Camel Pose

Camel Pose

Ustrasana

Camel is a deep heart opening posture that strengthens your back while freeing your neck, chest, lungs, abdominals, and thighs.

Benefits

• Stretches the neck, chest, shoulder, abdomen, hip flexor, thigh, and shin muscles

• Increases spinal mobility

• Aids in deeper breathing by opening respiratory muscles

• Strengthens back, inner thigh, and gluteal muscles

• Builds heat and increases stamina

Contraindications

• Pregnancy - check with doctor

• Back, neck, or disc injury

• Knee injury

• Low or high blood pressure

Modifications

• If you are not able to reach your heals with your toes pointed, you can flex your feet and curl your toes under to bring your heals closer to you. You can also keep your hands to your lower back/gluteal muscle area until you gain the mobility to reach your feet

• You may place a block in between your thighs to help you engage inner thighs and find more length and stability

Chakras

This posture stimulates and balances the Heart Chakra (Anahata) which is associated with trust, unconditional love, and forgiveness.