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Level
7 Difficulty. Here is a demanding pose that will give you a tremendous core
work out. It also does wonders for loosening the hips for better walking, jogging
and hiking. It's great for loosening the shoulders, straightening posture, developing
better balance and building better breathing. The Camel is not for the beginner,
nor for those with lower back injuries. It's very important to attend to the details
of alignment, especially while going into and out of the pose. We strongly recommend
that you first build up core strength with other poses, like the Wood Chopper
and the Back Bend series before attempting this posture.
Who
Should Not Do This Pose:
Pregnant women, people with lower back Injuries, people with rods in their lower
back.  | Yoga
Snack
Not a
Yoga Snack pose. It takes time to prepare your body to do this pose. For this
reason, the Camel is best done when included as part of your routine. We strongly
recommend that you warm up to this pose with postures that loosen the shoulders,
spine and quads. For example, the Wood Chopper, the Back Bend, the Puppy and the
Rabbit. |  |
| | Start
Kneeling, legs hip width apart. |  | Safety
Keys Be
sure to do a slight pelvic tilt. This will help protect your lower back for the
back bend movements that come next.
| Elongation
of the Spine
Take
a moment to elongate your spine. This will further protect your back and give
you more flexibility as you bend backwards. |
| | Tip
Take a few breaths to settle into place. With each breath out, feel
the weight in your hips and legs sinking toward the floor; your shoulders letting
go, dropping down; notice your arms hanging loosely by your sides. This moment
will loosen your body before you begin and give you better results with the least
risk of injury. |
Next
- for Those New to This Posture, (Beginner's Version) | | Reach
your hands behind your back. Place them at the small of your back, where your
spine joins your hips. Spread your fingers out so that you can fully support your
lower back with your hands. |  |  | Bend
your upper body backwards, supporting your movement with your hands. Reach your
chest toward the ceiling. Stretch your spine up and back to produce the arching
shape in your spine and to further protect your lower back. |  |
| Tips | - Imagine
the top of your head reaching outward, stretching away from your neck and spine.
- Reach your
belly for the ceiling, this will help your lower back arch.
- As
you arch your body up and back, press inward with your hands. This will bow the
front of your body outward and assist the movements.
|
| Hold
the pose for 2 - 6 breaths
or until you reach the limit of your ability
to arch up and back. | As
you hold the pose: Each
time you breathe in, reach your chest more toward the ceiling. Also
as you're breathing in, bring your shoulder blades more and more together,
and reach your head more and more back toward your legs. As you do these two steps,
you'll feel your upper body sinking and arching. | You
Will Feel This in:
Your neck, shoulders,
rotator muscles in your shoulders, shoulder blades, front of your chest, all along
the front of your body, in your abdominals, groin ligaments and thighs. Some people
even feel their knees stretching. |
| Safety
Tips
If you begin to feel pinching in your lower back, you've gone too
far. Adjust the pose by easing up until you do not feel this any longer. It's
common to feel your body shaking slightly as you do this pose. This means your
muscles are working hard, building strength. It also means that you can easily
go into muscle fatigue. So, at this point, you need to be careful not to work
the pose so deeply or holding it so long that you cannot safely ease out of it
with control. | Release
To release the pose, reverse your movements, being sure to support
your back well as you straighten. |
Next
Version - For Those Ready to Go a Bit Farther | | Reach
your hands behind your back, as before. Place them at the small of your back,
where your spine joins your hips. Spread your fingers out so that you can fully
support your lower back with your hands. Start bending your upper body up and
back, supporting your movement with your hands, as before. | |  | Turn
your body slightly. Drop one hand toward its corresponding heel. (If you cannot
reach the heel, see if you can reach your ankle or calf muscle.) Keep
supporting your back bend with the other hand. Keep
turning until your hand reaches your heel. |  | | Settle
into place. Holding on to your heel, turn your hips back toward the front. They
might not completely return to the front, but turn them gently until they reach
their limit. | Hold
for 2 - 6 breaths
or until you reach the limit of your ability to arch up and back. | | When
holding the pose, each time you breathe in, reach your chest more and more
toward the ceiling, assisting the movement by gently pressing you hip forward
with its supporting hand. | You
will probably feel this part of the movement in your groin ligaments and in
your thighs. If you feel it in your lower back, you've turned too far, are arching
too deeply into the pose or are not ready for this variation of the Camel yet. |
| All
the tips and caveats from the beginner's version apply. To
Release the Pose,
reverse your movements, until you are upright again.
