What is Camel Pose (Ustrasana) – Health Benefits & Precautions

With the advent of work-from-home and the sedentary lifestyle that most individuals lead, taking care of our health becomes difficult. Yoga is an excellent way to keep our weight in check and maintain fitness. 

Camel pose or Ustrasana, is a great yoga pose that aims to improve spinal mobility. Read along to know more about the various health benefits of camel pose.

Ustrasana, often known as the camel pose, is a simple yoga asana to activate the heart chakra or Anahata. Therefore, people who desire to increase their strength and flexibility can benefit from it. 

Ustrasana is beneficial for people with poor digestion as well. It is an intermediate-level backbend practice, but a few details must be examined to ensure it is done correctly.

The top benefits of Ustrasana are as follows:

• It aids in deep hip flexor stretching, further encouraging increased hip flexibility.
• Since the asana concentrates on stretching out your back and helping to straighten it, it can also aid in improving your posture.
• By assisting your hip flexors to relax, this exercise is effective in relieving lower back pain.
• Since this yoga pose involves the entire body, it promotes healthy blood circulation to all organs.
• To perform Ustrasana, your upper body must be stretched out, which generally involves stretching your back and shoulders. This will help your mobility.
• Another benefit of camel pose is that it helps the female body open the pelvic region. In addition, it also reduces menstrual pain in the ovaries, abdomen, etc.
• The pose focuses on the opening of the hamstrings, ankles, and leg muscles (the muscles at the back of your thighs). Further, it can aid in preventing ailments related to varicose veins.
• Regular camel pose practice and holding the posture for around a minute will make the thighs, hips, glutes, and back muscles more toned.
• Controlling your breathing rhythm throughout the camel stance (while getting into the pose, holding it, and leaving it) helps improve lung function. In addition, this breathing exercise also raises the flexibility of lung tissue.
• Your core, back, and throat are tightened as you extend your entire upper body rearward. This positively affects your adrenal, thyroid, pituitary, and pineal glands.
• As it stretches out the abdominal region, it helps to eliminate constipation and other abdominal-related ailments.

Kneeling on the yoga mat or floor is the traditional starting posture for Camel Pose. Here are the steps you need to follow to perform the camel pose: 

Step 1: Kneel with your back straight and your hips above your knees. If your knees are sore, place padding under them; a blanket or a mat folded twice can provide support.

Step 2: Your palms should be at the sides of your rib cage as you draw your hands up the side of your body. With your elbows pointed out, wrap your other four fingers around the sides and fronts of your rib cage while letting your thumbs rest on the back of your ribs. 

Step 3: As you begin to open your chest toward the ceiling while maintaining this grasp, use your hands to lift the rib cage up for support.

Step 4: Hold your chest in place as you slowly extend each hand back to grab your heels. Tuck your toes under if you feel like you need a bit more height. 

Step 5: Your hips should remain above your knees when you lean forward.

Step 6: Keep your mouth opened and allow your head to come back if it feels comfortable. You can keep your chin tucked if that doesn't suit your neck.

Step 7: Bring your hands to your hips and your chin to your chest to exhale. As you slowly raise your body to an upright kneeling position, tighten your abdominal muscles and use your hands to support your lower back.

Here are a few tips for practising camel pose for you:

• Since placing the instep (top surface of the foot) flat on the floor initially feels challenging, you can tuck your toes under. This will make it easier for you to stand up and put your hands on your ankles.
• To get comfortable, beginners can tuck a folded blanket under their knees.
• To start, you can put yoga blocks next to your feet under your hands to give you more height to place your hands.
• Perform this pose initially with your knees and thighs fastened to a wall in front of you. You will find that doing this greatly aids in maintaining good posture.

Follow these precautions and contraindications while performing the camel pose to avoid any chances of injury:

• Being aware of your body's limitations is crucial when doing this asana. Avoid overstretching your body because doing so might lead to injury.
• Camel Pose should not be performed if you have a recent or severe injury to your spine, core, thighs, knees, shoulders, or feet.
• Avoid doing this pose if you have high or low blood pressure, migraines, or insomnia, or consult a professional before doing it. In these circumstances, this asana's tilting of the head and neck can be harmful since it alternates the blood flow.
• Ustrasana should be done slowly and carefully. Inadequate performance can result in harm.

Since camel pose might be difficult for some to master, here are some modifications that can be of help:

• Place your hands on the lower back: To receive the benefits from this stretch, you can try placing your hands on your lower back if you find it challenging to bring your hands to your heels.
• Use cushions/blankets as support: You can use cushions or a thick blanket to support your knees and gain extra confidence.
• Use a wall as support: As a beginner, you can try a camel pose against the wall. For that, you need to kneel with your knees, thighs and pelvis against the wall. Use the same principle for your fists and lean back. This will help align the hips to remain above the knees.
• Use a chair: You can also use a chair as a modification. However, for this, you need to place your hands on the chair behind you instead of your ankles.
• Use blocks: The use of blocks does another modification for this exercise. However, blocks are not as stable as chairs and might be difficult to lean on.                 

Now that you know the health benefits of camel pose, start practising it from today itself. You can dedicate a 15-minute break in between your work hour shifts for this, and you will thank yourself later.