What are the benefits Camel Pose (Ustrasana)?
The pose improves posture by opening up the shoulders. It also relieves back pain. The spine, spinal nerves, muscles and glutes also get stronger. Since it is also a chest opener, it strengthens the chest as well. While in the posture, you have to engage your core, hamstrings and quadriceps, so areas like the abdomen, thighs and hips also get stronger. It's wonderful for those suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions too. Emotionally, it makes you stronger, more confident and fearless.
Who should not perform Camel Pose (Ustrasana)?
This asana should be avoided if there is any pain or injury in the ankles, knees, calves, thighs, back, shoulders or neck. Even those with high or low blood pressure should be careful.
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Ustrasana, Camel Pose. Avoid practising this asana if you have severe knee conditions or you can also place a blanket under the knees to cushion it and it's an excellent posture to improve your hip flexibility and expands your chest and good for thyroid as well.
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Let's look at the posture, come on your knees, knees separated slightly apart, we will look at two modifications. First one easier version, with the toes tucked in and hands on the hip it's Ardha Ustrasana, Half Camel Pose, so you're going to reach your one hand to one heel, right hand on the right heel, as you reach do not let the hip and the chest tilt to the side, it's still facing forward, chest and the hip, and then other hand you can simply extend it to the ceiling, while you press that palm on the heel start to reach the left hand to the sky look up if you're comfortable drop your head back.
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Now, placing the palm turn to one side come back to the centre, that is Half Ustrasana. Let's look at the full Ustrasana, so you can reach one hand, reaching the one heel if you are able to reach the other hand as well to your heels, once you're here press your palms onto the heels lift your chest up if you're comfortable moving your hip forward, tightening your buttocks and drop your head back slowly.
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Then one palm on the stomach, turn to one side and slowly come back to center. If this is really comfortable you can also do the same practice with the toes pointing, for that you will need a little more flexibility in your lower back you might find it challenging in the initial days, this you can do later part of your practice. Okay after that, you can simply sit back in Shashankasana, Child Pose, to counter the spine movement and sitting upright if you have any heart related issues, headache, migraine, avoid dropping your head back you can simply hold on to it and just keep looking forward that was Ustrasana, Camel Pose.