Repeat on the other side. |
| | Full
Camel | | | | | Tips
| | | | Imagine
the top of your head reaching outward, stretching away from your neck & spine.
| As
you arch your body up and back, press inward with your hands. This will bow the
front of your body outward and assist the movements. | | Reach
your belly for the ceiling, this will help you arch your lower back. |
|  |
Next
Once
you are well into the back bend, release your hands from your lower back and allow
your arms to drop directly down from your shoulders. Continue to arch your body
up and back until your hands can hold on to your heels. Firmly grasp your heels.
Settle into place. | Hold
for 2 - 6 breaths
or
until you reach the limit of your ability to arch up and back. |
| As
you hold the pose: - Each
time you breathe in, reach your chest more toward the ceiling.
- Also
as you're breathing in, bring your shoulder blades more and more together, and
reach your head more and more back toward your legs. As you do this, you'll feel
your upper body sinking and arching.
- Each
time you breathe out, bring your hips more forward, stretching your thighs, groin
and thighs as they pull away from your hands.
|  | As
the pose gets deeper, you can adjust your hands, moving them to the soles of your
feet, for a stronger stretch. | You
Will Feel This in
Your
neck, shoulders, rotator muscles in your shoulders, shoulder blades, front of
your chest, all along the front of your body, in your abdominals, groin ligaments
and thighs. Some people even feel their knees stretching. | Safety
Tips
If you begin to feel pinching in your lower back, you've gone too
far. Adjust the pose by easing up until you do not feel this any longer. |
It's
common to feel your body shaking slightly as you do this pose. This means your
muscles are working hard, building strength. It also means that you can easily
go into muscle fatigue. So, at this point, you need to be careful not to work
the pose so deeply or holding it so long that you cannot safely ease out of it
with control. |
| Release
To
release the pose, reverse your movements, being sure to support your back well
as you straighten. |
| Advanced
Version When
you're very well practiced at the Full Camel and your back and abdominals are
very strong you will no longer need to support your lower back as you go into
the pose. You will know you're ready for this when back bends like the Wood Chopper
are very easy for you and when you do them very deeply, almost bending your body
to a ninety degree angle. |  | | When
that day comes, this how you start the Advanced Camel pose: |
|  | From
the starting position on your knees, begin leaning backward. Let your arms be
loose. They will start to drop back, hanging over your heels. |  | Arch
your body up and back, bringing your hands closer and closer to your heels. When
you reach them, hold on firmly. |  | Continue
as before. Release
the pose by reversing your movements | 
|
| | Breathing | | | | In
Your Starting Position
Take a few breaths to settle into place. With each
breath out, feel the weight in your hips and legs sinking toward the floor; your
shoulders letting go, dropping down; notice your arms hanging loosely by your
sides. This moment will loosen your body before you begin and give you better
results with the least risk of injury. | | Beginners:
take several breaths to go into the Beginner Version of the pose. |  | Breathing
in to arch up and back. Breathing
out to deepen your back bend. | 
| | More
advanced practitioners go into the pose in one breath: | | Breathe
in
to bring your chest up and back. |  | Breathe
out
to completely settle into the pose, holding onto your heels as you
finish breathing out. | | Once
you're in the Full Camel: |  |
Breathing in:
Arch your chest more and more toward the ceiling. Also
while Breathing in:
bring your shoulder blades more and more together,
bringing the upper body closer and closer to your legs. |  | Breathing
out:
Bring your hips forward, stretching your thighs, groin and thighs
as they pull away from your hands. | Releasing
the Pose
Breathe in as you return upright. |
|
|
| Try
This Great Combination
the
Camel alternating with the Puppy |  |
| Breathe
in as you begin the Camel | | | Breathe
out as you settle into the Camel. | | | Hold
the pose as you breathe in and out. | | | Breathe
in as you return upright, lengthening your spine, preparing for the Puppy. |  | | Breathe
out as you slide into the Puppy. |  | | Breathe
in and out as you hold the Puppy. |  | | Breathe
in as you return upright. | | Tip
Knees
stay in one spot for the entire combination of movements. |
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Benefits:
Builds strength in and loosens: neck, shoulders, lower back, abdominals, inner
thighs, groin ligaments and quads (thighs). Builds up breathing muscles in the
upper body. Helps straighten the body for better posture and balance. Body
Parts Used by This Posture: Neck, shoulders, lower back, abdominals, inner
thighs, groin ligaments and quads (thighs). Combines
Well with: Puppy. Builds
you up for / Warms you up for: Butterfly, Lunges, Modified Side Stretch, Wheel.
Build
up to this pose with / Warm up for it with: Back Bend 1, 2, 3, Pelvic Lift,
Wood Chopper Compensate
with: Puppy This
Pose Can Substitute for: Wheel Energy Centers Used: Belly, Solar Plexus, Heart
Try
Learning First: Back Bend 1, 2, 3 |
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Postures by Body Area 
