any level of practitioner. To maximize the benefits of Camel Pose, practice with breath awareness and meditation techniques.
Common Mistakes
Not Keeping Your Thighs Upright
Keeping your thighs upright is important to maintain good posture. If you don’t keep them upright, you can experience a number of problems, such as:
To keep your thighs upright, practice the asana against a wall.
Try the modified version of the exercise where your hands are on the back supporting the bend.
Not Reaching Your Heels
If you find that you are not reaching your heels as easily as you would like, you may need to adjust your grip. This is a good exercise for both beginning and advanced students. It helps to increase the effectiveness of your stride by properly aligning your feet with your hips.
Precautions against Ustrasana
Ustrasana is not recommended for people with migraines, blood pressure ailments, or back/neck injuries. If you have any of these conditions, it’s best to avoid this pose or consult a certified yoga teacher before practicing.
Final Words
Camel pose is a great yoga pose that stretches and strengthens the entire body. It is especially beneficial for the spine, hips, and shoulders. Additionally, camel pose is associated with the heart chakra and provides many benefits for emotional wellbeing. To make the most of your camel pose experience, be sure to practice with breath awareness and meditation techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get into camel pose?
To get into camel pose, start in a kneeling position with your legs hip-width apart. Place your hands on your lower back with your fingers pointing down. Slowly arch your back and lift your chest up to the sky. Reach back with your right hand and grab your right ankle. Then, reach back with your left hand and grab your left ankle. Gently pull your feet towards your body as you continue to arch your back. Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths before releasing and returning to a kneeling position.
How can I make camel pose easier?
If you find camel pose to be challenging, there are a few modifications that can make the pose easier. First, try practicing the pose against a wall. This will help to support your back and prevent you from over-stretching. Second, you can practice the modified version of the pose where your hands are on the back supporting the bend. Lastly, try using a yoga strap to help you reach your ankles if you have difficulty doing so.
What are the benefits of camel pose?
The benefits of camel pose include opening the chest and lungs, stretching the front body, and massaging the abdominal organs. Additionally, camel pose is associated with the heart chakra and provides many benefits for emotional wellbeing.