Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

elisha st denis
2 days ago
2 min read

Elisha kneeling upright with both hands reaching back to rest on her heels, chest lifted and arched toward the ceiling, head relaxed back, hips pressed forward — Open your heart, arch back, and trust the fall.

Camel Pose is a kneeling backbend that opens the entire front body, chest, throat, hip flexors, and abdomen, all at once. It's one of the more intense backbends in a Vinyasa practice and can bring up a strong physical and emotional response. Approach it slowly, build gradually, and always counter it with a forward fold or Child's Pose afterward. When done well, Camel is deeply energizing and freeing.

How to Practice Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Begin kneeling with your knees hip-width apart, thighs vertical.
Tuck your toes under or point them flat — tucked toes raise the heels and make them easier to reach.
Place your hands on your lower back, fingers pointing down, and begin to lift your chest toward the ceiling.
Press your hips forward as you start to arch back.
If you can comfortably reach your heels, release one hand at a time to hold them.
Keep pressing your hips forward so they stay over your knees.
Let your head drop back only if your neck feels comfortable.
Hold for 3-5 breaths, then use your hands to help you come back up slowly. Rest in Child's Pose.

Camel Hands on Ankles Variation

Elisha kneeling upright with both hands resting on her ankles, chest lifted and arched toward the ceiling, hips pressed forward, creating a slightly less intense backbend — Hands on ankles. A controlled arch.

Instead of reaching all the way back to your heels, place your hands on your ankles. This is a slightly less deep backbend than hands-to-heels but often easier to control. It's especially helpful if you have a longer torso or are still building the range of motion. It also allows you to keep the chest lifting without having to search for your heels.

Modifications

Hands on lower back: Stay with hands on the lower back and simply lift and open the chest. This is still a full and effective version of the pose.
Toes tucked: Keeping toes tucked raises your heels a few inches, making them much easier to reach.
Blocks beside feet: Place blocks on the outside of each foot and rest your hands on the blocks instead of reaching all the way to your heels.

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