Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

<h2> Ustrasana. The Camel Pose</h2>Ustra means «camel». This asana imitates the shape of a camel, making the spine concave. Short description of Ustrasana (Camel Pose) 1. Kneel on the floor so that the knees are together and the thighs, calves and ankles touch each other. The tops of the feet should rest on the floor, the toes pointing back.2. Place the palms on the buttocks, take the hips slightly forward and bend the trunk back, pushing the spine into the body and bending the back as strongly as you can.3. Take the head back, broaden the chest and stretch both arms from the shoulders towards the feet. Take hold of the heels with both hands and, if possible, place the palms along the whole length of the soles of the feet.4. Remain in this final position for about 30 seconds, breathing normally. While doing so:(1) lift the hips up;(2) firm the buttocks;(3) take the sacrum forward in order to lengthen the hips, the buttocks and the upper part of the thighs;(4) broaden the ribs of the chest;(5) draw the shoulder blades in and lift the breastbone;(6) take the head back, away from the upper edge of the breastbone;(7) press the shins into the floor and the hands into the soles, direct the spine into the body, lift it and lengthen it so that the whole body forms a good arc.5. Exhale, reduce the pressure of the hands on the feet, take the hips and buttocks slightly forward, lift the trunk and the arms and come into position (1). If you cannot lift both arms at once, lift them one after the other. The movement with which you lift the body begins in the hips and the chest, so the impulse for coming up should come from there. Special notes: (1) If you cannot catch both heels at once, take hold of them separately, tilting the shoulders first to one side and then to the other. Once you have caught both heels, straighten the shoulders. Try to learn to work with both hands together as soon as you can.(2) At first, if it is hard to reach the heels, keep the knees slightly apart so that the movement of the spine is freer and no pain arises in the hips. Gradually learn to keep the knees together. Contraindications: Back and neck injuriesMigraine or headacheHigh or low blood pressureDetailed description of UstrasanaMost of the movements we are used to do little to help us acquire good posture. Lifting a child, working at a computer or doing housework, we invariably round the upper back. A whole lifetime passes in this abuse of the spine, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that in the end all we can boast of is a stooped back and a compressed ribcage, to say nothing of constant pain in the neck and lower back.When the spine comes to resemble a question mark, it is not only the intervertebral discs that suffer: the abdominal muscles become weak and inelastic, the lower back easily injured, and the region of the heart, the lungs and the diaphragm are compressed.Our posture can change with our emotional state: drooping shoulders depict tiredness, pain or dejection, whereas an open chest and a head held high, on the contrary, testify to high spirits. But the reverse connection also holds true: a permanently hunched back and a sunken ribcage can lead to depression and lethargy, whereas an open heart region brings vigour and good spirits.Ustrasana (Camel Pose), like other backbends, helps in the fight against stooping and gives that long-awaited feeling of opening: the muscles of the whole front of the body are stretched - the chest, the abdominals, the front groins and the thighs. Space appears in the abdomen and the ribcage, which aids digestion and allows deeper breathing. And finally, according to the yoga tradition, backbends open the heart chakra - one of the seven energy centres, the one connected with love. Doing Ustrasana Ustrasana is a fairly difficult pose, especially for beginners.At first you may feel discomfort in the back and even suffer sharp pain arising in the neck or the lower back. Your breathing, too, will probably become more strained. To avoid these unpleasant sensations you must follow two rules: first, learn to align the pelvis and the legs in such a way that the lower back lengthens during the backbend; second, do not rush things - practise the variations of the pose until you have mastered the “safety technique” of the asana. Remember: to feel the beneficial effect of the pose it is by no means necessary to bring the palms down onto the feet straight away. Be attentive while doing the asana and observe how the heart region opens and the spine forms an arc without being compressed.<table><tr><td>wrong Do not compress the neck</td><td>wrong Do not push the hips forward anddo not overbend in the lower back</td><td>right The hips vertical, the pelvis - directly above the knees</td></tr></table>Readiness number oneBefore you begin the pose, quieten the mind and prepare the upper back: sit on the floor, placing one end of a bolster or a rolled-up blanket at the sacrum. The legs are bent at the knees, the feet pressed into the mat. Lie back onto the support and relax the shoulders, letting them drop towards the floor. Turn the arms palms up - let the knees rest against each other. Relax, observing how the breath settles and deepens. After a few minutes roll onto your side and sit up. Then do a few rounds of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). Include Virabhadrasana I and II (Warrior I and II) in it, to open the quadriceps and the inner groins.For a safe practice of Ustrasana you need to build a solid foundation in the lower body. Without it you will overbend at the weakest parts of the spine - the neck and the lower back - and never reach the stiff upper back. A stable base will let you lift and broaden the ribcage and the rib area.Kneel, with the feet and knees hip-width apart, the shins parallel to each other and the thighs perpendicular to the floor. Press the ankles, the metatarsals and the toes firmly into the floor. Roll the thighs inwards and draw them towards each other, as though squeezing a block. Now direct the tailbone down towards the floor. This will help lengthen the lower back and gently stretch the lower abdomen.Flexibility in UstrasanaTo do the simplest variation of the pose, place the palms on the back at the upper edge of the pelvis, the fingers pointing down and the elbows drawing towards each other. On an exhalation press the knees, shins and feet more firmly into the floor, imagining that the legs are literally putting down roots.On an inhalation reach up through the crown of the head. Stay like this for a few cycles of breath, balancing between two opposite actions - rooting down and lengthening up.Once the lower body is stable and a feeling of freedom and extension has appeared in the upper body, you can move on to the next stage. Relax the shoulders and let them drop, draw the shoulder blades in. On an inhalation direct the breastbone up towards the sky. Keep lifting it until the body begins to bend back of its own accord. Let the arc formed by the spine be a broad one and the movement smooth: imagine that you are laying your back over a big exercise ball. Keeping the neck long and the head in line with the spine, look up. Do not push the hips forward: the pelvis should be directly above the knees.If you feel fear or strain - come out of the pose.Stay in the asana for a few calm, even cycles of breath. The throat, the eyes and the jaw are relaxed. With every inhalation draw the shoulder blades in, lifting and broadening the heart region still further. With every exhalation draw the tailbone in and press the shins and feet into the floor. Keep the lower back long, aiming to bend in the upper part of the spine and to lengthen the neck.On the next exhalation come out of the pose: press the ankles and feet into the floor even more firmly and come up using the muscles of the back. Sit on the heels and rest for a moment with the hands on the knees. Let the spine return to its natural position and the energy settle downwards before doing the pose again. Repeat the whole sequence three times. Let the breath help you enter and leave the asana gently.Ustrasana at the wallThe next variation of the pose is done at a wall. Where in the previous version you pushed the hips forward with all your might, here you will be able to keep them vertical - the wall simply leaves you no choice.Kneel as close to the wall as you can. If you are not yet ready to bring the palms onto the feet, place blocks on either side of the ankles or tuck the toes under. Do the first variation of Ustrasana, lengthening the whole body from the knees to the crown of the head. Then lower the palms onto the blocks or onto the heels, with the fingers pointing towards the toes.Roll the upper arms from the inside outwards and draw the shoulder blades in and up, so as to lift the chest and the heart as high as possible. Let the head go back, or keep it in line with the spine, but in either case lengthen the neck. Stay in the asana for a few cycles of breath. To come out of the pose, first bring the ribcage upright and only then lift the head.UncutIf you feel stable and at ease in the lower back and the neck, try the full version of Ustrasana without using props. Place the palms on the sacrum, inhale and bend back. Reach the hands down to the heels, draw the shoulder blades in and let the heart soar. Stay in the asana for 3-5 cycles of breath, then bring the palms back onto the back and come out of the pose. Rest, then do Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Big Toe Pose), Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) and simple twists to restore the natural curves of the spine. (Yoga Journal) The effect of practising Ustrasana Ustrasana lengthens and tones the whole spine. It corrects stooped shoulders and a hunched back, and stimulates the circulation of the blood. Ustrasana also develops a sense of balance and builds self-confidence.